2010 Chardonnay One Sixteen

The heat spikes that hit Sonoma in late August of 2010 caused unprotected grapes to shrivel, especially those with overly thinned canopies and those on the west side of the rows, Michael Browne told me. The good news is that because of a cool growing season, "carefully tended vines gave fruit that was both ripe and fresh, so you got fully developed flavors with good acidity." A reduced fruit set caused by a wet spring produced small clusters and diminished yields but ensured good concentration of flavor as well, he added.

Kosta Browne is one of the great American success stories of the last decade. Longtime friends Dan Kosta and Michael Browne discover a shared passion for Pinot Noir while working together at a local restaurant. They start with a tiny amount of homemade Pinot Noir, grow gradually, acquire some financing along the way, work their tails off and one day the mailing list requires a five year wait for the vineyard designate wines. Of course I am simplifying, but Kosta Browne is the type of entrepreneurial success that can only happen in this country. Over the years the winemaking approach has developed a bit, and the wines are now quite a bit more finessed than they used to be. Toast levels have come down. Some lots are fermented in open top wood vats, an approach that seems promising based on the wines I tasted. A number of the wines were fermented with whole clusters, as noted below. The Kosta-Browne Pinots are notable for their exuberant fruit. The wines are incredibly attractive when young, which is when I prefer to drink them.