TN: 2003 Kosta Browne 4-Barrel

Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l · June 1, 2009, 5:10pm

2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (5/31/2009)
Last night Traci cooked a parmesan crusted pork chop with roasted sweet potato and steamed broccoli. She also decided to serve this blind to me and in Riedel Extreme Cab glasses to throw me off a little. Initially I took the bait and said this tasted like Cab…well it did. The nose was initially fairly shy but a little coaxing started to show some red currant and a little cedar. The palate was also showing plenty of red fruit but seemed to lack the tannin that I would expect from a Cab throwing my initial thought into doubt.

I continue to swirl sniff and taste to figure it out and it was becoming apparent this was a Pinot Noir although fairly tough to figure out from where. The nose started to show more red currants, some anise and a little bit of underbrush (traci also felt a little bit of heat but I didn’t notice it). The palate was a little chalky with more red fruits, a little wet stone quality, a little chocolate/spice from the oak (the oak showed a little but was not obtrusive/offensive in any way). Still a little young tasting but given the fruit forward nature of the wine, I felt it was possibly a 2006 Pinot Noir. Not from SLH or Santa Rita Hills - lacked the citrus I get from SLH and the bitterness I get from SRHills. But didn’t scream RRV or SC either…now I know why since this is a blend of vineyards from the Sonoma Coast (really Petaluma Gap) and the RRV. In all, a very good wine that just doesn’t quite have the complexity to hit the 90’s - at least that bottle. I did have a bottle earlier in the year that was a couple points better.

Disclaimer: I worked at Kosta Browne for 1 1/2 years and still consider Dan & Michael friends. (88 pts.)

J_B_a_s_k_a_m · June 1, 2009, 7:38pm

Tony - Thank you for your note. I have one bottle of this wine and I hope to try it at the “right” time. At this point I am thinking 2011. I look forward to reading other notes as others try the '03 4-Barrel.

Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l · June 1, 2009, 7:44pm

John - while the wine is not falling apart or over the hill in any way, I don’t think waiting until 2011 is the right answer. I would drink in the next 12 months.

steffenpelz · June 1, 2009, 8:18pm

In my opinion, this wine was such a rock star right after release. I have noticed though for a while that this has taken a turn for the worse, and I would have already consumed all my bottles if I hadn’t sold them. YMMV.

gene_keenan · June 1, 2009, 9:28pm

I had an 04 SC on friday. We tried drinking it cold, cool, room temp, etc… it was a delicious if disappointing wine. more like pancake syrup or a rich zinfandel but not a pinot. not what i remember at all for this wine or maybe my taste buds are in a place where they are not liking this style right now.

steffenpelz · June 1, 2009, 10:00pm

The 04s were the pinnacle of the high octane style at KB. I tasted a few and sold all the rest. I have not liked KB since the 2002s and the 2003s early.

Gordon_Fitz · June 1, 2009, 10:32pm

KB’s and Lorings, for example, have become those where people are drawing a line in the sand. Either they love the style or they hate it. There seems be no in between. The high octane uber ripe complexities of these wines are not for everyone.

They do have their followings and their wines seem to sell out. A lady which is often in our tasting group has siesmic organisms at the mention or taste of KB. To her, there has never been a KB made that was less than 93 or 94 points. Most to her are 96-98. She, her husband, her sister, and their son, all got signed up, on different accounts,on the club/mailing list and they get full allotments each. Which all come to her in the end.

At our last tasting with a KB in the line up, she raised the group average rating 2 points by herself!

I’m an old man. I love pinots! I want a pinot to taste like a pinot. If I wanted a syrah or cab, I’d open a syrah or cab,I love those too, they’re both in my cellar… But don’t give me this nonsense that some pinot was made to taste like a syrah.

Wrong style of wine for me!

Denny_P_e_n_t_e_c_o_s_t · June 1, 2009, 11:13pm

Tony V e l e b i l:

2003 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir 4 Barrel - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (5/31/2009)
Last night Traci cooked a parmesan crusted pork chop with roasted sweet potato and steamed broccoli. She also decided to serve this blind to me and in Riedel Extreme Cab glasses to throw me off a little. Initially I took the bait and said this tasted like Cab…well it did. The nose was initially fairly shy but a little coaxing started to show some red currant and a little cedar. The palate was also showing plenty of red fruit but seemed to lack the tannin that I would expect from a Cab throwing my initial thought into doubt.

