2006 Pinot Noir 4-Barrel

Dan Kosta and Michael Browne continue to fine-tune their winemaking but are focused on working with a consistent set of vineyards-"so that we can figure out what each site wants to express," according to Browne. "Terroir, or vineyard personality, has so many variables," he went on. "You've got the rootstock, the clone, the spacing, the trellising, the vineyard treatments, harvest dates and more-and that's before the grapes have even come into the winery, where it gets really complicated. How do you determine true terroir and where does the human element start and end?" I've found that the last couple of vintages here have produced increasingly elegant wines, with lighter body and less sheer extract than in 2004. The wines, which are far from timid, also seem better balanced for cellaring while still offering the visceral fruit appeal that has made this winery virtually an overnight success.