2010 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch

The 2010 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard hits the palate with a blast of dark red cherries, pomegranate, spices, molasses, cloves and plums. The Keefer has a lot of fruit but not as much energy as the rest of the Kosta-Browne Pinots. In my mind, Keefer Ranch has never been a truly great site for Pinot. I would love to be proven wrong, but I just don't see much in the way of distinctiveness here. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Kosta-Browne is one of those places that always seems to be buzzing with a positive vibe that is hard to fully describe, but that I am sure informs these exuberant, deeply expressive wines. I arrived for my tasting as the winery was completing their move to new, spacious digs at The Barlow, a large facility food/wine industrial park facility in Sebastopol that also houses Pax Mahle's winery plus a number of restaurants, markets, cheese shops, coffee houses and sellers of other local food specialties that will move in shortly. The Barlow is still undergoing its build out, but it will be very interesting to see how the project develops in the coming years. As for the Pinots that have made K-B so famous, the wines keep getting better and more refined with each passing vintage. One big development is the acquisition of Gaps Crown by investor Bill Price, who is also an owner of Kosta-Browne, which means that Gaps Crown now becomes essentially an estate vineyard, although I am told contracts with other growers who purchase fruit will remain in place. It-s all part of the constant energy that seems to be an essential part of K-B-s DNA. Tel. (707) 823-7430

Deep ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed scents of fresh red fruits, incense and candied rose, with a touch of star anise in the background. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and a seamless, silky quality. Powerful but lithe pinot with excellent finishing lift and clarity.