Brown Estate

Brown Estate. During one of our visits to the estate, we were told their wines, “Reflect a sense of place rather than palate.” This is the first time we had heard terroir expressed like this – in such an eloquent way. It was nice to hear this, considering they have built their reputation on Zinfandel, a variety which can easily be harvested over ripe resulting in loss of complexity. Their Zinfandels in particular, showcase both terroir, ripeness and the fruit driven qualities of this variety.

In 1967 Dr. Bassett Brown (originally from Jamaica) started as a physician’s assistant at Central Neighborhood Health Foundation (CNHF) in South Central Los Angeles. He later acquired the clinic. An article in the May 25, 1972, edition of the Southwest Wave references doctors Bassett and partner A. Newton Woodward heading up a nonprofit called the Central Los Angeles Health Project (CLAHP) located at 2707 S. Central Avenue to serve medical needs of the local community and low-income residents. This building still serves as a clinic for the Central Neighborhood Health Foundation. Incidentally its location is only a 5 minute drive from a wine and spirits company we used to consult for located on South Main Street. We fondly remember walking to work under the 110 from USC Hotel and stopping at several street food vendors for Mexican food breakfasts.

And CNHF has since expanded over the years and now offers a wide diversity of medical services through their clinics, not only in locations within Los Angeles County but also in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In 2012, Dr. Bassett was honored for his long-time work with the clinic by the dedication and naming of Dr. Bassett H. Brown Square at the often busy intersection of S Central Avenue and E 27th Street: a sign fastened to the stoplight indicating this demarcation is located directly outside of the clinic.

In 1980 Dr. Brown (died in 2019) and his wife Dr. Marcela Brown (originally from Panama) located a fairly remote (by Napa standards) piece of property through a recommendation of a family friend who was already living in Napa Valley (Howell Mountain). The Browns were looking for a place to get away, relax and introduce their children to a more rural way of life, as opposed to their urban Los Angeles and Pasadena area lifestyle.

The property needed vision, which they certainly had. Thousands of bats were living in an old house and the stone and wood barn was in disarray. Today, looking at the estate and holding a photo taken of the property in 1980, you won’t know your standing in the same area! They Browns planted their first 10 acres to Zinfandel in 1985 and sold the grapes for a number of years including to Grgich Hills and Green & Red Winery. In 1990 they planted 40 more acres including not only Zinfandel but also Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Today 50 acres of vines are planted on their approximately 450-acre property.

Their children Deneen and David Brown tasted wines made at wineries that were purchasing their grapes. Recognizing a strong demand for their own grapes – they soon realized the quality of wines their estate vineyards were producing. Along with some encouragement from one of their vineyard ‘neighbors’ the Nichelini’s, they decided to begin producing their own wine. The first few vintages were produced at Rombauer (when that winery was offering custom crush services for a number of premium clients). Winemaker David Brown has produced every vintage; he learned by doing through winery work for some of the producers that were purchasing their grapes. And early on, Zin Master, Duane Dappen who was also making his D Cubed Cellars wines at Rombauer, provided consulting advice. Sister Coral later joined the family team.

The winery is now in an impeccably restored old stone and wooden building which dates to 1859. During their restoration they were able to save some of the original wood siding. Later a cave was tunneled, which required significant amounts of dynamite because the hillside is nearly solid rock. As a result, the cave is not a typical perfect rounded tunnel but rather features a number of interesting shapes in the ceiling as a result of the dynamite.

Their first vintage was from 1996, 700 cases of Zinfandel; they made subsequent vintages at Rombauer Winery until they outgrew that space. The winery on their estate property was initially built in 2002 as a production facility – not with the intent of hosting visitors. But as word got out about the quality of the wines (first vintage was their Napa Zinfandel at about 700 cases) and the beauty of their rural location, they adapted part of the facility to host tastings. And while they still host a very limited number of visitors at the winery for tastings and tours, their downtown space is much more conducive for seeing visitors. Their annual production varies but is usually around 7,500 cases annually but has been as high as 10,000 cases.

