Admire Pinot Noir (2022)

About this wine

This is 100 percent Pinot Noir sourced from the Sonoma Coast appellation, a cool climate region that preserves bright acidity and aromatic lift. On the nose expect fresh red cherry, raspberry and a hint of baking spice with a subtle savory thread. Aging was nine months in French oak with about 30 percent new barrels, which adds a touch of toast and roundness while keeping the fruit forward. The palate is medium bodied with polished tannins and a smooth texture, carrying flavors of red berry, a touch of black tea and gentle earth. The wine finishes with balanced acidity and a lingering savory note that reflects its Sonoma Coast origin.

About the grape

Pinot Noir was first cultivated in Burgundy, France, and is prized for its thin skin, delicate aromatic range, and high sensitivity to site and climate. The grape is notoriously fussy to grow, preferring cool maritime conditions and well drained soils, which is why growers on the Sonoma Coast use fog cooled sites and careful canopy management to slow ripening and preserve acidity. For the 2022 Admire bottling the wine is 100 percent Pinot Noir sourced from Sonoma Coast vineyards, harvested at modest ripeness in early September and aged in French oak for about nine months with roughly 30 percent new oak, showing how the variety is handled here to balance fruit and structure. In this project Dan Kosta has focused on Sonoma Coast fruit and classic Pinot viticultural choices rather than heavy manipulation, letting the cool coastal terroir and vineyard selection define the varietal role in the final wine.

Quick facts

• 🌟 Admire was launched by Dan Kosta, the same vintner who co founded Kosta Browne, bringing his decades of Pinot Noir passion to a more everyday price point
• 🌊 Every bottle of Admire Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is made entirely from grapes sourced within the Sonoma Coast appellation, so the whole wine showcases that cool coastal terroir
• 🪵 The wine spends nine months in 100 percent French oak, with about 30 percent of the barrels being new, a treatment that softens tannins while keeping bright fruit front and center
• 🚀 Admire was created as part of DK Wine Group, a small portfolio that launched in 2021, making this wine a quick success story from a new venture by a well known winemaker
• 🍒 Bottlings like the 2022 typically sit at around 14.1 percent alcohol, a level that some tasters say gives the wine a riper, generous mouthfeel while still keeping lively acidity

Palate profile

Producer

Admire by Dan Kosta was launched in 2023 as a project from veteran winemaker Dan Kosta and DK Wine Group, offering an approachable Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir at an everyday price point. The brand was created to celebrate Kosta's lifelong admiration of Pinot Noir and his decades of experience that began with co founding Kosta Browne. Admire sources fruit from the Sonoma Coast appellation and emphasizes fruit driven style with French oak aging, with the inaugural releases positioned for near term enjoyment. The project is based in Sonoma County and sits alongside Kosta's other DK Wine Group labels, aimed at broadening access to quality Pinot Noir.