Sweet and flamboyant in nose. A little too sticky and spicy in palate. Strawberry, cherry and flower nose are attractive and quite intuitive… just like coke. But I don’t expect pinot noir to be sweet and sticky like this. Just not my thing.
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Deep purple ruby (almost opaque). Dark, brambly fruit on the nose. Something floral too — rose or violet? Baking spice and a little forest round the nose out. On opening, the palate showed a ton of oak. But everything came together in the glass after an hour. There’s still structure here. Wine drank even better on day two. There may be a year or two of life left in this one.
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Popped and poured. Lovely nose out of the box of red fruits and flowers. The palate is medium bodied, transparent and pure. Ripe raspberry, herbs and tea. Elegant but persistent. With time in the glass however some alcoholic notes develop. Drink up soon. This won’t get better.
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Color leaning more to the purple side of Pinot. Black and red cherry fruit, some cola notes, and then finishes strong with caramel and vanilla. Lovely complexity.
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PnP. Really nice wine. Well integrated, nothing out of place, exactly what you would expect from a KB of this vintage. Drinking beautifully right now, don’t see it getting any better.
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PnP, cool. Clear, med ruby/red. Moderate proper nose. This is right on the money. Perfect balance/integration, med body, smooth, clean edged, red and blue fruit, cola, long fine finish. Nothing off, winery direct, $73
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PnP, slightly chilled, 15 mins glass time. Clear, purple/ruby. Classic CA Pinot nose. This is a very nice wine, med body and good flavor intensity. Typical KB flavor profile. Particularly good balance/integration, soft drinking and a nice long finish. Nothing off. Perfect drinking window. $73 winery direct.
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More peppery than some of the previous Kosta Browne's I've had. Looking over some of my previous notes and I would say this is less sweet, more baked cherry on the nose, no trace of caramel at all. Drinking it and it's still perfectly balanced, juicy and leading to a moderately dry peppery finish. Paired very well with a mushroom fried rice plate.
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Drinking beautifully in 2022. Bright fruit, deep rich flavors with a long satisfying finish. Great balance of tannins and acidity. Satisfying beyond expectations -- alas my last bottle! Agree with other reviews that it is as good or better than many single vineyard wines from KB.
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Study of Cali Pinot, the bookends of A to Z. From Domaine de La Cote to Kosta Browne. For what is expected to be a Pinot lollipop, this 7 year old bad boy has developed a lovely savory profile.
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Outstanding PN w/both considerable complexity & fruit. Long finish that improved while enjoying w/pork tenderloin. Wish we had more of this vintage that is at an excellent spot now.
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Crimson in color. 14.4% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, cloves, sarsaparilla and damp forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Bursting with lush, juicy fruits. Black cherry, cherry cola, baking spices and minerals on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Charming Pinot Noir and everything I expect from Kosta Browne. Best over the next several years.
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Very fine wine with the best aspects of the Sonoma county vineyards KB draws upon to fashion this wine. Lots of red fruit including strawberry and a bit of raspberry in the mouth. Pleasant nose also.
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Fruit gushy yet somewhat tamed. Has long taste of rich red fruit accented by a little smoke and flowers. Tannins well-integrated already. Good-drinking wine!
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Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cola, cloves and forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Bright fruit in spades. Black cherry, sarsaparilla, baking spices and earth on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Everything you expect from Kosta Browne. Absolutely delicious. Best over the next several years.
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Nothing wrong with this bottle, but I thought it would be better compared to the last one I had 3 years ago. Nice notes of cherry on the bouquet; was less spice-driven and a bit thinner than the last bottle I had in 2017. The tannins were better integrated. Went well with pork chops, but KB has put forth better representations...
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I am a big fan of Kosta Browne's pinots. There is a savory quality to them that I really enjoy and they have a great balance to them. We had the '15 Santa Lucia Highlands side by side with the '15 Sonoma Coast and rated the SLH a little higher; but both great wines.
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I expected a fruit bomb (who wouldn't?) but it was actually quite balanced with good fruits, moderate acidity, even well some soft tannin on the finish. Very enjoyable.
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Like a prior poster said, something seemed slightly off about this bottle. It seemed a little antiseptic. Is this a function of the wine being over the hill or something different. I am still sitting on a magnum, so I am a bit wary about where this wine is.