Chiles Valley AVA is one of our two least visited appellations within Napa Valley. While there are certainly vineyards here, the number of physical wineries within its border’s numbers less than what you can count on one hand. The appellation spans a long valley located within the Vaca mountain range which is several ridges east of the main Napa Valley floor. Because of both its more northern and eastern location in Napa its climate is less affected by the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean and the San Pablo Bay. Day time temperatures are often higher than other parts of Napa, but nighttime can cool down and sometimes fog is present. Winter and spring time are often cooler than other parts of Napa. This, along with windy conditions contribute to a long growing season and harvest is usually later than grapes picked on the main valley floor.

Select Wines
Brown Estate Whites
Betelgeuse is pronounced ‘beetlejoos’ and refers to a red ‘supergiant’ star that sits on the right ‘shoulder’ of the constellation Orion. It is one of the largest stars visible to the human eye and one of the brightest stars seen from earth.

Sauvignon Blanc
Chaos Theory White
The 2023 Brown Estate Chaos Theory White is a blend of 80% Chardonnay, 10% Chenin Blanc, 5% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Viognier. This wine is medium gold in color; it smells elegant yet also forward fruited with scents of honeycomb, apricot, yellow nectarine, papaya. The palate mimics the bouquet to some extent with flavors of ripe honeydew melon, golden delicious apples, pineapple, comise pear and apricot. Fleshy and creamy, the present texture is balanced nicely by the refreshing acidity and is never felt as being heavy. Pair this with an Italian creamy white pasta. This wine was aged for 10 months in 30% new oak of in a combination of 50/50 French/American. Its ABV is a refreshing 13%.

The 2022 Brown Estate Betelgeuse Sauvignon Blanc California (Lodi) is medium gold in color; the bouquet is floral including scents of orange blossom along with star jasmine. In addition there are aromas of lemon zest, underripe pineapple, pina colada, lemongrass and pine branch. Its herbal characteristics represent the variety but are not overtly green. On the palate there are flavors of passion fruit, lemon, lime and grapefruit with some herbal influences echoing the bouquet including of tarragon and kaffir lime leaf. It features an energetic and almost bracing acidity. The lively and refreshing finish invites another sip. Looking for a wine to pair with fresh oysters? This bottling would be the ideal candidate. 12.5% acidity.

Chardonnay
The 2010 Brown Estate Chardonnay is a crisp, vibrant, and beautifully balanced wine that leans toward freshness rather than richness. Malolactic fermentation was intentionally inhibited, allowing the wine to retain its bright natural acidity and lively character. As a result, this is not a heavy, buttery, or viscous style of Chardonnay, but instead one that remains energetic and refreshing from start to finish. The bouquet opens with aromas of red apple, pear, and faint honeysuckle, gradually revealing additional notes of tangerine and citrus blossom as the wine has time to breathe. On the palate, the acidity provides excellent structure and lift, carrying the fruit flavors cleanly across the mouth without any excess weight or oak influence. Hints of green apple and lemon zest. The finish is clean, crisp, and refreshing. Its balance and restrained style allow it to pair easily with a wide variety of dishes, particularly seafood, lighter poultry preparations, and cream-based sauces where freshness and acidity are essential.

Brown Estate Reds
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is what the Brown’s first planted on the property and remains their flagship variety. Their Napa Valley Zinfandel is the most produced and distributed of their wines. All components from the individual blocks in the vineyard that make up this wine are now bottled as their own wines; each of these wines is below 300 cases. In addition to producing Zinfandel from their estate, they also source Zinfandel from select vineyards throughout parts of Napa Valley and bottle these as AVA specific wines.

The Brown Estate Zinfandels always smell like the variety, but they are never over ripe or overtly jammy, rather they are more restrained and a balanced expression of the variety, both o the bouquet and the palate.

