BIG changes at Kosta Browne

[Brad_Huff]

This reminds me of the BIG changes that were coming at Kistler in 2011 when Eric Asimov penned this.

A Cult Winemaker Tinkers With Success (Published 2011)

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

If the somm at a restaurant had never heard of Kosta Browne, then he/she was either an idiot or had just been promoted from dishwasher. Ir maybe was younger than my three year old grandson. You don’t have to like it, but if you are ITB, you have to have heard of it.

[Scott_Brunson]

@J a y H a c k

If the somm at a restaurant had never heard of Kosta Browne, then he/she was either an idiot or had just been promoted from dishwasher. Ir maybe was younger than my three year old grandson. You don’t have to like it, but if you are ITB, you have to have heard of it.

this
But I still don’t like the wines. It will be interesting to see the change.

[John_Morris]

@Scott Brunson

@J a y H a c k

If the somm at a restaurant had never heard of Kosta Browne, then he/she was either an idiot or had just been promoted from dishwasher. Ir maybe was younger than my three year old grandson. You don’t have to like it, but if you are ITB, you have to have heard of it.

this
But I still don’t like the wines. It will be interesting to see the change.

There’s really no reason for the somm in a place like Breslin to know KB. Their list is pretty Europe-centric and the California wines are at the other end of the ripeness scale: AZ Cuisines - Dishes & Beverages: Taste From Local to Global!

I wouldn’t necessarily expect a somm in St. Helena to be up on Sancerre or Franciacorta. Conversely, there’s a large part of the wine world that does not revolve around wines like KB.

[R_Gaston]

@John Morris

@Scott Brunson

@J a y H a c k

If the somm at a restaurant had never heard of Kosta Browne, then he/she was either an idiot or had just been promoted from dishwasher. Ir maybe was younger than my three year old grandson. You don’t have to like it, but if you are ITB, you have to have heard of it.

this
But I still don’t like the wines. It will be interesting to see the change.

There’s really no reason for the somm in a place like Breslin to know KB. Their list is pretty Europe-centric and the California wines are at the other end of the ripeness scale: AZ Cuisines - Dishes & Beverages: Taste From Local to Global!

I wouldn’t necessarily expect a somm in St. Helena to be up on Sancerre or Franciacorta. Conversely, there’s a large part of the wine world that does not revolve around wines like KB.

I would disagree strongly. If you claim to be a somm and tell someone you don’t know Kosta/SQN/Kistler or any other bigger style wines made in Cal I assume you have a well groomed beard, glasses that are unnecessary with multiple random tattoos and you want to be cool…and you are lying through your teeth.

Btw, a Somm in my neck of the woods better know a damn good Sancerre or he is just as useless.

[Roy_Piper]

@lleichtman

Interesting, Kosta Browne is what made me switch from California Pinot to Oregon Pinot. A toning down of style and a tad more availability would bring me back.

Meanwhile, Oregon is moving more all the time to California Pinot. Soon it will all be one big happy 14.1% on the label happy family.

[David_Crow]

The article says Scott Becker is the CEO of Kosta Browne. I thought he was the Managing Partner at Realm. It looks like he has both jobs. I would think that’s a lot for one person to take on,especially given the changes at both wineries.

[AlexS]

Changing styles seems risky for such an established brand, the kind of move that could alienate list members who still purchase despite the price increases…in this case, it’s like taking a New Coke strategy without even having guaranteed shelf space.

[Anton_D]

@AlexS

Changing styles seems risky for such an established brand, the kind of move that could alienate list members who still purchase despite the price increases…in this case, it’s like taking a New Coke strategy without even having guaranteed shelf space.

This is all very interesting. I expect they could have evolved their style and said nothing, but went with this as a ‘splash’ that I can’t quite figure out if it’s good or bad.

[Richard_Albert]

Not sure if the NY somm is tragically hip or tragically unhip and find it hard to believe he never saw anything in the wine press about KB. If true, they need a more knowledgeable somm, one who might pay some attention to the Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year. After all, his customers read it and wouldn’t a punky NYC somm want to know more than his clientele about a high profile, high demand winery?

[Nevin_Miller]

Miss you Dan!

[Matthew_Slywka]

I knew something was up when I received the 2015 Kanzler and saw 13.8% alcohol on the back. This was quite shocking to me. I don’t understand this aversion to people making KB the poster child for high alcohol. Who cares. Be what you are. People like the style. You have a long wait list to buy the wine. As Roy said, we don’t need a market full of all 14% alcohol wines. The great thing about wine is the diversity of styles. I loved the 04 and 05 Kosta Browne’s. Some of the best Pinot’s ever made from California. I like being able to taste Pinot’s from the RRV, Corton, New Zealand and Oregon and have them all be unique. This is what makes the wine world great. I visited KB back in August. Although the wines were good, there weren’t any wow wines and there were 4 or 5 other wineries we went to on the trip that frankly had better wines in my opinion. This is really sad to me and if they really changed their style because of some random Somm’s flippant comments and the CEO worrying about people waiting for wine this sounds totally insane. Going to have to re-evaluate staying on this list. The prices have been going up every year. Definitely dropping the SVD’s. I remember getting a case and a half of 04’s and 05’s for $75 a bottle on the secondary market. The wines were so delicious and unique, it was worth it to me back then. The 2014’s and 2016’s I’ve had I’m not so sure. Seems they have kind of lost what made them great in the first place. This is really a shame. Nice guys and like the people that work there too.