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Impressed...I think, since the last time I drank this (2017), the aging has really helped improved the flavors, acidity, and tannins in this wine! Drinking very well now and, I bet, better a year from now. I have two more bottles, which I will use to test the reach of this wine. However, if you are down to your last bottle - enjoy now or a year from now, if you can wait!
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We drank this bottle over three days with the third the best. By then, the tannic harshness had disappeared and the great red fruit emerged in all its complex glory. The first day might have been better had we decanted it. Overall, it was a very enjoyable quaff with dinner and on its own.
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Decanted >1 hour. Dark red fruit with a hint of forest floor and mushroom funk. Ripe red fruit in the mouth with a bit of spice and cola. Drinking very well right now but you can wait longer if you want. Typical KB Sonoma Coast Pinot. Always very good.
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I’m really hoping this was a flawed bottle or that my palate is being overtaken by COVID, but something just not right. Nose was absolutely stunning but balance was way off for me. So much acidity in the front end that it was hard to take in any of the signature Kosta complexity and flavor. It’s still young and obviously should be very bright but I was just not digging it this evening. Was a pop and pour and drank in just under 90 mins with 2 friends (at a distance) so maybe we should have given it more time to open up. Here’s to hoping the best is yet to come.
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Acquired direct. Garnet from core to rim; healthy nose. Dark cherry, spice, chocolate, smoke and bacon. Similar taste profile with a crazy long finish. Medium mouthfeel; balanced. This is really great- will wait another 5 years to open next bottle.
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Well this was my 400th bottle in my cellar down from 500 when I retired almost 5 years ago. I’ve slowed down my collecting and the consumption, although developed a taste for fine bourbon which has its own pleasures. I reluctantly dropped off the KB mailing list as my wine budget decreased and the owners moved on and my interest waned. However, I’ve enjoyed KB Pinot since the 2003 vintage and this bottle was wonderful. Just the right amount of cellaring and a splash decant did wonders to awaken the classic KB signature notes. I’ll spare the descriptors since they’ve been written about voluminously here and other wine publications. Luckily I still have about 17 bottles from 2013-16 including many single vineyard selections to savor over the years.
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Pure. Resolved. Sweet cranberry and Christmas spice. Moderate acidic spine. Nothing confected in the slightest. I think this has integrated well and brought me a great deal of pleasure. Drink now and over the next 3 while the ripe red fruits remain youthful
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A solid if not inspiring effort here. It seems lighter bodied and a bit diluted in flavor compared to a solid Sonoma offering. Nice mouthfeel but a bit linear in flavor overall. Not really anything wrong here but was looking for a little more depth and complexity at this juncture.
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Medium/light and elegant. Nice Pinot with cherry and moderately sweet finish. Has improved since my last taste in 2017. My judgement is enjoy this in its youth.
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Ripe cherry fruit with hints of spice on the finish. Beautifully balanced and after an hour decant develops secondary notes of raspberry along with a long lingering finish. Expect this to get better with some time.
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Classic KB! Delicious ripe black cherry and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with hints of oak and spice culminating in a delish long savory finish.
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I have no hesitation in scoring this appellation wine from Kosta Browne as high as I have. This has certainly improved and evolved over prior tastings, with lovely balance and beautiful fruit with a fully integrated and lovely delivery. All you would desire in a top quality Pinot. Time has been very kind. Red fruit predominates this strong effort.
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Paired perfectly with our first copper river king salmon of the season. The wine tasted (and this is a compliment) like a black cherry warhead after the spice wore off.
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Overly ripe and almost syrupy dark fruits, without enough supporting structure (especially a lack of acidity to support the fruit). A bit hot as well. Disappointing and poor QPR. Drink soon.
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Lasted tasted a year ago almost to the day. This last year has been good for this wine and its freshness is pronounced.
A very nice representation of Sonoma Coast Pinot. Light burgundy color, good clarity and a nose full of ripe red cherry, ceder and oak imparted spices.
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Very dark garnet in the glass with some lovely aromas. Bright fruit, but with a silky smooth mouthfeel; the acid is integrated and not jarring at all. Plenty of cherry, black cherry, raspberry on the palate, with a hint of earth to make it interesting. A short-to-medium finish. Overall, this is a solid wine, but it lacked the punch I was expecting given the price tag. Knock this down $20-30 and I think it would show better.
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A very nice and commendable appellation offering from Kosta Browne. Typical Sonoma riot with some earthy notes and ripe, red fruit with red and black cherry notes. Great mouthfeel and it is a nice weight. Probably scoring lower just due to the high expectations of this label, albeit a price point to match those expectations. It is certainly as good as many labels single vineyard offerings. It is pretty fruit forward at this juncture and will improve with some more time in my opinion.