Howell Mountain
The 2021 Brown Estate Howell Mountain Zinfandel Napa Valley (100% varietal) was sourced from the historic Beatty Ranch. This wine is medium ruby in color; the bouquet smells like berries and chocolate These aromas include blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry and plum jam accompanied by dark chocolate, mint, cardamom, nutmeg, white pepper and a light ‘dusting’ of cocoa powder. The aromatics smell ripe but are not over ripe. Expecting less acidity from a listed 15.2% bottling, we were pleasantly surprised by its energetic ‘grip’ across the entire palate. Mouthwatering, the palate offers flavors of raspberry, blueberry, Icelandic crowberries and tart cherry. The tannins are lightly grainy but seamlessly woven into the fabric of the finish. Lingers with a light drying and darker character which ultimately outpaces the fruit. This wine was aged for 10 months in 30% new oak of which 50% was French and 50% was American.

Their single vineyard Zinfandels are expressions of differences in microclimates, exposures and soils on the property. Some of the blocks are grown fairly close to each other but produce truly different types of wines. The Mickey and Rosemary blocks of their vineyard are named after Marcela’s brother Mickey (died in 2014) and his wife Rosemary. Marcela originally stayed with Mickey at his home in Sacramento after moving from Michigan to California. And their son Tito has a business in which he sources used barrels from Brown Estate and converts them into various functional uses as well as pieces of art.

Sometimes these two wines are called the Yin and Yang of their Zinfandel production. Rosemary’s block grows in an east to west orientation and receives quite a bit of shade – especially from old oak trees that line parts of this vineyard. In contrast, the Mickey’s Block is grown more south to north and receives quite a bit more sunshine and often produces a richer styled wine.

Mickey’s Block
The 2022 Brown Estate Mickey’s Block Zinfandel is medium to deep ruby; the bouquet is ripe but never crosses into the territory of being over ripe. Although it carries a light jammy character. Its scents are of dark raspberry, Santa Rosa plum, cherry pie and boysenberry. The oak is a light complement here. And hints of cinnamon stick and a very light note of old cedar. Both ripe but also fresh across the palate due to a vibrancy of acidity, this wine tastes like raspberry, red plums, boysenberry, red licorice, red cherry and currant. Finishes bright and red fruited with a finishing impression of lightly gravelly tannins. This is a lively expression of the variety. Food friendly, ranging from pizza and pasta to steak on the BBQ.

The 2015 Brown Estate Mickey’s Block Zinfandel follows the same barrel aging program as the Rosemary’s Block, spending time in a combination of 50% French oak and 50% American oak, with one-third of the barrels new. The oak is well integrated; the bouquet opens with subtle earthy nuances and hints of spice, but the defining characteristic here is the ripe fruit profile — especially generous aromas of blackberry, dark plum, and boysenberry. As the wine evolves in the glass, additional notes of vanilla, cocoa, and briary spice begin to emerge. This bottling shows impressive concentration and depth of flavor, leaning riper and more opulent in style than the Rosemary’s Block. Dark berry fruits. The tannins are ripe, persistent, and long lasting, providing structure without roughness and carrying the wine through a lingering finish marked by dark fruit, sweet spice, and toasted oak. Rich, expressive, and generously textured, this is a Zinfandel that delivers immediate appeal.

Rosemary’s Block
The 2022 Brown Estate Rosemary’s Block Zinfandel is medium to deep ruby; forward fruited but not overripe, this wine smells brambly including notes of raspberry and blackberry, accompanied by further aromas of red plum, boysenberry, red mulberry, cherry pie and a hint of cinnamon. The palate features a union of both red fruits and non fruit driven spices, especially noticeable on the finish. This wine tastes like red cherry, red plums, currant and Persian mulberry. Finishes, brightly lit and savory with notes of dried herbs and a persistent dusty character. The tannins are gravelly with a lightly grainy texture. If we were to summarize the difference between Mickey’s and Rosemary’s bottlings, perhaps the Rosemary’s is a bit more cerebral expression of the variety.

