Pinot Rocks: A Winding Journey through Intense Elegance

Intense, but elegant. Spirited, yet refined.

The complexities that describe Michael Browne’s wines describe his life experiences, too. With a tumultuous childhood and an adolescence filled with feelings of isolation, Michael joined the circus when he was twelve. By eighteen, he was a featured performer, fire-eater, unicyclist, high-wire walker, and trapeze artist. But it was during his work in the restaurant industry years later when Michael realized the simple beauty—and potential—of family and friends enjoying the perfect bottle of wine together.

Michael co-founded his first California winery, Kosta Browne, in 1997 with a few hundred dollars and the goal of helping people create meaningful moments with one another. In Pinot Rocks, Michael shares his journey and offers insight and inspiration for those who believe in the American dream and choose to never stop pursuing it. No matter the goals you set for yourself, this book will motivate you to follow your passions and turn your dreams into reality.

Michael Browne is the founder and proprietor of CIRQ, a family-run estate winery established in 2009 by Michael and his wife, Sarah, in the heart of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California. Inspired by their surroundings, their most recent pinot noir is a blend of Mother Nature's offerings from vineyards around the region.

Michael, along with Dan Kosta, founded Kosta Browne Winery in 1997 with a used barrel, an old stem crusher, and six months of saved tip money. Since this humble beginning, Kosta Browne has been recognized by Wine Spectator as the #1 Wine of the Year in 2011.

When not crafting wine, Michael enjoys fishing, gardening, and spending time with Sarah and their children, Logan, Lauren, and Lyvia.