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This bottle didn’t show well. Disjointed and tight. Tart cherry cola. Thought it might open up with a decant so did that after the first glass. Never got better. Unusual as I usually prefer the appalation wines from KB. Would mark as a hold if had any more
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My thoughts are consistent with other recent notes below. Lots of dried dark fruit on both the nose and palette. Moderate complexity and moderate minus finish. Certainly very good, but I expected more, especially given the price. I have one bottle left; will leave it for another year and hopefully it will improve.
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A nice deep scarlet color with a more dense look to it than your typical Pinot. Of course, this is a common characteristic of Kosta Browne. The nose is mostly spice and red fruit with hints of cola but for me there was a disconnect between this nose and palate . It became all red fruit that drinks even more syrupy than usual. I normally like KB but right now this one just seems over sweet with no real depth. I’m pretty neutral on this one. Will revisit in the future and hope it was an outlier.
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Another wine I popped at the early stage and this did not disappoint. Enjoyed this Pinot over 2 days.
A very nice representation of Sonoma Coast Pinot. Light burgundy color, good clarity and a nose full of ripe red cherry, ceder and oak imparted spices.
On the palate its well integrated already with nice balance. Day 2 was even better. Red and black cherry with that ceder and spices that made this very approachable right now.
If you prefer fresher and riper fruits the drinking window is open! Laying this down for a year or so would be good but don't be afraid to enjoy one now.
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This was excellent and very tasty. Very primary, as would be expected with the young age, but came across as well balanced with soft tannins and juicy acidity. Lots of sweet black cherry fruit and some sweet dark raspberry. Powerful and on the riper side for a piinot.
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Farewell to Choi (Peter's): (blind) Medium ruby. Fruity nose - red and white cherry and a hint of vanilla. Slight whole cluster / confected quality. Palate is textbook new world Pinot. 13.5% alcohol, medium plus acid, medium minus tannins (polished). Long finish. Good quality. Has a hint of fresh earth complexity. Very balanced elegant Pinot with restrained ripeness. Guess: 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot pinot in a restrained style $70+ Actual: 2015 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast 14.3% Analysis: I was on the money. Also, I'm impressed with the restraint of the style, and how little the alcohol shows.
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Opened and let it breath for a few mins and it was quite fruit forward and a bit sweet on the palette. The nose was good but the finish was light. Not sure if it needs some years to balance out, perhaps so.
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Decanted for about an hour. and served with chile-infused pork tenderloin. Across 3 hours bouquet transitioned from forest floor to intense cherry, with secondary spice notes, including a bit of cola (although not as much as the RRV representation). At first sip the wine tasted nothing like its aroma - very strong cherry/berry flavor with medium tannin. Nice progression across 3 hours to where I anticipate the wine will be in about 3 years; 2020 should be a good starting point. Last glass was my best - nicely integrated. I'd envision this being a 93 a few years from now.
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N: ATTRACTIVE, rich, spicy, rasps (with plums?) & notes of flowers; Even more lurking?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by some mid-P pucker which SLOWLY, fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, almost swtish finish with a spicy tang. Not QUITE "together"(?), this DESERVES cellaring from early Spring '18 thru poss EARLY '19, then drinking for 3 or 4 yrs more, min. NICELY made in a relatively "big", ripe style! 94 pts Suckling, 92 Vinous, & 91 WS. [IF they still have it, this vendor's $89.95 would be in the TOP quartile of an amazingly varied April 2018 wine-searcher listing.]
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Not ready yet, will be in 16 to 24 months and the raw jammy berry will lighten up and become refine over time, have to wait and see could be a great vintage.
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A Few Wines Tasted at Cochon555 (Chicago, IL): Tasting, brief note. Rich and ripe black and red cherry aromas and flavors to start. Borderline balance that I certainly enjoy, along with its good spice. Slightly hollow in the middle, but the fruit returns for a good finish. Probably better in another year or two. Good+ in its style.
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3/12/2024 - jmottern Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium body (14.1%) dark red wine. Tight plum and dark cherry fruit with a hint of strawberry. Nice finish.
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3/9/2024 - brett228 wrote: 91 Points
Sweet and flamboyant in nose. A little too sticky and spicy in palate. Strawberry, cherry and flower nose are attractive and quite intuitive… just like coke. But I don’t expect pinot noir to be sweet and sticky like this. Just not my thing.