The 2015 Brown Estate Rosemary’s Block Zinfandel opens with bright and expressive aromatics that seem to shift in the glass between smoky and earthy characteristics, accented by notes of cedar and subtle spice. As the wine continues to open, a floral component gradually emerges. Like the other Zinfandels in the lineup, this bottling shows a slight perceptible sweetness on the palate, though it remains very balanced and polished. The fruit profile leans more toward higher-toned red fruits rather than darker berry characteristics, offering flavors of raspberry, red cherry, and red plum with hints of baking spice and toasted oak in the background. The tannins are well integrated and refined, providing gentle structure without overpowering the fruit. The finish lingers with notes of sweet red fruit, cedar, and subtle smokiness, making this a graceful and approachable Zinfandel that emphasizes balance and finesse as much as richness.

Chiles Valley
The 2022 Brown Estate Chiles Valley Zinfandel is medium to deep ruby; the bouquet is generous offering sweetly fruited scents including of cherry pie, baked plums, blackberry pie, dark mulberries, chocolate and a hint of mint. This is a balanced expression of the variety, with neither fruit, oak or texture taking a leading role. This wine tastes like Santa Rosa plums, boysenberry, blackberry and dark raspberry with a savory finishing and spicy edge including of white pepper and smoked sage. The tannins are well integrated at 4 years post vintage, persisting with a light gravelly grip. Finishes fresh, with a lively vein of acidity. Pair with a well marbled T-bone covered in an assortment of spices and herbs.

The 2015 Brown Estate Chiles Valley Zinfandel is deep ruby; immediately expressive on the bouquet, it reveals a union of spice-driven aromatics including vanilla, cardamom, toasted cedar, and hints of chocolate. Beneath the spice notes is plenty of ripe fruit, especially blackberry and dark plum. This bottling is layered and energetic, balancing generous fruit concentration with notably bright acidity that keeps the wine lively and fresh throughout. In addition to the darker berry characteristics, additional notes include blueberry and boysenberry. The interplay between ripe fruit, spice, and acidity gives the wine excellent structure and persistence. The texture is substantial yet polished, anchored by long lasting tannins that are somewhat dry, robust, and firmly gripping without overwhelming the fruit. The finish lingers with notes of blackberry, cedar, cocoa, and spice, while the vibrant acidity continues to provide lift and balance. And yes — it is certainly worth mentioning again — this wine shows very good acidity, a characteristic that gives it both freshness and aging potential.

Chaos Theory
Chaos Theory is a proprietary red blend. If one looks closely at the label one might feel a bit dizzy from the random array of miniscule letters and numbers depicted in red. However if one keeps looking one will see there are several words highlighted in gold that bring order to this chaos. They are: In Vino Veritas In Chaos Order. The first vintage of this wine was in 2003, a Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel that was created as a one off wine for Premiere Napa Valley (the Napa Valley Vintner’s annual trade event held in February). This blend for this wine changes each year including the varieties.

The 2023 Brown Estate Chaos Theory is a blend of 26% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Zinfandel, 22% Merlot and 6% Barbera. This wine is deep ruby and opaque; needs some time for the aromatics to fully express themselves, this wine smells like dark berries including blackberry, boysenberry and mulberry and plum. Minerally. And there is a ferrous vein, almost sanguine or like rusting iron on a hot day. Bright, fresh and lively across the palate, its flavors include red cherry, currant, Santa Rosa plum, not fully ripe boysenberry and Persian mulberry. The finish lingers red fruited with plenty of energy at 3 years post vintage. Savory, especially noticeable on the finish, additional notes include white pepper and smoked sage. The tannins exert a persistent gravelly and dusty grip.

