Kosta Browne Chardonnay at The Cellar Wine Bistro Lafayette
Traveling to Linda’s hometown to visit family, and for a wake and funeral of a departed dear lifelong friend, we stayed and dined in the nearest city, Lafayette, Indiana.
At the end of a long week of travel and events, we sought and found a delightful relaxing venue for a late night small bites dinner with fine wine for a perfect much needed decompression and wind-down.
The Cellar Wine Bistro in Lafayette (IN) offers a broad imaginative selection of fine wines to accompany and pair with menu of small plates, cheese, charcuterie, specialties and desserts. There is a small selection of Wines By the Glass (WBTG), as well as the full bottle wine list.
The bistro shares its space with Réveille Coffee Bar, which operates during the day
Cellar Wine Bistro is owned operated by two sisters Michelle and Marla. Michelle, spent time in California and brings back home to Indiana the Santa Barbara wine scene culture. They are assisted by Kat who applies her 20+ years experience in the food and beverage industry, and Purdue degree in Food & Nutrition to prepare the dining menu offerings, focusing on seasonal fare and collaborating with local producers and farmers.
https://cellar422wines.com/
We ordered a cheese plate with fruits and bread, the focaccio bread plate, olives, and the special of New Zealand Green Lipped mussels served baked on the half shell with escargot butter.
For a wine accompaniment I selected the finest ultra-premium label available on the winelist.
Kosta Brown “116” Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2021
This wine is from producers Dan Kosta and Michael Browne who produce a portfolio of ultra-premium Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
Kosta Browne Winery in Sebastopol, California, has gained fame and acclaim for its highly sought-after Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with wines sourced from leading vineyards in California (Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Santa Lucia Highlands) and Oregon's Willamette Valley, plus Burgundy, France.
Since founding in 1997, Kosta Browne has become synonymous with crafting some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California.
We first met Dan Kosta and tasted their wines at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Chicago in 2011 (shown with the author below), which we featured in these pages in this blogpost - Grand Tour Chicago - Wine Tasting Extravaganza.
A first-generation American, Julien was born to a French father and a Dutch mother who inspired in him appreciation for wine. Raised in Northern California’s Bay Area, Julien regularly traveled to France to visit family, including relatives in the wine industry. He studied at UC Davis, where he earned a degree in viticulture and enology. Prior to joining Kosta Browne, Julien gained hands-on experience at several notable California estates and in New Zealand’s acclaimed Hawkes Bay region.
Julien joined Kosta Browne in 2012 and quickly established himself as an invaluable member of the team with an innovative, detail-oriented approach to winemaking and a love of blending. Working alongside Michael Browne, Julien progressed from production assistant to cellar master to assistant winemaker, and winemaker in 2019. In 2025, he was honored as one of “the best young leaders” in the wine industry when he was named one of the Beverage Information Group’s “40 Under 40.”
The 2021 One Sixteen Chardonnay draws fruit from eight outstanding vineyards, including Ritchie, Heintz, and Keefer Ranch, situated in the coolest reaches of the AVA. These sites benefit from sandy Goldridge soils and consistent fog cover, allowing the grapes to develop nuanced flavors without overripening.
Winemaker Notes: “The collection of famous Chardonnay vineyards that we work with along the famous Route 116, are in the coolest and most sought after areas of the Russian River Valley. Individual pressed lots were fermented in barrel or foudres, all 100% native primary and malolactic fermentations, which adds depth and complexity to the finished wine. With brilliant clarity and a bouquet of green apple, pear, and persimmon aromas, this radiant Chardonnay makes a stunning first impression. The palate strikes a lovely balance between round texture and bright acidity, with succulent orchard fruit flavors and a kiss of French oak that evolve into a long, shimmering finish.95 points James Suckling - "Expressive aromas of preserved lemons, lime zest, flint and river stones. The palate is medium-bodied with bright acidity and a creamy texture, giving notes of orchard fruit, grapefruit, yellow apples and pastry. A good balance of power and finesse."
Fermentation was conducted in a mix of 83% French oak barrels and 17% large foudres. The wine aged for 14 months, including 30% in new French oak, 4% in new Austrian oak, and 20% in wood cask. Prior to bottling, 66% of the blend was transferred to stainless steel for 6 months, polishing the texture and brightening acidity.
3700 cases were produced.
This release was awarded 92 points by Wine Spectator.
Golden straw colored with subtle green hues, medium full bodied, rich, round harmonious well balanced and polished, bright vibrant flavors of mango, green apple and honeysuckle hints of peach and pineapple are accented by notes of toasted brioche, oak and baking spices with lively acidity on a delicious creamy lingering finish.
RM 94 points.
I enjoyed this One Sixteen Chardonnay so much, when we got home, I immediately went and picked up some more at Binny’s, our local big box beverage center.
We met and talked with Kat about her preparations and presentations and she alerted us to her incredible cheesecake which we enjoyed with a tawny port aperitif for a fitting finish to a delightful outing.
