The 2023 growing season gave Kosta Browne exactly the kind of conditions that can make the Sonoma Coast so compelling. A long, cool season stretched ripening well into the fall, with no major heat events until a brief warm spell in October. Against the Sonoma Coast’s persistent fog, coastal winds, and cool Pacific influence, Pinot Noir developed slowly, building flavor while retaining the freshness and structure that define the appellation at its best. Kosta Browne assembled the wine from six vineyards spread across the Sonoma Coast: Gap’s Crown, Marshall, Pratt-Sexton, Crane Canyon, Thorn Ridge, and Pepperwood. The soils are predominantly Goldridge loam, and the blend draws from seven Pinot Noir clones. Winemaker Julien Howsepian used a mix of stainless steel, oak, and concrete for fermentation, with 8% whole cluster overall; the Marshall Vineyard portion was fermented entirely as whole clusters in concrete. The result is a wine shaped not by a single site, but by the breadth of the appellation itself. The winery describes the 2023 with floral and cedar notes layered over wild blueberry and crushed red plum, followed by black currant, raspberry, black tea, and cinnamon. Aging was equally considered: 40% new French oak and 60% neutral oak for 16 months, with 13% of the wine also seeing foudre before the finished blend rested for an additional month in stainless steel. The combination gives this Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir both polish and definition, capturing the depth, cool-climate tension, and layered character that have made Kosta Browne one of California’s defining names in Pinot Noir.