The 2013 Brown Estate Chaos Theory (tasted 10 years post vintage) is garnet in color with a light brickish color on the rim; the brooding bouquet offers primarily darker aromatics including of forest floor, barnyard, mushroom, dried herbs including sage along with raspberry, dried cranberries and dried cherries. This wine is texturally soft but with intense flavors of primarily red fruits including cherry, currant, cranberry and pomegranate. A thread of pepper and old leather continues across the palate. Lingers juicy with a very subtle dryness and moderate and lasting grip of tannins.

Dessert
The 2007 Brown Estate “Duppy Conqueror” dessert wine was released to commemorate the Brown family’s 30th year in Napa Valley. It is crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon fortified with a Zinfandel brandy, with both the fruit and brandy produced entirely on the estate. The entry is somewhat lean and restrained rather than overtly fruit-driven, a style that sets it apart from many heavier dessert wines. The palate offers balanced sweetness with notes of dark berry preserves, subtle caramel, dried fig, and a touch of baking spice. While sweet, the wine is never cloying, instead maintaining freshness and poise throughout. Its texture is smooth and polished, carrying through a lingering finish that highlights both elegance and balance. Duppy Conqueror, or simply “Duppy” as it is known in Jamaica, refers to a ghost or evil spirit. The distinctive line drawing label was designed by Dr. Brown’s brother, giving the bottling an artistic and highly personal touch.

HOUSE OF BROWN
Brown Estate also produces a second label called HOUSE OF BROWN. These are crafted to be easy drinking and are available at lower price points than the Brown Estate wines. Rather than being sold direct to consumer, they are sold primarily wholesale to various retail outlets. They are sourced from non-Napa Valley, but California vineyards and are distributed in parts of California and other states around the country. HOUSE OF BROWN was established in 2018.

The 2021 HOUSE OF BROWN California Chardonnay is deep gold in color; the bouquet offers aromas of pineapple guava and reminds us of harvesting fresh guavas at the peak of their ripeness which have already fallen on the ground from the row of guava trees at the back end of the south parking lot across from Oxbow Public market in downtown Napa. There are plenty of other scents at play here including of pineapple, caramelized brown sugar, honeycomb, vanilla bean, warm butter and lemon verbena. The bouquet also flirts with some stone fruit aromatics including of apricot. The palate offers flavors of melon, pineapple, mango, honeydew melon and Golden Delicious apple. This wine is brightly lit due to its refreshing acidity which complements its supple and rounded texture. Balanced. A richness of flavor continues to persist on the finish. This wine is 95% Chardonnay and 5% Vermentino, both from Lodi. We really like this varietal combination in a wine; the Vermentino gives it a little bit of zippiness. It was fermented in 100% stainless steel and then aged sur lie for three months. This bottling overdelivers for the price point.

The 2024 HOUSE OF BROWN Sauvignon Blanc Lodi is a blend of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Chenin Blanc. This wine is pale to medium yellow in color; its aromatics straddle the more herbal characteristics of the variety (but no greenness) with some tropical fruit complements. The bouquet offers scents of honeydew melon, apricot, pineapple, Meyer lemon, chamomile, yellow nectarine and papaya. Balanced and easy drinking this wine tastes like honeydew melon, loquat, pineapple, golden plums, pomelo and lemon meringue. Brightly lit with a balanced acidity, the finish lingers gently built upon both persistent fruit, bright acidity and a supple almost briny-like texture. Enjoy with friends on a warm summer evening around a pool waiting for dinner. Its ABV is a refreshing 12.5%.

