(September 18, 2018 – Windsor, CA) — CIRQ, the winery created in 2009 by renowned pinot noir winemaker and Kosta Browne founder Michael Browne, has kicked off a new chapter with his own estate winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley.
The winery, which has made some of the most beloved pinots in the region over the last decade, moves forward under Browne’s sole leadership, a big deal for the winemaker and consumers alike.
“Taking back CIRQ has profound meaning for me,” says Browne. “Launching this brand paid respect to both my family’s colorful history and my own experience in the performing arts. CIRQ was born from raw inspiration to craft something special that thrills and entices the senses. It was an opportunity for me to do what I love, to create wines of uncommon breeding from exceptional vineyard sites and connect people to those places.”
CIRQ Estate launched with small production, single vineyard pinot noirs crafted from two incredible vineyards. They quickly gained critical acclaim and became highly pursued by wine collectors around the world. Today, the wine has a multi-year waiting list and is rarely found in the market.
This marks an important time for Browne and his family as he embarks in developing the next chapter of CIRQ and establishes his own estate winery. “CIRQ is now my sole focus. I am re-energized to continue my role as winemaker, now with a winery of my own where I can be hands-on in every fine detail.”
The estate property, located in the heart of the Russian River Valley, is a hilltop gem, surrounded by spectacular 360-degree views. This place fits CIRQ perfectly and will be its home for many years to come.
With future vintages, Browne will move away from the single-vineyard model, instead blending the highest-quality fruit from a select few unique vineyards to create the ultimate pinot noir. Browne sees this next step as a natural evolution of the strategy at CIRQ: One wine created from the best vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley.
“My philosophy in making world-class wine has always begun with very passionate growers,” he says. “I am thankful for the relationships I have built over the years with vineyard owners and their families. The most important thing I have learned about crafting wine is how crucial it is to have the very best fruit sources available. I believe that part of the terroir of a vineyard is not only the soil, climate and ecosystem of each site, but also the energy and human element that these farmers pour into their land.”
Browne has assembled a top-notch team that will help him fulfill his vision of crafting wines that are as delicious as they are exquisite, while delivering an exclusive customer experience at the highest quality level obtainable, in every aspect. In 2020, the CIRQ hilltop property will be ready to receive a very limited number of visitors.
