About B. Kosuge Wines
I’ve been making wine for 20 years. I have always been hands-on—walking the vineyards, working the vines, sorting grapes when they arrive at the winery, pumping over and punching down, driving the forklift, dragging hoses, even fixing bottling machines myself! This is the way I like it (well, maybe not the bottling machine part). I am constantly studying the grapevines and the ground in which they’re planted. Understanding where your fruit comes from doesn’t just happen. When I go snooping around in the vineyards, I like to joke that I’m off to “become one with the vines.” But there’s always a little truth in jest, no?
I’ve chosen Pinot Noir and Syrah as the two wines that most capture my fancy. Everyone who makes Pinot Noir talks about the quixotic nature of making Pinot, and I am certainly one of those who shares that obsession, but what it comes down to is that after many years of making wine, those are the two varieties that I like best, both to make and to drink. It’s a simple as that.
It’s said that “terroir” is the nexus where soil, climate, vine, man—and woman—come together. While there’s certainly no doubt that the grapes and where they’re grown is important, it seems to me that the people—those who tend the vines, drive the tractors, whose vision led them to plant in some unlikely places, and most importantly those who embrace the hard work and devotion that is required to grow and make fine wine—tend to be forgotten. Certainly the best vineyards (I’ve been lucky enough over the years to work with several of them) are more than just great sites. They are farmed by talented and inspired people. While it usually starts with the owners, many of the people who have made the difference in the best vineyards never get their names on the labels. Among these growers, the ones I have the most respect for are those who never hesitate to roll up their sleeves and “do whatever needs to be done” to get it right. These are the vineyards, and the people, that I seek out for my own wines.