2012 Pinot Noir 4-Barrel

Since I last visited Kosta-Browne last year, the operation has fully settled into a massive new facility in The Barlow, a gastronomic nirvana in Sebastopol of restaurants, food stores, wineries, winery tasting rooms, a brewery, a distillery and coffee roaster. They're all destinations in their own right but an absolute must-visit in such concentration. Since last spring, Kosta-Browne has purchased a 20-acre section of the Keefer vineyard, which is one of their long-time sources for pinot. They have also secured a lease for the 37-acre Gap's Crown vineyard, another historic source for fruit here and fully owned by K-B investor Bill Price. In addition, there's a new bottling of pinot coming on line with the 2012 vintage, from the sustainably farmed Giusti vineyard in the Russian River Valley.