From a time capsule to New Beginnings: rare 1958 vintage donated to Gala auction

A rare bottle of Brown Brothers 1958 Vintage Port that spent 48 years underground in a Wangaratta time capsule is set to find a new home, after Appin Park Wangaratta Rotary Club donated the remarkable piece of local history to the New Beginnings Gala Ball auction. The story of the bottle stretches back almost seven decades. Crafted in 1958 by the late father of John G Brown, the port was made from Shiraz grapes grown in an old block of vines at the Brown Brothers Milawa vineyard. After being matured for eight months in an oak barrel, it was bottled in November that year. Bottling the vintage became John G Brown’s first task after leaving school and joining his father in the family business. Using a rubber siphon hose and hand-operated corking machine, he spent an entire day bottling all 480 bottles produced. The wine was then carefully aged in an underground cellar. In 1977, one bottle was donated by John G Brown’s father to the Wangaratta Rotary Club of Appin Park for inclusion in a time capsule, where it would spend another 48 years underground. When the time capsule was opened on 10 May 2025, John G Brown was surprised to see the bottle emerge after nearly half a century. Rather than reclaiming it, he offered it back to the Rotary Club to support future fundraising efforts. The vintage itself also has an impressive history, receiving numerous wine show awards and acclaim over its lifetime. Bottles opened in recent years have reportedly remained in excellent condition, a testament to the quality of the original winemaking and the wine’s ability to age. Now, Appin Park Wangaratta Rotary Club has chosen to continue the bottle’s extraordinary journey, donating it to the New Beginnings Gala Ball auction. Centre Against Violence (CAV) CEO Jaime Chubb said the story behind the bottle made the donation particularly meaningful. “There is something really special about an item that has been part of our local story for so long now being used to help create new beginnings for people in our community," Jaime said. "We’re incredibly grateful to Appin Park Wangaratta Rotary Club for choosing to pass this piece of history on and support the work we do alongside people rebuilding their lives after family and sexual violence.” Geoff Dinning, president, Appin Park Wangaratta Rotary Club said this bottle has quite an extraordinary story. "It’s wonderful to think that something buried nearly 50 years ago can now make a real difference in our community," he said. "We are grateful to John Brown for his generosity in gifting the bottle back to our Rotary Club and giving us the opportunity to put it to good use by helping local families rebuild their lives and make a fresh start.” Funds raised through the New Beginnings Gala Ball will help create a new Donation Hub for CAV clients affected by family and sexual violence who are ready to rebuild their lives. The hub will provide practical household items to help people create a safe, comfortable home as they take their next steps forward. The historic bottle will be one of a limited selection of special gala auction items available for online bidding, giving people across the community the opportunity to take part. Tickets to the New Beginnings Gala Ball on 20 November are still available at https://events.humanitix.com/new-beginnings-gala-ball.

From a time capsule to New Beginnings: rare 1958 vintage donated to Gala auction

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