Treehouse Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Kosta Browne’s winemaker, Michael Browne, has debuted a new label with a circus theme specializing in Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. The first vintage produced an estate Pinot Noir from Treehouse Vineyard, and subsequent vintages will include an estate Pinot Noir from a second vineyard, Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard.

Like many winemakers who have sourced Pinot Noir for their wines, Michael has dreamed of planting his own vineyard and making wine from it. He decided several years ago to pour significant resources into developing distinguished sites that could produce world-class Pinot Noir. Michael enlisted the services of noted vineyardist, Charlie Chenoweth, to plant his two vineyards.

Production will be very limited, with only two Pinot Noirs, each from a single estate vineyard. The 13.5-acre Treehouse Vineyard is located 8 miles inland from the Pacific Coast at an elevation of 750 feet above the fog line. Because it is above the fog, Treehouse receives more hours of sunshine than almost any other site in the Russian River Valley, yet benefits from the fog’s cooling effects. The vineyard is planted to 5 clones on 101-14 rootstock: Mariafeld 23 (35%), Swan, Pommard, Calera and Mt. Eden 37. Soils are iron-rich Franciscan. Remarkably, this vineyard delivers exceptional flavor, intensity and textures early in the ripening phase.

The 30-acre Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard also sits at about 750 feet above sea level and is above the fog line. Like Treehouse, it is surrounded by redwood and fir trees. However, Bootlegger’s soil is mainly Goldridge, valued for its excellent drainage and low fertility. Bootlegger’s is a little cooler than Treehouse and combined with a different soil type, the resultant wine is more elegant and red-fruited. The planted Pinot Noir clones are 115, 667, Pommard, Mt. Eden 37, Calera and Elite(?). Two blocks (4 acres) of Wente clone Chardonnay are also planted here.