Kosta Browne 2021 Russian River Pinot Noir 750ml

Aged 17 months in 45% new French oak, the pale to medium ruby colored 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley opens with broody aromas of spiced cranberry sauce, crushed black cherries, loam, cumin seeds, dried leaves and a classy framing of new oak spice with notions of orange peel and amaro. It's medium-bodied and silky, offering plush, ripe fruits in the mouth, with a grainy frame and mouthwatering freshness, finishing very long. This is a tick up in complexity from the 2016 version. "We had all our fruit in the week before the fires started, and we were able to get into the winery and everything was fine," says assistant winemaker Julien Howsepian. 

Score: 93 points -- Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate, 2019