I continue to swirl sniff and taste to figure it out and it was becoming apparent this was a Pinot Noir although fairly tough to figure out from where. The nose started to show more red currants, some anise and a little bit of underbrush (traci also felt a little bit of heat but I didn’t notice it). The palate was a little chalky with more red fruits, a little wet stone quality, a little chocolate/spice from the oak (the oak showed a little but was not obtrusive/offensive in any way). Still a little young tasting but given the fruit forward nature of the wine, I felt it was possibly a 2006 Pinot Noir. Not from SLH or Santa Rita Hills - lacked the citrus I get from SLH and the bitterness I get from SRHills. But didn’t scream RRV or SC either…now I know why since this is a blend of vineyards from the Sonoma Coast (really Petaluma Gap) and the RRV. In all, a very good wine that just doesn’t quite have the complexity to hit the 90’s - at least that bottle. I did have a bottle earlier in the year that was a couple points better.

Disclaimer: I worked at Kosta Browne for 1 1/2 years and still consider Dan & Michael friends. (88 pts.)

Tony, when did you work for them, and do you still get their wines?

I remember seeing Michael Browne posting something somewhere suggesting that their style had changed significantly over time. I’m curious if this change has or had anything to do at all with ageability. I would hope that their SVDs would last longer than this.

Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l · June 1, 2009, 11:38pm

Denny - I was there in June 05 through November 06. The style has been evolving under Michael as he’s gotten more experienced with winemaking, figuring out the vineyards, evolving cellar practices, etc. Plus he has more experienced people working with him so cellar needs get done in a more timely manner.

gene_keenan · June 2, 2009, 12:30am

Gordon Fitz:

KB’s and Lorings, for example, have become those where people are drawing a line in the sand. Either they love the style or they hate it. There seems be no in between. The high octane uber ripe complexities of these wines are not for everyone.

They do have their followings and their wines seem to sell out. A lady which is often in our tasting group has siesmic organisms at the mention or taste of KB. To her, there has never been a KB made that was less than 93 or 94 points. Most to her are 96-98. She, her husband, her sister, and their son, all got signed up, on different accounts,on the club/mailing list and they get full allotments each. Which all come to her in the end.

At our last tasting with a KB in the line up, she raised the group average rating 2 points by herself!

I’m an old man. I love pinots! I want a pinot to taste like a pinot. If I wanted a syrah or cab, I’d open a syrah or cab,I love those too, they’re both in my cellar… But don’t give me this nonsense that some pinot was made to taste like a syrah.

Wrong style of wine for me!

Ha Ha! Thats a funny story Gordon. I don’t think i was quite like her but I have loved KBs in the past. In fact the 07 SC is rocking in my opinion (although i need to taste it again in a more controlled circumstance) and believe it merits the high score from WS… The 07 RRV was a however a boring wine IMO and not deserving of the WS 92 score.

I will say this for KB, they are consummate crowd pleasers for the non-wino crowd although one could probably find far cheaper wines that accomplish the same task.

J_B_a_s_k_a_m · June 2, 2009, 2:51pm

Thanks, Tony.

Dave_Morris · June 2, 2009, 4:40pm

Tony, thanks for the note. I have one bottle I’ve been saving for a special occasion and am thinking I should plan that occasion sooner rather than later. I also wonder if I should be popping the rest of my 2003 and 2004 KB’s in the near future.

BTraub · June 2, 2009, 4:51pm

I thought the style had been reined in somewhat by the cooler 2005 vintage, but a 2005 KB “Rosella’s” I drank last night tasted exactly like a Barossa Shiraz, with that roasted character set off by lemon-juice acidification. Not for me.

Based on my experiences, I just don’t think this style of pinot ages in a positive way at all. If you like the “big fruit and ripeness” style (and I do once in a while), I think it’s best to drink these wines very young, within 2 years of release. Longer than that and the raisiny/roasted elements come out, and that’s when the wines lose me.

Alan_Rath · June 3, 2009, 3:20am

Coincidentally, this was brought to our last wine group dinner a few weeks ago. I know the wine was picked up at the winery, and stored perfectly. Unfortunately, this particular bottle was pretty much toast. faded, somewhat sherried, barely drinkable. Maybe it was just the bottle, but I wouldn’t be holding on to older KBs at this point.

Cheers,
Alan