2016 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Free James
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Pinot Noir Freestone Free James Observations Series aged 14 months in 35% new French oak, 20% in new Austrian oak and 15% in concrete. It opens with very sexy aromas of cracked peppercorn, charcuterie, dried rose petals and a coconut touch with pure raspberry, strawberry and wild blackberries at the core. Medium-bodied and savory, it has great intensity with a firm frame and seamless freshness, finishing very long and perfumed. This should age beautifully. 300 cases produced.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Another wine only released at the estate, the 2016 Pinot Noir Free James offers a singular bouquet of spiced black cherries, violets, peppery herbs, and ample damp earth/mineral characteristics. It’s tannic, concentrated, and layered as well as beautifully balanced. It’s a blockbuster Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that’s going to benefit from a year or two in bottle and keep for a decade or more. 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.
The 2016 Pinot Noir Free James is the clear highlight in this set of new releases from Kosta Browne. Exquisitely beautiful and vivid in the glass, the 2016 is captivating from the very first taste. Soaring aromatics give the Freestone a distinctly exotic feel that resonates on the palate, where the wine is deep, layered and endowed with serious intensity. Hints of rose petal, lavender and spice linger in this superb Pinot Noir from Kosta Browne.
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.