More than 160 guests celebrated the winery's 25th anniversary of its first commercial grape harvest on Saturday night at the vineyard, including past and present winemakers.
Mr Brady said the Central Otago wine industry had grown incredibly quickly in the short amount of time it had been established and said it was becoming one of the world's "great producing regions".
"It has been a fantastic journey.
"Nobody is more surprised than I am to still be here.
"Wine is a journey of adventure and exploration, and this was a lonely place for us in the early 1980s, a bunch of romantic, naive, presumptuous but stubborn buggers, certainly not afraid of the unknown.
"It is 25 years since the first trickle of Central Otago wine flowed out of this winery."
Guests at the black tie event in the winery's Barrel Hall were Mr Brady, former winemakers Grant Taylor and Rob Hay, and current winemaker Christopher Keys.
Gibbston Valley Winery chief executive Greg Hunt said the evening was the perfect way to celebrate the milestone.
He paid tribute to the foresight of Mr Brady and other wine pioneers.
"We owe all of them a huge debt of appreciation."
The winery has had only three chief winemakers since Mr Brady during its 25 years; Rob Hay (1986-92), Grant Taylor (1993-2006) and present winemaker Christopher Keys, who has now been with the winery for seven years.
Fellow winemakers Sascha Herbert and Matt Swirtz were also recognised for their efforts.
National charity Cure Kids was the beneficiary for the night, with more than $19,000 raised from an auction of collectable wines, an Otago winemakers painting, a claire bloom designer dress and Remarkables Scenic Helicopter flight for two.
Cure Kids business development director Josie Spillane said she was pleased to welcome Gibbston Valley Winery as a partner of the charity.
Anniversary dinner guests were treated to a five-course dinner, each course matched with a wine from the cellar.