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3/8/2024 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well. Cool climate fruit predominates.
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12/24/2023 - tdodge1559 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep purple ruby (almost opaque). Dark, brambly fruit on the nose. Something floral too — rose or violet? Baking spice and a little forest round the nose out. On opening, the palate showed a ton of oak. But everything came together in the glass after an hour. There’s still structure here. Wine drank even better on day two. There may be a year or two of life left in this one.
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12/23/2023 - mclanew Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Lovely nose out of the box of red fruits and flowers. The palate is medium bodied, transparent and pure. Ripe raspberry, herbs and tea. Elegant but persistent. With time in the glass however some alcoholic notes develop. Drink up soon. This won’t get better.
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12/14/2023 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
Continues to drink well with dark fruit (cherry, black raspberry) with some spice, well balanced with soft tannins.
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11/25/2023 - underwds wrote: 91 Points
Color leaning more to the purple side of Pinot. Black and red cherry fruit, some cola notes, and then finishes strong with caramel and vanilla. Lovely complexity.
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10/26/2023 - MinnesotaNice Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Really nice wine. Well integrated, nothing out of place, exactly what you would expect from a KB of this vintage. Drinking beautifully right now, don’t see it getting any better.
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10/5/2023 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP, cool. Clear, med ruby/red. Moderate proper nose. This is right on the money. Perfect balance/integration, med body, smooth, clean edged, red and blue fruit, cola, long fine finish. Nothing off, winery direct, $73
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8/25/2023 - Barry Notes Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP, slightly chilled, 15 mins glass time. Clear, purple/ruby. Classic CA Pinot nose. This is a very nice wine, med body and good flavor intensity. Typical KB flavor profile. Particularly good balance/integration, soft drinking and a nice long finish. Nothing off. Perfect drinking window. $73 winery direct.
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4/16/2023 - willie_p74 Likes this wine: 96 Points
More peppery than some of the previous Kosta Browne's I've had. Looking over some of my previous notes and I would say this is less sweet, more baked cherry on the nose, no trace of caramel at all. Drinking it and it's still perfectly balanced, juicy and leading to a moderately dry peppery finish. Paired very well with a mushroom fried rice plate.
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11/23/2022 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with notes of 12/14/2018
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11/22/2022 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
consistent with notes of 12/14/2018
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11/10/2022 - spendergast Likes this wine: 94 Points
An excellent PN with well balanced dark fruit, well integrated tannins, well balanced. Paired perfectly with grilled miso salmon.
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10/8/2022 - Dan Lentz wrote: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully in 2022. Bright fruit, deep rich flavors with a long satisfying finish. Great balance of tannins and acidity. Satisfying beyond expectations -- alas my last bottle! Agree with other reviews that it is as good or better than many single vineyard wines from KB.
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10/8/2022 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crimson hue. Nice deep nose- red fruits, earthy. Medium body. Nicely developed juice- black cherry, cola. Nice finish. Reliable producer and product.
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5/6/2022 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Study of Cali Pinot, the bookends of A to Z. From Domaine de La Cote to Kosta Browne. For what is expected to be a Pinot lollipop, this 7 year old bad boy has developed a lovely savory profile.
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11/29/2021 - agsdlswine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding PN w/both considerable complexity & fruit. Long finish that improved while enjoying w/pork tenderloin. Wish we had more of this vintage that is at an excellent spot now.
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11/20/2021 - JS199 wrote: 93 Points
This wine was electric with red fruits. Lively and still young.
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11/8/2021 - tomlee wrote: 92 Points
Crimson in color. 14.4% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, cloves, sarsaparilla and damp forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Bursting with lush, juicy fruits. Black cherry, cherry cola, baking spices and minerals on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Charming Pinot Noir and everything I expect from Kosta Browne. Best over the next several years.
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10/21/2021 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very fine wine with the best aspects of the Sonoma county vineyards KB draws upon to fashion this wine. Lots of red fruit including strawberry and a bit of raspberry in the mouth. Pleasant nose also.
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10/19/2021 - cweiner wrote: 89 Points
Not the fruit I remembered. Blame it on the move south.
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10/3/2021 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Don't question- just yum.
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8/30/2021 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Kosta Browne balance, but less bright and fruity than the 2016 we opened side by side.
