2005 Kosta Browne RRV Pinot Noir ****

What am I doing eating shell steak and drinking Cali Cult Pinot Noir in the middle of the day on April 1? Well, today is not only April Fool's Day, it's also my dog's birthday, (which is why I named her "April" 13 years ago.) And we have a little tradition today, she and I...I make us a big steak and bone to share and then we both eat so much we feel sick aftrewards, me probably more than her. But this year is a little different because April currently lives with my mom, and since my inlaws are in town and I have to be home for dinner tonight, it was necessary for me today to make the jaunt to the Upper East Side for our traditional birthday meal at lunch. Now, to be honest I had planned on skipping our little tradition this year and eating an apple for lunch because I'm on a diet these days, but after seeing the chop my butcher cut for April, welll...how could I resist? (By the way, my butcher, Staubitz, is a genius in an apron.)

So what does Kosta Browne have to do with any of this? Well, since my mom is out of town we have a friend watching April for the week, and this friend apparently has very fine taste in wine, because when I arrived at my mom's apartment I discovered that our friend had opened one of the bottles of my birthday pressent to my mom last year: my allocation of Kosta Browne RRV Pinot Noir. So since it was already open, and since it was a special occasion, and since I was making steak anyway...you probably already see where I'm going with this.

This Russian River Valley Pinot was in Spectator's top 5 for 2007 - I think it was their #3 wine of the year actually - and while I don't quite share that level of enthusiasm, this wine clearly stands out from the pack of California Pinot Noir, and is probably the best wine from here I've ever had.

2005 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir **** Gorgeous ruby. Fresh thyme and tarragon on the nose, with quintessential Californian Pinot Noir characteristics and mellow red fruit flavors. Here is the smooth attack, and here is a lush midpalate...very much NOT what I expected from Kosta Browne (clearly I underestimated them, as evidenced by my callously giving away their wine). Let me just say this ... If wine were a movie, then is the Cool Hand Luke of RRV Pinot. Mellow crushed black pepper, tart cherry skins without the sweetness, finishes with crushed chalk and then fresh herbs. It's a ridiculous 14.7% alcohol and although I can't taste a lick of it I really think my work day is over. I am honestly trying to think of an imperfection here and the only one I can think of is I don't own more of this. And this one wasn't even mine. A gorgeous wine.