California Wine Entrepreneurs – Sean Minor and Michael Browne

Owning a winery and making delicious wines is a dream that so many people have, but rarely act upon…that’s why I hope you can join me on Thursday, December 16th as we meet two men who have done just that very successfully. First, we will speak with Sean Minor, whose Sean Minor and Four Bears Wines have developed a cult following across the country. Then, we will speak with Michael Browne, co-owner of Kosta Browne Winery, which produces intense, flavorful Pinot Noir. They both source grapes from the best vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Russian River and the Central Coast, and use their knowledge of and passion for wine to craft some of the most delicious and interesting small production wines available. Pour a glass of your favorite varietal and tune in!

Sean Minor:
Sean was born in the Midwest surrounded by agriculture and the concept of coaxing things out of the earth. His wine career began after a formal education in finance from Arizona State University where he met his wife Nicole. After graduation, he began working for Napa Valley’s Beaulieu Vineyard, taking classes at U.C. Davis in viticulture & enology in hopes of developing a further understanding of grape growing and wine production. Sean was recruited by Oregon’s King Estate Winery to manage the Estate. He met Will Bucklin, King Estate’s then winemaker, and developed an even stronger knowledge of winemaking and gained a lifelong friend. He learned firsthand the importance of site-specific viticulture, and went on to lead Benton Lane Winery. He returned to California in 2001 for the opportunity to manage Renwood Winery and enhance his wine experience growing and marketing some of the Golden State’s best Zinfandel and Syrah. Four years later, in 2005, he founded Sean Minor Wines.

Michael Browne:

Michael moved to Sonoma County in 1987 from Washington State with the goal of becoming an architect. While working at local fine dining establishments to pay the bills, he fell in love with the pleasures of the local wines and was intrigued by winemaking and viticulture through his many visits to local wineries and vineyards. The idea of being involved in agriculture, as well as the craft of winemaking, pushed Michael into the pursuit of producing fine wines. Michael was in the restaurant industry for 15 years, fueling his passion for food and wine. The majority of this time was spent at John Ash & Co. in Santa Rosa where he waited tables, bartended and worked the line in the kitchen. The last two years at John Ash & Co. were spent on the floor as a sommelier. He started working with Deerfield Ranch Winery in 1997 as Assistant Winemaker and became Co-Winemaker in 2000. In 2001, he partnered with Dan Kosta and Chris Costello to form Kosta Browne Winery.