"I'm pleased I gave in. To say we [were] surprised and elated with the Best Buy is a bit of an understatement."
The Best Buy award is the latest in a string of awards for Mr Brett and 36 bottles - with its 2013 riesling grabbing silver medals at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, the International Aromatic Wine Competition and the New Zealand International Wine Show.
For Mr Brett, who describes himself "as Masterton born and raised", the 36 Bottles journey began at Victoria University when he discovered he enjoyed wine.
He was none too keen on the beers his mates were knocking back, so decided to try a different "poison".
"I didn't enjoy beer at uni, so I started drinking wine instead," said Mr Brett, who is nephew to late Breadcraft founder Bob Cockburn.
"Later on, a friend invited me to join a wine club. People there were into proper winemaking - not just making fruit wine in bedrooms at home.
"There always seemed to be a certain amount of romance in wine making. So, I kept going along - and the more I got involved, the more I wanted to know."
After university, Mr Brett took his first steps into the wine industry, picking grapes for Clive Paton of Martinborough's award-winning Ata Rangi and for Church Road Wines in the Hawke's Bay.
"Church Road let me use some of its grapes, so I started making my own wine at home," he said. "Some of it turned out pretty good."
In 1999, Mr Brett and Ms Young made their first vintage, picking, crushing and fermenting enough grapes to fill 36 bottles of wine - hence the brand name.
"We crushed all the grapes with our own feet. We just wanted to prove we could do it."
Nowadays, the couple work as winesmiths, basing themselves in Central Otago - using their annual leave to escape their day jobs and indulge their passion for good wine.
"Winesmiths don't own the vineyards or wineries," said Mr Brett.
"But our job is to find the best grapes we can - we only work with good quality grapes. We also have to look after them as they grow, and be aware of how each little batch is going.
"It's like being goldsmiths or blacksmiths - quality craftsmen. But it's also a work of love."
Their commitment to quality has paid off with their rose getting rave reviews from critics for its "gorgeous, vivid" colour, fresh strawberry aroma and dryish, sweet cherry taste.
"It's very refreshing," said Mr Brett.
"It's like having summer in a glass. Perfect for sitting out on the patio with some nibbles and hors d'oeuvres."
In fact, he said, all 36 Bottles wines are made to be enjoyed with a good meal.
"Wine goes so well with food. It's something that should be enjoyed with friends over a nice meal. You need the whole experience with wine. It shouldn't be just something drunk purely because it has alcohol in it."
For more information on 36 Bottles wines, prices and distribution, or to buy wine online, go to www.36bottles.co.nz.