The 2022 HOUSE OF BROWN Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Nero d’Avola. This is the first bottling of Cabernet Sauvignon from a Naap Valley based producer that we have tasted with these two varieties blended together. For reference, Nero d’Avola is a variety native to Sicily in Italy. This wine is deep ruby in color; the bouquet is both simultaneously fruity and brooding. Its scents include dark plum, crushed black pepper (both aromatics perhaps contributions from the Nero d’Avola), boysenberry, dried sage, dried bay leaf, smoked cedar and some floral undertones including African violets and lavender. If you were describe the bouquet as savory and spicy, we would not argue with you. On the palate there are flavors of dark cherry, dark plum, blackberry, ripe blueberries and a flavor that somewhat resembles dried orange peel. The tannins feel creamy with a polished textural character. Lingers with a woodsy spice and smoked sage. Easy drinking, this wine is best enjoyed in its youth rather than any extended cellar aging. Its ABV is a listed 13.0% although the acidity feels softer than that percent would imply.

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Their wines are available at select restaurants in Napa Valley including in St. Helena at Meadowood and Press. A very limited number of tastings are offered at the estate and are typically for mailing club members.

Brown Estate is the model winery for how to utilize social media – they have an excellent online presence.

In 2019 Brown Estate partnered with Delta Airlines to offer several of their wines to Delta One passengers who fly between California and New York.

Brown Downtown Napa
Brown Downtown opened in April 2017 in a prime downtown location at the corner of Coombs and First Streets, just down the street from the nearby Archer Hotel and slightly further from the Andaz Hotel. In addition, the former Napa Town Center, completely remodeled and re-branded as First Street Napa is next door (featuring 40+ fashion and specialty retailers and restaurants). This is all part of the continued exciting renaissance of downtown Napa which began after the flood control project was completed (downtown Napa used to commonly flood in the winter).

This building was purchased in early to mid 2014 by the Beckstoffer Family (prominent grape growers in Napa, Lake and Mendocino Counties). An earthquake centered slightly south of downtown Napa struck in August 2014, mere months after their purchase. The building sustained some damage but was later renovated and restored. The building was renamed to The Beckstoffer Building and was placed in a family trust where it cannot be sold or torn down.

It was built in 1905 and housed the first offices for the Napa Register until 1965. The building has survived three major earthquakes including the 1906 Santa Rosa/San Francisco quake, the 2000 Yountville quake and the 2014 Napa quake. More recently it housed Sushi Mambo (who moved up to Calistoga). Brown Estate was the first tenant in the building since the Beckstoffer’s acquired the property.

While open to the public by walk-in if staff has availability (guests enter from Coombs Street), due to their somewhat hidden location and very limited signage, most people don’t necessarily find them by walking by on the street. Rather visitor’s find their tasting room through referrals from area businesses, general word of mouth or existing clients. Located on the second floor, one takes an elevator to reach their space. Almost reminiscent of a speakeasy – their tasting room features a somewhat retro feel with both a bar and a lounge area surrounded by brick walls.

They offer several tasting experiences downtown including two Introduction Flights – where guests choose to taste several of their most often distributed wines or a Zinfandel only tasting. Their Lounge Tasting is available by prior appointment. Because they are open later, with the last tasting offered at 530pm, this makes an excellent pre-dinner stop.

House of Brown, Popup Salon
In 2023, Brown Downtown opened a new and highly fashionable salon located only two doors from their current location. This space is at 1025 Coombs Street and is currently referred to as House of Brown Popup. It is also the headquarters for Brown Estate, referred to as Brown HQ. It was open in 2025 a very limited number of hours a week. This was also a good find if Brown Downtown was at capacity. Wines here were served by flight, by the glass or by bottle. Limited seating was available inside as well as a fenced off area directly outside the tasting room entrance.

This space is now used for hosting private events.

For a short while, Brown Estate had a display in the main walkway of the nearby Archer Hotel highlighting some of their wines and related winery photographs.

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A few times a year, Brown Estate publishes the Brown Bulletin, featuring informative and well written prose, with sometimes commentary on the current state of affairs involving the country or global issues. This newsletter also contains stories and other observations. For more information, to purchase wines and to join their mailing list or one of three levels of membership, visit: www.brownestate.com

Former Brown Estate display, Archer Hotel