Kosta Browne Winery makes anniversary donation to Redwood Empire Food Bank

by Kevin West

The Redwood Empire Food Bank is pleased to share that it’s continued partnership with Kosta Browne, the Sebastopol-based winery dedicated to producing premium wines from California’s top appellations, has resulted in a $60,000 donation that will support the organization’s continued efforts to provide critical food and nutrition assistance for the local community.

As the producer of highly-sought after Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, Kosta Browne receives global attention for its wines, but has placed an equal focus on giving back to its local community. In recent years this philanthropic focus has been placed on Sonoma County locals facing hunger, and as Kosta Browne this year commemorates 20 years, it selected the Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) as a beneficiary of its anniversary celebration.

Featuring locally and nationally renowned chefs, custom fire pits built within the winery’s walls, live-fire cooking, and, of course, vintage Kosta Browne wines from the winery’s prized vault, proceeds from the recent celebration raised just under $80,000 for local causes, including the REFB. This remarkably generous support will provide 120,000 healthy meals to the one out every six Sonoma County residents who rely on the REFB, to help fuel a stronger, healthier Sonoma County.

This is not the first time Kosta Browne has used its star power to raise funds to help fortify the REFB’s food safety net. A block party at Kosta Browne’s Sebastopol location last year gave attendees a rare chance to sample wines directly from the barrel while donating directly to the REFB. The event also allowed REFB staff to pour Kosta Browne wines, providing unique opportunities to engage the community in the work of the REFB.

In addition to donating private dinners and signed magnums to the REFB’s annual Empty Bowls Dinner & Auction, the largest fundraiser of the year, Kosta Browne’s staff has generously donated their time and energy in the REFB warehouse, volunteering to glean and package fresh produce for distribution to program sites in every city, town, and unincorporated area of our community. The combination of these efforts equals a philanthropic commitment to improving the lives of 82,000 Sonoma County children, seniors, families, and individuals experiencing food insecurity.

“We are inspired by the example of local philanthropic leadership set by Kosta Browne,” said David Goodman, Chief Executive Officer of the Redwood Empire Food Bank. “The winery and their employees bring worldwide attention to Sonoma County, but they also provide vital support to their neighbors facing hunger through their generous donations and volunteer hours.”

Through generous donations of time, energy, and funds, Kosta Browne Winery enters its next twenty years as a local leader in hunger-relief, committed to supporting the REFB in our mission to end hunger in our community.

About Kosta Browne

What began as a shared dream between friends to make great wine has blossomed into one of America’s leading makers of Pinot Noir. In the summer of 1997, while working as sommeliers at John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa, California, Dan Kosta andMichael Browne decided to venture into winemaking. They saved tip money and eventually had enough to buy a half ton of Pinot Noir, a used barrel and an old hand-crank crusher; a purchase that marks the beginning of Kosta Browne.

Since that first vintage almost 20 years ago, we have nurtured relationships with thefinest growers, invested in estate vineyards and built our own winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley. We are obsessed with Pinot Noir and are always searching California for new sites that have the potential to create truly memorable wines. Pinot is perhaps the finest lens through which to view this land and every year we aim to tell the story of our vineyards and reflectin some way the character of every person and every vine-the shared experiences ofthevintage.

About the Redwood Empire Food Bank

The Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) is the largest hunger-relief organization serving north coastal California from Sonoma County to the Oregon border. Since 1987, the REFB has provided food and nourishment to those facing hunger, currently serving 82,000 children, families and seniors in Sonoma County, while striving to end hunger in our community. The REFB collaborates with local and regional partners to obtain and distribute 15+ million pounds of food annually, the equivalent of more than 34,000 meals every day. Through more than 200 of our own direct service distributions and partnerships with 177 other hunger-relief organizations, we form a network of over 450 weekly and monthly distribution sites serving low-income residents in Sonoma, Lake, Del Norte, Mendocino and Humboldt counties. Visit www.refb.org or call 707-523-7900 to learn more.