2016 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands
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Tasting notes
From a mix of Garys’, Rosella’s, and Soberanes vineyard (there’s also a tiny amount of Pisoni), the 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands leads with its beautiful fruit and has lots of blueberries, cherries, spices, and candied violet-like aromas and flavors. Drink this medium-bodied, seamless, elegant 2016 anytime over the coming 4-6 years. Winemaker Nico Cueva continues to fine tune his approach at Kosta Browne, experimenting with new vinification and aging vessels. While the wines were richer and more upfront in the past, today, they have slightly more freshness and tension while not abandoning the beautiful fruit and texture that defines California wines. As I hope these notes show, these are distinctive, singular wines up there with the crème de la crème of the region.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) is soft, fruity and accessible, all in the mid-weight, perfumed style that is the signature of the Kosta Browne wines today. Blood orange, chalk, and mint add brightness to this pretty, restrained wine. This is the first vintage of the Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot that does not include fruit from Pisoni.
About the producer
Kosta Browne is one of California's most acclaimed wineries, renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that express the character of top vineyard sites across Sonoma and beyond. Combining meticulous sourcing with thoughtful winemaking, the wines offer richness, precision, and remarkable sense of place.