
Known for Pinot Noir, Kosta Browne has embarked on a Chardonnay program for a number of years but only recently has given the single vineyards wines turbo-charged attention.” “Elevating our Chardonnay to the same level as our Pinot Noirs is something our team takes great pride in,” says winemaker Julien Howsepian. This stellar example of Chardonnay allows for light malolactic fermentation, bright acidity, crisp fruit and minerality. This offers seductive notes of crème brûlée, lemon chiffon, lime kefir, sweet resin, apricot, white peach and delicate herbal wildflowers. Driving the wine is really the acidity, which allows it to be a terrific food companion. They have crafted a wine that can work as both a food pairing companion, or as a stand-alone wine. The grapes were fermented in barrel only, and were whole cluster, which can be tricky, but when it works allows for a more complex wine in the end, given the various aspects of the grapes, seeds, stems, and skins being pressed together. The wine was then aged for a year in 34% new French oak, driving the creaminess. This very expressive Chardonnay recalibrates what Chardonnay can be. ORIGIN: Russian River Valley, Sonoma. ALCOHOL: 13.5%