Kosta Browne began as a dream shared by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne. In the summer of 1997, while working at John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa, California, Dan and Michael decided to venture into winemaking. They saved tip money for about eight months and eventually had enough to buy a half ton of Pinot Noir, a used barrel and an old hand-crank stemmer-crusher, a purchase that marks the beginning of Kosta Browne. Since that vintage, they have nurtured relationships with the best growers and honed their winemaking skills, making sure to focus on the vision and values with which they began.
Julien has earned renown for crafting elegant and intense California wines prized for their thoughtful complexity, character, and age-worthiness. Julien’s wines continue Kosta Browne’s two-decade legacy of creating some of America’s benchmark Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
Raised in Northern California’s Bay Area, Julien regularly traveled to France to visit family, including relatives in the wine industry. These early visits kindled Julien’s appreciation for the culture of wine, and led him to UC Davis, where he earned a degree in viticulture and enology.
Prior to joining Kosta Browne, Julien gained invaluable hands-on experience at several venerable California estates and in New Zealand’s acclaimed Hawkes Bay region. “As a winemaker, it is both humbling and a gift to work with such amazing vineyards,” said Julien. “Each one has a fascinating story to tell. For two decades Kosta Browne has been dedicated to telling these stories. To build on this legacy is an honor and a privilege.”