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8/29/2021 - Deepdrop wrote: 91 Points
Dark cherry and methanol with some tangy acidity. Liked it better a year ago so maybe past its peak drinking window.
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7/10/2021 - azwino wrote:
Pnp at a dinner party so no formal notes. Fruit? But took some time for flavors to open up and develop. Still a good wine - can sit for a while yet.
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6/13/2021 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fruit gushy yet somewhat tamed. Has long taste of rich red fruit accented by a little smoke and flowers. Tannins well-integrated already. Good-drinking wine!
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5/16/2021 - tcosgriff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Burgundy color with a bouquet and flavor of raspberries and cola. Nice acidity and balance with a fairly long finish. Lovely wine, if no t a wow.
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3/26/2021 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 94 Points
Red and black fruit, herbal notes, leather and finishes with burnt oak. Has some cola. A
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12/25/2020 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Changing in the bottle or the new style is taking hold. More similar to an elegant Pinot Noir although there was vanilla and heat.
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12/10/2020 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Crimson in color. 14.3% ABV. Gorgeous nose of red fruits, cola, cloves and forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Bright fruit in spades. Black cherry, sarsaparilla, baking spices and earth on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Everything you expect from Kosta Browne. Absolutely delicious. Best over the next several years.
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11/27/2020 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another winner from KB. Love it.
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11/17/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious ripe black cherry and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with hints of oak and spice culminating in a long finish.
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11/4/2020 - dase13 wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with prior notes.
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10/28/2020 - Phillybadger Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nothing wrong with this bottle, but I thought it would be better compared to the last one I had 3 years ago. Nice notes of cherry on the bouquet; was less spice-driven and a bit thinner than the last bottle I had in 2017. The tannins were better integrated. Went well with pork chops, but KB has put forth better representations...
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9/20/2020 - miadelt Likes this wine: 94 Points
I am a big fan of Kosta Browne's pinots. There is a savory quality to them that I really enjoy and they have a great balance to them. We had the '15 Santa Lucia Highlands side by side with the '15 Sonoma Coast and rated the SLH a little higher; but both great wines.
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9/19/2020 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasty!
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9/15/2020 - TWMDoesWine wrote: 86 Points
Solid and balanced. No major flaws, but nothing too exciting here for me.
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9/7/2020 - Mymauiwine wrote:
FELL OUT OF WINE SHELF:-(
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9/4/2020 - eatdrinkrepeat Likes this wine: 91 Points
I expected a fruit bomb (who wouldn't?) but it was actually quite balanced with good fruits, moderate acidity, even well some soft tannin on the finish. Very enjoyable.
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9/2/2020 - Domer99 wrote:
Like a prior poster said, something seemed slightly off about this bottle. It seemed a little antiseptic. Is this a function of the wine being over the hill or something different. I am still sitting on a magnum, so I am a bit wary about where this wine is.
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8/19/2020 - pjhr wrote: flawed
Bottle was clearly off and past its prime with ultraripe and slightly maderized fruit. Drinkable but not right!
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6/12/2020 - Mortgage92 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressed...I think, since the last time I drank this (2017), the aging has really helped improved the flavors, acidity, and tannins in this wine!
Drinking very well now and, I bet, better a year from now. I have two more bottles, which I will use to test the reach of this wine. However, if you are down to your last bottle - enjoy now or a year from now, if you can wait!
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6/5/2020 - crooksie Likes this wine: 92 Points
Subtle nose after opening, strong cherry undertones, drink soon but great Pinot. No decant but could use it
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6/2/2020 - lvjohn Likes this wine: 93 Points
We drank this bottle over three days with the third the best. By then, the tannic harshness had disappeared and the great red fruit emerged in all its complex glory. The first day might have been better had we decanted it. Overall, it was a very enjoyable quaff with dinner and on its own.
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5/31/2020 - ewasowicz wrote: 93 Points
Nose: Cherries, some oak
Taste: cherries, light tobacco and strawberries. Smooth longer finish. A Pinot that finishes like a cab.
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5/21/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious ripe black cherry and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with hints of oak and spice culminating in a long finish.
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5/16/2020 - CADomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
No official notes, but it disappeared quickly - so much have been pretty tasty!
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5/15/2020 - jnocera Likes this wine: 93 Points
In a previous note, I said I preferred the RRV better. This is drinking wonderfully right now. Really like where this is going...
