Winemaker Interview Series – Julien Howsepian – Kosta Browne – Feb 2026

On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, we interviewed Julien Howsepian. Julien is the winemaker at Kosta Browne Winery. We covered nine wines during our visit. We started with a 2023 vintage Chardonnay. Then we tried two AVA focused Pinot Noir from 2023 and followed that up with two single vineyard 2023 Pinot Noirs. We concluded the tasting with a mini-vertical of 2022 and 2023 vintage Pinots from Volnay and Beaune. It was a terrific and very interesting portfolio tasting. In this post, you can learn what we learned about Julien, the history of Kosta Browne and read our reviews of all of these impressive wines.

Before we get to the wines, I thought I would share some tidbits that Julien shared in the interview.

• Tell us a little bit about the Kosta Browne winery history?
  • Around 1996 Dan Kosta and Michael Browne worked at a restaurant together.
    • Dan was the manager and Michael was the Sommelier.
    • They wanted to enter the wine business.
    • So, in 1997 they pooled their tips and saved up $1,100 for ½ ton of grapes and $400 for a used barrel. Then they made their first barrel of Pinot Noir.
    • Progress continued in 1998. They made 2 barrels.
    • In 1999, they had a go for it mentality. So, they bought some Sauvignon Blanc from Lake County.
    • There were multiple rounds of fundraising in the early years.
    • Michael worked as a cellar rat and winemaker at another winery to gain additional experience.
  • During the 2002/2003 season it was a hot vintage.
    • They made a late pick call.
    • It resulted in very ripe and extracted fruit.
    • In a moment of very dump luck, this Big Boy styled Pinot was very well received.
    • The phone rang off the hook and demand was sky high.
  • Chris Costello (A third partner in the ownership) brought an ingenious structure model to the partnership.
    • He proposed an allocation model with an option to buy.
    • This spread out the wine to more customers and created more passionate demand for for the wine.
    • This led to a waitlist in the early years. You might have to wait three years to receive your first wine.
  • The 2009 the “Sonoma Coast” Pinot Noir earned the #1 spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list.
    • To date it is the only Pinot to ever hold the top spot on the list.
  • Julien joined the winery in 2012. He worked with Michael and Dan their last 4 years at the winery. So how did Julien get to the winery and become winemaker?
    • Julien was an undeclared major at UC Davis until he met someone in the wine program. He fell in love with it from there.
    • His first harvest was at Wente in 2005
    • He then spent 4 years as a ski bum in Tahoe.
    • Fast forward. In 2012 his girlfriend (Now wife) told him that Kosta Browne was hiring interns. He was one of twelve that were hired.
      • He went from intern to full time.
      • Working alongside Michael Browne, Julien was rapidly promoted from production assistant to cellar master to assistant winemaker.
      • In 2019 he became the wineries third winemaker.
  • Back to the wineries evolution.
    • In 2013, it was their first year that they had their own winery and things were clicking.
    • They had bought half of the Keefer Ranch.
    • They entered into a long-term lease for Gap’s Crown fruit.
    • 2016 was another important year
      • They bought an optical sorter.
        • This is especially important for tougher vintages. It detects size, mold, and raisins and sorts out those grapes not worthy to be included.
      • They also expanded into Anderson Valley and the Santa Rita Hills that year.
    • Eventually they expanded into the Willamette Valley.
  • On July 31^st, 2018, they sold the winery to Duckhorn Family.
• All of the California wines we covered are 2023. Tell us about the vintage.
  • Cool vintage. A lot of fog. Not very warm.
  • A tough vintage for Chardonnay.
  • Harvest was 3 to 4 weeks later in most cases.
    • 1^st Pinot pick was September 19^th. Normally they pick before Labor Day.
  • The Chardonnay is named “One Sixteen.” What does that mean?
    • It is named for the highway that runs thru the Russian River Valley
    • The grapes for this wine come from some impressive sources including Bootlegger’s, Ritchie, Winners Circle, Keefer Ranch, Zio Tony, and Lone Oak.
    • While there is 100% Malo and 100%-barrel fermentation. They prefer to use neutral barrels and to pick early to preserve a fresh and bright wine.
  • The “Sonoma Coast” Pinot Noir.
    • They get 1/3 of the crop from Gap’s Crown via that previously mentioned long term contract.
    • 35% to 40% of the Sonoma Coast offering is Gaps’ Crown fruit.
    • 50% to 60% comes from 5 or 6 other vineyards including a lot from Marshall Ranch.
  • The “Russian River” Pinot Noir is sourced from 10 vineyards.
    • One is Keefer Ranch that they own. Treehouse and many others.
    • They pick at night, grapes are delivered cold, and then optically sorted.
  • Keefer Ranch.  They originally bought 3 or 4 parcels.
    • Schramsberg owns the other half of the vineyard.
  • Gaps’ Crown is traditionally a late ripening site.
  • Finally, lets talk about this French project.
    • Around 2015 they started going to Burgundy and they have been inspired ever since.
    • In 2020, because of the fires, they needed wine.
      • What if they made wine from Burgundy? So thru confidential connections they did.
    • So how does this work?
      • They send the wine to the US as bulk. In order for it to be labeled by the region, it has to stay in France 8-10 months to be labeled from there. They prefer to keep it there 14 months.
      • How does it get here in bulk?
        • It is shipped in small bladders (Originally an unproven method). It stops the aging.
        • It arrives in the port of Oakland via temperature controlled containers.
        • It is then bottled at Kosta Browne so it an carry the Brand name.
      • So they are a negotiant in this case.
    • In 2020 and 2021 they bought already vinified wine. Since then they are involved in the winemaking process.
    • 2022 was a great vintage. Very approachable wines.
    • 2023 was a tough year. It was hot and dry and they are not allowed to irrigate there. They were saved by a late season rain.
    • Volnay and Beaune separated by 1 town about 5 miles apart.
    • Beaune is like the Russian River Valley of Burgundy.

Below is a summary of the wine offerings from Kosta Browne that we covered with Julien. The links below are to our full reviews. If you are interested in ordering and trying these wines, you will find some of these wines via your favorite fine wine shop or on top quality wines lists. You can also sign up to become a wine list member via this Special KWG Kosta Browne sign-up page. You will even receive immediate access to a Welcome Offering for you to take advantage of!

Kosta Browne 2023 Chardonnay “One Sixteen” (RRV) $90 (KWGTP 93)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast” $120 (KWGTP 93.5)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Russian River Valley” $120 (KWGTP 93.5)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Keefer Ranch” (Russian River Valley) $175 (KWGTP 93.5)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Gap’s Crown Vineyard” (Sonoma Coast) $175 (KWGTP 94.5)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Volnay” (Burgundy) $150 (KWGTP 93)
Kosta Browne 2022 Pinot Noir “Volnay” (Burgundy) $150 (KWGTP 94)
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Beaune Premier Cru” (Burgundy) $165 (KWGTP 94)
Kosta Browne 2022 Pinot Noir “Beaune Premier Cru” (Burgundy) $165 (KWGTP 95)

Additional Patz & Hall Wines Covered In Other Tastings
Kosta Browne 2023 Pinot Noir “Gary’s Vineyard” (Santa Lucia Highlands) $175 (KWGTP 93)

You can find reviews of past and future Kosta Browne wines that we cover on the Kosta Browne KWG winery page on our website. We hope you enjoy these terrific wines as much as we did. Cheers! – Ken