They are an epic California wine brand. With a member waiting list, that numbers in the thousands, Kosta Browne is a name well known to Pinot Noir fans.
Making wine for almost 20 years. It’s always worth taking the time to stop and reflect on the history that got them to where they are today. They recently started to invest in their own vineyards, growing their own fruit. With the same continued focus on making highly acclaimed Pinot Noirs.
A winery with humble beginnings who experienced unprecedented growth in the industry. Making award winning wines that are in high demand.
With money that was saved from the founder’s restaurant tips the winery had their first vintage release in 1997 and grew exponentially from there.
Fast forward to now and the winery is making some major new announcements. I was honored to be in attendance for a private launch party including a new wine release and the announcement of The Gallery to taste that wine.
That is correct, you read that right… KB members will now be able to schedule a tasting.
Here’s the most recent scoop:
Beginning in mid August of 2018, Kosta Browne Winery will feature a Gallery Tasting Experience for active members or people currently on the waiting list. Only members have the ability to actually buy the wine.
It is good to keep in mind that waiting list members often have to wait a year or two to become active members.
For those people who love the brand, the fact that there will be a place to taste these wines, even if only for wine club members, is a RARE thing. For the tens of thousands of KB fans, this is a HUGE announcement and met with great applause.
What will guests experience during a Kosta Browne Gallery Tasting?
As you walk past the large format oak barrels on the floor of the working winery, you are led upstairs to a lovely suite overlooking the wine production below. You can smell the fermented grapes as you enter the facility and the mood is set. There is a passion for the grape and for the overall experience one has while visiting.
There will be a members only library tasting featuring a line up of Kosta Browne wines from past vintages. For new members and current active members there will also be a new tier of wines. All wine is made available through their allocation system.
Allison Lieberfarb et Amy
The Gallery is purely a tasting experience. These perks are only available to those currently on the mailing list and not to waiting list guests who have scheduled a Gallery tasting experience. Lots of innovation here.
The experience is sure to draw the crowds of fans that follow this cult winery in droves. The spots should fill up quickly. Cost is $75 for active members and $125 for waiting list guests. Before this, the cult winery was not open to the public… some big steps are being taken here.
Kosta Browne has a philosophy that truly great wines are born in the vineyard. It was nice to be some of the first to taste their newly acquired vines of Cerise Vineyard too. Cerise Vineyards~ Kosta Browne’s first foray into Mendocino County!! It is also the wineries 3rd estate owned vineyard.
Owning land and farming more of their own vineyards are included in the next steps for the winery and I couldn’t be more excited.
You may recognize this fabulous vineyard from winemakers like Littorai and Knez who have bottled it in the past.
Kosta Browne is located inside of The Barlow marketplace in Sebastopol, California. The winery’s new space shows interior design that is right on point with the Kosta Browne style of elegant excellence.
The new suite will only be open on select days of the week and all appointments will need to be made in advance of visit. I expect that spots will fill up soon and the bookings will need to be made at least a few months out.
With a birds eye view and panoramic style floor to ceiling windows looking down at the hustle and bustle below, guests will get a feel for the day to day operations at the winery. Nico Cueva, winemaker, may be on hand or willing to taste barrel samples with guests.
The Kosta Browne team is always welcoming to guests. They make sure to make visitors leave with the feeling of a one on one personal relationship with the brand.
Damon, Director of Hospitality as well as Gabriel and Jules from the PR team make me feel like a part of the family every time I visit or attend one of their wonderful events. I highly suggest joining the Kosta Browne mailing list now… before it gets even longer. This new Gallery Tasting Experience offers even more perks for the club members of course.
I have been a big fan of KB wines every since my first sip. This last shindig was quite the memorable evening. A sign of a great winery is one that provides not only excellent glasses of wine but also leaves guests feeling like a truly memorable experience was created. The winery always leaves me with fabulous memories. Everything is thought of down to the last details in service, food, drink and most of all style.
As is shown in the photos and videos here!!
Master Mixologist Scott Beattie was also on hand entertaining guests with his libations and wonderful personality. He was featuring 3 specialty cocktails at the bar (it can’t all be wine) one which included actual butterfly wings as a decoration.
Seriously. I’m beyond impressed. Labeled as a Vintners Old Fashioned, Scott has suspended the butterfly in a caramelized disc floating in my bourbon. Winning.
Catered by Meadowood Restaurant including small bites, delectable deserts and the most amazing plate of lobster risotto. The perfect pairings for an evening with Pinot Noir. A great time with my co-hort Amber Lucas and all the friends I ran into throughout the evening. My glass is raised to all of you.
The winery also poured their One Sixteen Russian River Valley Chardonnay to start. A lovely glass. Their wines are extremely smooth, well balanced and fruit forward while still showing true sense of place. The vineyard terroir shows through in the glass. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.
The new Gallery is a well designed space with an experience that has been thoughtfully curated. Members now have a space to relax when visiting Sonoma County, to taste through and enjoy the wines of Kosta Browne.
Visits to the space can also be customized around the members own requests.
Whether a visitor wants to sit back and taste, or perhaps tour the production facility or re-visit some of the older vintages from the KB collection, they just need to make ask… and of course make final arrangements when they sign up. Speaking of which… Here is a link to the Kosta Browne Winery Website >>
Enjoy!!
There is too much wine snobbery in the Barlow…where is the retail to draw in locals and keep them coming back? Where are the artists that could make this place vibrant and keep people interested in coming back? I’m afraid the Barlow is letting us down. Alcohol is mostly for tourists and certainly is not for younger people looking to the Barlow for something alternative. Kinda sad I say.