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5/11/2020 - krhaugh Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted >1 hour. Dark red fruit with a hint of forest floor and mushroom funk. Ripe red fruit in the mouth with a bit of spice and cola. Drinking very well right now but you can wait longer if you want. Typical KB Sonoma Coast Pinot. Always very good.
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4/26/2020 - wlcoleman wrote: 88 Points
I’m really hoping this was a flawed bottle or that my palate is being overtaken by COVID, but something just not right. Nose was absolutely stunning but balance was way off for me. So much acidity in the front end that it was hard to take in any of the signature Kosta complexity and flavor. It’s still young and obviously should be very bright but I was just not digging it this evening. Was a pop and pour and drank in just under 90 mins with 2 friends (at a distance) so maybe we should have given it more time to open up. Here’s to hoping the best is yet to come.
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4/9/2020 - SMZ wrote: 94 Points
Brilliant wine...I agree with Arch
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4/5/2020 - Jokermac Likes this wine: 93 Points
Acquired direct. Garnet from core to rim; healthy nose. Dark cherry, spice, chocolate, smoke and bacon. Similar taste profile with a crazy long finish. Medium mouthfeel; balanced. This is really great- will wait another 5 years to open next bottle.
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4/5/2020 - Arch57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Well this was my 400th bottle in my cellar down from 500 when I retired almost 5 years ago. I’ve slowed down my collecting and the consumption, although developed a taste for fine bourbon which has its own pleasures.
I reluctantly dropped off the KB mailing list as my wine budget decreased and the owners moved on and my interest waned. However, I’ve enjoyed KB Pinot since the 2003 vintage and this bottle was wonderful. Just the right amount of cellaring and a splash decant did wonders to awaken the classic KB signature notes. I’ll spare the descriptors since they’ve been written about voluminously here and other wine publications.
Luckily I still have about 17 bottles from 2013-16 including many single vineyard selections to savor over the years.
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3/23/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
As delicious as the last bottle!
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3/2/2020 - CADomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Super pretty and perfumed bright red fruit and floral tones. One of the best KB Appellation wines that I have had in a while.
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2/7/2020 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
Pure. Resolved. Sweet cranberry and Christmas spice. Moderate acidic spine. Nothing confected in the slightest. I think this has integrated well and brought me a great deal of pleasure. Drink now and over the next 3 while the ripe red fruits remain youthful
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1/17/2020 - air guitar & pinot noir Likes this wine: 91 Points
A solid if not inspiring effort here. It seems lighter bodied and a bit diluted in flavor compared to a solid Sonoma offering. Nice mouthfeel but a bit linear in flavor overall. Not really anything wrong here but was looking for a little more depth and complexity at this juncture.
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1/14/2020 - SMZ wrote: 93 Points
One of the better Appelation wines from Sonoma in recent years
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1/9/2020 - Deepdrop wrote: 93 Points
Medium/light and elegant. Nice Pinot with cherry and moderately sweet finish. Has improved since my last taste in 2017. My judgement is enjoy this in its youth.
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12/13/2019 - Matt T wrote: 92 Points
Excellent KB with classic California brightness, spice, and well refined tannins. Drink or hold.
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12/5/2019 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ripe cherry fruit with hints of spice on the finish. Beautifully balanced and after an hour decant develops secondary notes of raspberry along with a long lingering finish. Expect this to get better with some time.
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11/11/2019 - pjhr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic KB! Delicious ripe black cherry and earthy aromas and flavors on the palate with hints of oak and spice culminating in a delish long savory finish.
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9/25/2019 - air guitar & pinot noir Likes this wine: 93 Points
I have no hesitation in scoring this appellation wine from Kosta Browne as high as I have. This has certainly improved and evolved over prior tastings, with lovely balance and beautiful fruit with a fully integrated and lovely delivery. All you would desire in a top quality Pinot. Time has been very kind. Red fruit predominates this strong effort.
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8/25/2019 - Coswinetaster Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice ruby color, moderate legs. Light mouth feel. Cherries and raspberries on the palate. Finish is slightly spicy.
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6/17/2019 - alexedelsburg Likes this wine:
Paired perfectly with our first copper river king salmon of the season. The wine tasted (and this is a compliment) like a black cherry warhead after the spice wore off.
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6/10/2019 - ewsds wrote: 88 Points
Overly ripe and almost syrupy dark fruits, without enough supporting structure (especially a lack of acidity to support the fruit). A bit hot as well. Disappointing and poor QPR. Drink soon.
