Ken Brown Wines

Owner(s)	Deborah Brown, Ken Brown
Web site	www.kenbrownwines.com

Link to this site	How to link to an article or review about your winery..

Ken Brown is one of Santa Barbara County’s originals. He has been crafting wine in the area since 1977 and was the founding winemaker at both Zaca Mesa Winery and Byron Winery. Ken was one of the first to realize the potential of Santa Barbara County to produce fine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He was also the first to introduce Pinot Noirs relatives, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, and Syrah, to the area. After leaving Byron Winery in 2003, he started his own label specializing in small lot Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He has downsized considerably, with only himself and his wife, Deborah, running the show, and producing a modest 2,500 cases of wine at Terravant Wine Center in Buellton, CA. Brown still consults for a number of larger labels.

Brown started the Byron label in 1984, sold it to the Robert Mondavi family in 1990 and stayed on as winemaker until 2005. He started the Ken Brown label in 2003, moved into a shared warehouse facility in Lompoc in 2005, and then to Terravant in 2008.

Brown has access to many of Santa Barbara's best Pinot Noir vineyards including Cargassachi, Rancho La Vina, Clos Pepe and Nielson.

Many winemakers have mentored under Ken Brown including Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Bob Lindquist of Qupe Wine Cellars, Chuck Carlson of Curtis Winery, Lane Tanner of Lane Tanner Winery, Adam Tolmach of Ojai Vineyard, Clay Brock of Wild Horse Winery, and Mike Sinor of Sinor-LaVallee.

Ken Brown Wines are sold through the website and through retail channels. Tasting by appointment at the tasting room at Terravant Wine Center at 70 Industrial Way in Buellton. 805-688-4482.

Articles About Ken Brown Wines

12th Annual World of Pinot Noir: Wines that Caught My Interest (9.4 3/21/2012)
Along The Pinot Trail: 2013 World of Pinot Noir (9.23 4/13/2013)
Blast from 2011 World of Pinot Noir (8.33 3/12/2011)
Clos Pepe: A Grape named Pinot, a Vigneron, a Facilitator, a Dead Head, a Dog named Bud, and a Horse named Charlemagne (8.12 3/11/2010)
Small Sips of More California Pinot (7.17 5/7/2009)
Small Sips of Pinot (6.46 11/20/2007)
Sta. Rita Hills Wine & Fire (6.33 7/23/2007)

Reviewed Wines

2010 Ken Brown Wines Cargassachi Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

$N/A. Clone 115. · Very representative of this vineyard with black fruits, an earthy and animale component and a deep richness on the palate. The ripe, muscular tannins will benefit from more bottle aging. Good Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »

2010 Ken Brown Wines Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., pH 3.71, TA 0.56, 298 cases, $40. From Rio Vista (78%), Rita’s Crown and Rancho La Vina vineyards providing an over view of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. 100% de-stemmed, aged 10 months in 37% new French oak barrels. · This is a very forward drinking wine that will find wide appeal. It is aromatically expressive with scents of black cherry and spice, echoed on the palate which is discreetly lush and pleasing. Beautiful integration of oak and seductively elegant. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »

2010 Ken Brown Wines Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.7% alc., pH 3.57, TA 0.61, 265 cases, $50. Pommard clone. 100% de-stemmed, aged 18 months in 43% French oak barrels. · Red and black fruits are featured in this very feminine expression of this vineyard. Nicely balanced with restrained tannins. Demonstrates a wet rock aroma and a mineral-driven electric component on the palate. Very good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »

2008 Ken Brown Cargassachi Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.7% alc., pH 3.61, 137 cases, $50. From the 16-acre Cargassachi Vineyard planted in 1998 to clone 115. The vineyard is at the extreme west end of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, making it one of the coolest vineyards in California. The Botella Series soils have a high calcareous content, allowing excellent drainage while limited yields. 100% de-stemmed. Aged 10 months in 43% new French oak barrels. · Deep, dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Packed with richly flavored dark Pinot fruits complimented by oak-contributed mocha notes, robed in supple tannins. Seductively smooth and velvety on the palate. The nose is still primal and the wine will become more nuanced with more age. This Pinot had several consumer fans at WOPN. Very good. Reviewed March 12, 2011 ARTICLE »

2007 Ken Brown Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.7% alc., $50. 100% Pommard. · Lightest in color of the lineup of wines. Demure aromas of cherries and berries. Well-flavored red and blue fruits with lively acidity on the bright finish. Less tannic and more elegant than past Clos Pepe bottlings from Ken Brown and more to my liking. Reviewed March 11, 2010 ARTICLE »

2006 Ken Brown Duncan’s Cuvee Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., $25. Sourced primarily from Rio Vista Vineyard with contributions from other local vineyards. · This wine has a strange “diaper” aroma which passes through to the flavors and ruins the experience. There is a decent dark red-fruited core which is moderately sappy. The texture is rich and velvety and the tannins are well managed. Reviewed May 7, 2009 ARTICLE »

2006 Ken Brown Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., $30. Primarily sourced from the Babcock Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills. · The nose is a bit reserved but pleasant showing scents of black cherries and heavy oak. A fruit-driven wine propelled by dark stone fruits and accents of root beer and toasty oak. Plenty of punch and richness that picks up intensity in the glass. Very drinkable now. Reviewed May 7, 2009 ARTICLE »

2003 Ken Brown Wines Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

I have sampled this on several occasions when young. As Ken said, the wine “drank like a Cab, but oh what a ride!” However, with a few years of age, the wine now showed more restraint and polish. The rough edges had disappeared, the tannins had softened, and the aromatics were more bright and persistent. It is still a hulk of a wine, but more calm and well-behaved.. Reviewed July 23, 2007 ARTICLE »

2003 Ken Brown Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.7% alc., 122 cases, $45. Initially this was a very intense and heady wine resulting from scant yields (1 ton per acre) and the typically robust fruit from this vineyard. · A few years in the cellar has tamed the beast. Dark ruby in color. Complex aromatics of dark fruits, freshly baked cookies, toast and smoke. Darker Pinot fruits carry the theme to a lengthy and tangy finish. Silky in texture with gossamer tannins. An argument for aging Pinot Noir a few years before popping the cork. The website is www.kenbrownwines.com. Reviewed --/--/--

2003 Ken Brown Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

14.7% alc., 122 cases, $45. Initially this was a very intense and heady wine resulting from scant yields (1 ton per acre) and the typically robust fruit from this vineyard. · A few years in the cellar has tamed the beast. Dark ruby in color. Complex aromatics of dark fruits, freshly baked cookies, toast and smoke. Darker Pinot fruits carry the theme to a lengthy and tangy finish. Silky in texture with gossamer tannins. An argument for aging Pinot Noir a few years before popping the cork. Reviewed November 20, 2007 ARTICLE »