[Frank_Murray_III]

@J a y H a c k

If the somm at a restaurant had never heard of Kosta Browne, then he/she was either an idiot or had just been promoted from dishwasher. Ir maybe was younger than my three year old grandson. You don’t have to like it, but if you are ITB, you have to have heard of it.

I’m with Jay here. KB lit up things in the CA PN space for many years, and while things may have cooled (yet I wonder if they continue to enjoy a waiting list to buy), for a Somm or someone in the wine business to not know their story or brand strikes me as odd. While I don’t drink the wines anymore, they show up in places and lists of many places around here in So Cal, places of diverse quality and wine list levels.

I have some wonderful memories from years past, tasting there with Shane and Michael and I am nothing but pleased that they made their way from small means to where they can do their own things today.

[Chris_Seiber]

@Viet Ly

Thanks for posting the article. I’m disappointed that they’re chasing the AFWE crowd. Not because I prefer the ripe style but because in my romanticized world of wine chasing the pendulum is a bad idea. However, it’s their company and they’re free to make any changes they feel is necessary. I think Larry is right, they probably won’t tone it down all that much. My wife likes their wine, but I prefer a less extracted style for pinot noir. Maybe the shift will make a happy medium for us?

It already has. KB has moved from big to medium starting around 2007 or 2008. Alcohols around 14.5% and moderate oak. No longer with the sweetness of the mid 2000s vintages.

I do kind of hate the tenor of the article, this sense of knuckling under to the fashion of “elite opinion,” like The Rock whimpering about wanting to win the Cannes or Sundance festival awards.

Anyway, my hunch is what Larry said, they’ll remain KB maybe with some modest continued evolution.

[Chris_Seiber]

@R. Gaston

I would disagree strongly. If you claim to be a somm and tell someone you don’t know Kosta/SQN/Kistler or any other bigger style wines made in Cal I assume you have a well groomed beard, glasses that are unnecessary with multiple random tattoos and you want to be cool…and you are lying through your teeth.

I agree. Probably an affectation / pose on that guy’s part. Quite possibly arranged in coordination with the writer. Like some Soho film snob pretending he’s never heard of Steven Spielberg or something.

[larry_schaffer]

@Chris Seiber

@R. Gaston

I would disagree strongly. If you claim to be a somm and tell someone you don’t know Kosta/SQN/Kistler or any other bigger style wines made in Cal I assume you have a well groomed beard, glasses that are unnecessary with multiple random tattoos and you want to be cool…and you are lying through your teeth.

I agree. Probably an affectation / pose on that guy’s part. Quite possibly arranged in coordination with the writer. Like some Soho film snob pretending he’s never heard of Steven Spielberg or something.

Or . . . he could have ‘come of wine age’ over the past 5 years - when KB really was NOT that prevalent with other somms and therefore he had never heard of them.

Kind of like someone on this board saying that they had never heard of Huet, or Gonon, or Rhys - TONS of folks out there who have not nor ever will . . .

Just my ‘devil’s advocate’ .02 here

[Evan_Pontoriero]

@larry schaffer

@Chris Seiber

@R. Gaston

I would disagree strongly. If you claim to be a somm and tell someone you don’t know Kosta/SQN/Kistler or any other bigger style wines made in Cal I assume you have a well groomed beard, glasses that are unnecessary with multiple random tattoos and you want to be cool…and you are lying through your teeth.

I agree. Probably an affectation / pose on that guy’s part. Quite possibly arranged in coordination with the writer. Like some Soho film snob pretending he’s never heard of Steven Spielberg or something.

Or . . . he could have ‘come of wine age’ over the past 5 years - when KB really was NOT that prevalent with other somms and therefore he had never heard of them.

Kind of like someone on this board saying that they had never heard of Huet, or Gonon, or Rhys - TONS of folks out there who have not nor ever will . . .

Just my ‘devil’s advocate’ .02 here

You are saying a Somm, whose job is to learn all about wine and to specifically sell wine doesn’t know WS Wine of the Year from 7 years ago? FWIW I tried something new recently and the fans will be happy to hear that the baby fat raspberry gummy is there. I liked it.

[R_Gaston]

Oh Larry you ignorant slut!

Btw, I need to call you soon.

[larry_schaffer]

And in this case, was he actually a somm - or just ‘labeled himself’ as one? Hmmmmm.

[larry_schaffer]

@R. Gaston

Oh Larry you ignorant slut!

Btw, I need to call you soon.

You got my digits, brother!