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5/25/2019 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lasted tasted a year ago almost to the day. This last year has been good for this wine and its freshness is pronounced.
A very nice representation of Sonoma Coast Pinot. Light burgundy color, good clarity and a nose full of ripe red cherry, ceder and oak imparted spices.
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5/17/2019 - ELH wrote: 91 Points
Medium weight. Cherry, black cherry, and raspberry. Dependable food wine even if not ethereal.
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5/17/2019 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice cherry flavors, smooth from the outset.
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5/12/2019 - EM_MB wrote: 90 Points
Sour cherry and cola. Solid Pinot. Drink now.
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4/29/2019 - VinoAddict wrote: 91 Points
Very dark garnet in the glass with some lovely aromas. Bright fruit, but with a silky smooth mouthfeel; the acid is integrated and not jarring at all. Plenty of cherry, black cherry, raspberry on the palate, with a hint of earth to make it interesting. A short-to-medium finish. Overall, this is a solid wine, but it lacked the punch I was expecting given the price tag. Knock this down $20-30 and I think it would show better.
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3/15/2019 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good, but prefer the Russian River Valley label.
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2/15/2019 - air guitar & pinot noir Likes this wine: 91 Points
A very nice and commendable appellation offering from Kosta Browne. Typical Sonoma riot with some earthy notes and ripe, red fruit with red and black cherry notes. Great mouthfeel and it is a nice weight. Probably scoring lower just due to the high expectations of this label, albeit a price point to match those expectations. It is certainly as good as many labels single vineyard offerings. It is pretty fruit forward at this juncture and will improve with some more time in my opinion.
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1/15/2019 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tart cherries and fresh cranberries. Better than I expected!!
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12/14/2018 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Plenty of cherry and cola notes, with silky raspberry notes on the finish - a touch of earthiness keeps this grounded
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12/10/2018 - brettlaurvick wrote: 87 Points
This bottle didn’t show well. Disjointed and tight. Tart cherry cola.
Thought it might open up with a decant so did that after the first glass. Never got better. Unusual as I usually prefer the appalation wines from KB. Would mark as a hold if had any more
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12/1/2018 - Big Juicy Red Likes this wine:
My thoughts are consistent with other recent notes below. Lots of dried dark fruit on both the nose and palette. Moderate complexity and moderate minus finish. Certainly very good, but I expected more, especially given the price. I have one bottle left; will leave it for another year and hopefully it will improve.
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11/25/2018 - GiWineDoc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Forward fruit. Nice nose. Lacking on finish
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11/22/2018 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice forward fruit, smooth mid palate and smooth finish
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10/27/2018 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
See previous note.
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10/26/2018 - Jar01015 wrote: 90 Points
A nice deep scarlet color with a more dense look to it than your typical Pinot. Of course, this is a common characteristic of Kosta Browne. The nose is mostly spice and red fruit with hints of cola but for me there was a disconnect between this nose and palate . It became all red fruit that drinks even more syrupy than usual. I normally like KB but right now this one just seems over sweet with no real depth. I’m pretty neutral on this one. Will revisit in the future and hope it was an outlier.
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10/7/2018 - dase13 wrote: 92 Points
Color dark red. Scents of red berries and fruit. Taste was consistent with its scents.
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8/24/2018 - OliverHM Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing
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7/22/2018 - CabIsKing wrote: 92 Points
Nice nose of cherries and spices. Nice integration of tannins on the finish. Good bottle but I think needs a bit more time in the bottle.
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5/18/2018 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Another wine I popped at the early stage and this did not disappoint. Enjoyed this Pinot over 2 days.
A very nice representation of Sonoma Coast Pinot. Light burgundy color, good clarity and a nose full of ripe red cherry, ceder and oak imparted spices.
On the palate its well integrated already with nice balance. Day 2 was even better. Red and black cherry with that ceder and spices that made this very approachable right now.
If you prefer fresher and riper fruits the drinking window is open! Laying this down for a year or so would be good but don't be afraid to enjoy one now.
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4/14/2018 - Winedog1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Prefer the Russian River Valley label. Spices. Cedar. Cherry. Cola. Brine. Sweet, dry, and numbing finish that causes salivation.
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4/8/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
A Few Wines Tasted at Cochon555 (Chicago Hilton - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Very ripe black and red cherry throughout, this is able to easily retain balance and harmony.
