Located just 30 minutes from my Sonoma County home, Kosta Browne Winery is a standout destination for exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Nestled in the charming town of Sebastopol, the winery’s origins trace back to 1997, when two waiters pooled their tip money to start a winemaking venture. Co-founders Dan Kosta and Michael Browne later became industry legends after selling a controlling interest in the brand to Vincraft for nearly $40 million.
Today, Kosta Browne is part of The Duckhorn Portfolio. A few years ago, the team made the bold decision to expand into Burgundy—the historic birthplace of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Having lived in Burgundy during a sabbatical, I was particularly intrigued to see how Kosta Browne would approach these iconic European terroirs.
I recently had the pleasure of tasting through both their West Coast and Burgundy portfolios, and the wines truly delivered. Crafted with exceptional finesse, both lineups beautifully capture the unique soil, climate, and vintage of their respective sites, delivering vibrant fruit clarity and distinctive character in every glass.
A Wine Tasting with Julien Howsepian of Kosta Browne
“In 2020, we formed a partnership with a Burgundian négociant to produce wine in Burgundy and import it in large containers to complete aging and bottling in Sonoma County,” stated Julien Howsepian, Head Winemaker for Kosta Browne, when I visited him at the Sebastopol winery.
He explained that Kosta Browne only produces pinot noir and chardonnay, which are available in five different series to consumers:
- Appellations Series – wines from the well-known California appellations of: Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Rita Hills. Starting in 2022, Kosta Browne started making wine in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, for this series.
- Estate Series – special wines made solely from vineyards owned and farmed by Kosta Browne
- Single Vineyard Series – wines produced from famous vineyards in California
- Burgundy Series – wines produced in Burgundy and imported to the U.S. for final aging and bottling
- Observation Series – a very limited experimental group of wines, available only to members who visit the winery
I was able to taste and analyze 13 wines with Julien, from all five of the series. For this post, I am focusing on tasting notes from the Burgundy Series, but the wines from the other appellations are all excellent, with each clearly expressing the unique characteristics of the region or vineyard.
Kosta Browne 2022 Volnay Pinot Noir – aromatic nose of red cherry, dried lavender, and cranberry, with darker red fruit on palate. Very elegant and streamlined with silky tannins, and a long finish with refreshing acidity.
Kosta Browne 2022 Pommard Pinot Noir – classic nose of black cherry, earth and spice, with a richly structured mouthfeel brimming with blackberry and hints of pepper.
Kosta Browne 2022 Beaune Premier Cru Pinot Noir – an exquisite wine with seductive Bing cherry and dried rose petal on the nose, followed by succulent raspberry and spice on the palate. Silky smooth tannins, crisp acidity, and a vibrancy that dances across the palate in a very long finish.
Kosta Browne 2022 Nuits St. George – a dark and earthy wine with notes of mushroom and dried black fruit on nose and palate. Well structured, powerful and rustic, with fresh acidity and a complex finish.
Kosta Browne 2022 Chablis Premier Cru – enticing nose of white blossoms and lemon, with mouth-watering peach, citrus and chalky stone on the palate. Refreshing, vibrant, and very satisfying with a bright cleansing finish.
When I asked Julien how customers were responding to the Kosta Browne Burgundy Series, he responded with a big smile. “We sold out in two days! We had 4,000 cases and offered it on a first-come, first serve basis.”
Visiting Kosta Browne Winery
Kosta Browne winery is open to all visitors, by appointment. They offer three different tasting formats: The Appellations Tasting for $125 per person, The Observations Flight for $150 per person, and The Reserve Flight for $185 per person.
The winery is located in the Barlow Market of Sebastopol that offers a great variety of excellent restaurants, shops, events, and other winery tasting rooms. From the outside, it looks like a warehouse district constructed of metal buildings, but once inside the Kosta Browne winery, visitors will be awed by the beautiful tasting areas, impressive winemaking equipment, and stunning tank room.
NOTE: Portion of this article were originally published on Forbes.com
