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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.4 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 19 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by cmmatthews on 11/18/2023 & rated 91 points: Solid Sonoma coast but I should have just waited. Very acidic and tart on opening. The next day it was softer. A bit of earthiness on the nose, dehydrated strawberry, and a hint of vanilla after a medium length finish (1092 views) | | | Tasted by Vinnut on 10/19/2023 & rated 92 points: Medium red garnet in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruits aromas of cherries, blueberries & strawberries with overtones of spice notes, earthy/dusty & some floral notes, herbs, cola, minerals & a touch of oak/vanilla in the background. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, strawberries & raspberries with spices, cola, minerals & a slight hint of oak/vanilla. Long lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with extended airing but has the capacity for further development with additional aging. (1163 views) | | | Tasted by Twopawsup on 9/30/2023 & rated 92 points: Ruby color with slow legs. Light oak, cedar and cherry on the nose. Raspberry, cola and tea on the palate. Light leathery finish. (1011 views) | | | Tasted by dbkitc on 5/29/2023 & rated 89 points: This was ok. Ripe personality yet not overly heavy. Kind of monolithic - youthful, fruity, flirty. (89) (1711 views) | | | Tasted by castle.rob@gmail.com on 5/12/2023 & rated 92 points: Dark ruby
Nose of vanilla, strawberry
Strawberry, raspberries, on the palate
Medium acidity and medium tannins
Needs more time but is still good for being so young.
2023-05-11 St Petersburg FL, Cora's first visit
Wine tasting dinner with Josh and Ashley (1501 views) | | | Tasted by AllRed on 4/7/2023 & rated 93 points: Haven't tasted a KB in quite a long time so I was happy when offered a taste courtesy of a friend at a nearby table. This is much more elegant than I recall KB being. Black cherry, spice, nutmeg and floral qualities in the bouquet; pretty. A bit bigger on the palate than the bouquet suggests, but not at all out of place or overdone. Cherry, cola and sassafras flavors. Medium+ finish. Excellent. Thank you, Pat. (1359 views) | | | Tasted by peterg2004 on 1/28/2023 & rated 88 points: A little disjointed, very surprised, brand vs 2018 which was great. Wine hopefully with time it will melt and fine a balance (1440 views) | | | Tasted by Bono322 on 1/7/2023 & rated 94 points: Delicious. Will benefit from more age. Raspberries and fig notes (1463 views) | | | Tasted by RossS on 12/10/2022 & rated 93 points: Nice Lite Smooth Low fruit (1384 views) | | | Tasted by Giggs on 11/18/2022 & rated 92 points: Wines You Dream Of (Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, Ohio): Very well made though it doesn’t hit you over the head. There’s a rustic, authentic flair to the fruit, like chewing on the whole clusters, and then the mouthfeel delivers the finesse. (1748 views) | | | Tasted by DrLes on 11/10/2022 & rated 89 points: I have to say, this one was a disappointment. The usual Sonoma bright notes seemed almost sour, and there wasn’t the body I anticipated. Being fair, I wanted to try it just after receiving it, so it may well benefit from a year in the cellar. This was one of my favorites the last two vintages, I’ll cross my fingers. But if you have this, I’d wait or at least decant for a good long time (1495 views) |
| By Audrey Frick
JebDunnuck.com, Sonoma’s 2021s (7/21/2023)
(Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard) Login and sign up and see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (9/15/2022)
(Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast Gap's Crown Vineyard, United States) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JebDunnuck.com and JamesSuckling.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Kosta Browne Producer website | Main Kosta Browne CellarTracker Wiki entryPinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Gap's Crown VineyardGap’s Crown is perched on the western edge of Sonoma Mountain and is comprised of 37 vineyard blocks that span 140 planted acres. Ranging in elevation from 300’ to 840’ above sea level Gap’s Crown takes advantage of the steep Sonoma Mountain hillsides to promote natural airflow and soil drainage within the vineyard.
Gap’s Crown is part of the Sonoma Coast AVA and is situated at the confluence of where Sonoma Mountain and its surrounding southwest facing hills meet the Petaluma Wind Gap (Petaluma Gap). To the south the hills of Sonoma Mountain turn southeast and channel the cool breezes of the Petaluma Gap toward the San Pablo Bay. To the north Sonoma Mountain gives way to Crane Canyon and eventually a northwest oriented set of hills. A pocket is formed by Crane Canyon and these northwest hills just to the north of Gap’s Crown, creating a natural fog pocket around the vineyard. Typically, coastal fog that is trapped in this pocket takes longer to burn off during the latter days of the growing season. This lingering fog during at the end of the growing season allows Gap’s Crown fruit to ripen slowly, developing sugar and phenolic ripeness in unison.
Gap’s Crown vineyard is owned and managed by Gap’s Crown, LLC and is located in the Petaluma Wind Gap. Kosta Browne Winery has purchased Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir grapes since 2006, and now enjoys a long term lease of 37 planted acres. Their viticulture is second to none, producing some of the finest grapes in Sonoma County.
William “Bill” Price III, co-founder of private investment company TPG Group and a financier of North Coast wineries such as Kosta Browne, purchased the 138-acre Gap’s Crown pinot noir and chardonnay vineyard in the Sonoma Coast appellation east of Rohnert Park. Mr. Price on Dec. 11 purchased two properties from what had been part of the CalPERS vineyard portfolio. The 106 acres of planted pinot noir and 32 acres of chardonnay are located off Roberts Road on the western slopes of Sonoma Mountain east of Rohnert Park. The sale price wasn’t disclosed in public records. Mr. Price told Wine Spectator that the purchase price was above $100,000 an acre and a new high value level for Sonoma Coast vines. With plantings in 2002 and 2005, Gap’s Crown is a source if grapes for wineries such as Kosta Browne, Paul Hobbs and Patz & Hall. Mr. Price will continue to supply those grape contracts and will purchase fruit for his Three Sticks and Price Chanin brands, he told Wine Spectator. Vineyard acquisition as a way to access key grape supply was a main driver in dozens of North Coast property sales in the past year to wineries, including several in the Premier Pacific Vineyards portfolio. Mr. Price’s history in the wine business includes the purchase and sale of Beringer Vineyards and, more recently, the formation of a boutique vintner investment group called The Vincraft Group. It’s investments include the Kosta Browne and Gary Farrell brands.
Zepponi & Company of Santa Rosa advised Menlo Park-based private-equity firm GI Partners, which has been managing the Premier Pacific Vineyards portfolio for CalPERS for the past year. CalPERS in late 2011 said it would end its relationship with Premier Pacific Vineyards, and GI Partners has been marketing vineyards for sale. American AgCredit financed the purchase.
USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountySonoma Coast * Sonoma Coast AVA (Wikipedia)
* Sonoma Coast AVA (Wine Institue) |
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