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4/7/2018 - MU21 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Spice with a little woodsy feel. Definitely full bodied for a Pinot. Classic Pinot smell and finish.
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4/2/2018 - thebonnydooner wrote: 91 Points
This was excellent and very tasty. Very primary, as would be expected with the young age, but came across as well balanced with soft tannins and juicy acidity. Lots of sweet black cherry fruit and some sweet dark raspberry. Powerful and on the riper side for a piinot.
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3/12/2018 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
Farewell to Choi (Peter's): (blind)
Medium ruby. Fruity nose - red and white cherry and a hint of vanilla. Slight whole cluster / confected quality. Palate is textbook new world Pinot. 13.5% alcohol, medium plus acid, medium minus tannins (polished). Long finish. Good quality. Has a hint of fresh earth complexity. Very balanced elegant Pinot with restrained ripeness.
Guess: 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot pinot in a restrained style $70+
Actual: 2015 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast 14.3%
Analysis: I was on the money. Also, I'm impressed with the restraint of the style, and how little the alcohol shows.
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2/18/2018 - nrjessup Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still one note light fruit and sweetness on the palette. Little of any complexity to it.
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1/14/2018 - Kylej744 Likes this wine:
Ripe red fruit. Good spice and a little herbaceous.
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12/31/2017 - nrjessup wrote: 90 Points
Drinking jammy and a tad sweet. Not picking up much depth here.
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10/28/2017 - nrjessup Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened and let it breath for a few mins and it was quite fruit forward and a bit sweet on the palette. The nose was good but the finish was light. Not sure if it needs some years to balance out, perhaps so.
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8/28/2017 - Phillybadger Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for about an hour. and served with chile-infused pork tenderloin. Across 3 hours bouquet transitioned from forest floor to intense cherry, with secondary spice notes, including a bit of cola (although not as much as the RRV representation). At first sip the wine tasted nothing like its aroma - very strong cherry/berry flavor with medium tannin. Nice progression across 3 hours to where I anticipate the wine will be in about 3 years; 2020 should be a good starting point. Last glass was my best - nicely integrated. I'd envision this being a 93 a few years from now.
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8/19/2017 - dase13 wrote: 90 Points
Color of dark red. Scents of dark red fruits. Tastes consistent with scents.
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8/5/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [3 Whites & 6 Reds] from 8/4/17 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 2% whole cluster fermentation; 36% aged in new FR oak (14 mos), 15% aged in wood tank, & 1% aged in concrete tank; 14.3% ABV, 6.4 g/L T.A., & 3.46 pH.
N: ATTRACTIVE, rich, spicy, rasps (with plums?) & notes of flowers; Even more lurking?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with ALMOST swtish frt met by some mid-P pucker which SLOWLY, fairly seamlessly transitions into quite a LONG, almost swtish finish with a spicy tang. Not QUITE "together"(?), this DESERVES cellaring from early Spring '18 thru poss EARLY '19, then drinking for 3 or 4 yrs more, min. NICELY made in a relatively "big", ripe style! 94 pts Suckling, 92 Vinous, & 91 WS. [IF they still have it, this vendor's $89.95 would be in the TOP quartile of an amazingly varied April 2018 wine-searcher listing.]
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7/22/2017 - Deepdrop Likes this wine: 92 Points
Other notes dead on. Cherry, raspberry cola. Nice balance. Probably better in a year or two.
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5/20/2017 - MrGoldenSun Likes this wine: 93 Points
One-ounce at Winestore.
Beautiful nose of pure red fruit. Deep aromas and flavors. Balanced.
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5/20/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Solid as always. Bright cherry cola, smooth, delicious stuff. Typical KB. Red fruit dominated.
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5/4/2017 - peterg2004 wrote: 85 Points
Not ready yet, will be in 16 to 24 months and the raw jammy berry will lighten up and become refine over time, have to wait and see could be a great vintage.
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4/29/2017 - bigdogflow Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark color. Light taste of raspberry, cola, spice. Light/medium finish.
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4/23/2017 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
A Few Wines Tasted at Cochon555 (Chicago, IL): Tasting, brief note. Rich and ripe black and red cherry aromas and flavors to start. Borderline balance that I certainly enjoy, along with its good spice. Slightly hollow in the middle, but the fruit returns for a good finish. Probably better in another year or two. Good+ in its style.
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4/14/2017 - jnocera Likes this wine: 92 Points
I like the RRV a bit better right now than the Sonoma coast.
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