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The Good Stuff – Convene

In this episode of The Good Stuff presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with Dan Kosta, Founder & Owner of Convene By Dan Kosta.

Dan Kosta has over 20 years of experience in the Sonoma County wine industry, very well known as a premium pinot noir and chardonnay producer.

A native of Sonoma wine country, Dan’s exposure to wine began in childhood, inspired by his father, who owned a wine shop and had a passion for vino. His lifelong love of food and wine guided him to a career in the restaurant industry, where he applied skills developed early on to excel in roles across a series of world-class restaurants. Dan progressed from back waiter to waiter, bartender, maître d’, operations manager, and ultimately wine director at the renowned John Ash & Company in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. It was there, in 1997, that Dan and his business partner, Michael Browne, founded Kosta Browne Winery. As a founder, Dan led marketing programs, managed sales, and oversaw a nationwide distribution network.

After co-founding Kosta Browne with Michael Browne in 1997, Kosta’s name became synonymous with Pinot Noir as he traveled the world sharing his award-winning wines. His exploration of the grape continued with AldenAlli, which he founded in 2013 as a collaboration with celebrity Chef Emeril and his wife Alden Lagasse.

Dan's accomplishments and contributions to the American wine industry are numerous. From industry volunteerism to children's advocacy philanthropy, Dan continues to leverage his network for giving back to community through Convene. Some of Dan's past and ongoing accomplishments:

  • Chairman, 2016 Sonoma County Wine Auction

  • Board member, Sonoma County Vintners Association

  • Board member, Emeril Lagasse Foundation

  • Board member, Sonoma County Harvest Fair

  • Trustee, Destin Charity Wine Auction

  • Board member, Family Winemakers of California

  • Panelist, multiple industry trade shows and symposiums

  • Wine judge, Sonoma County Harvest Fair, San Francisco Chronicle, Citrus Fair, San Francisco Wine Competition, among many others.

About Convene: Founded August 2022

Founded by Dan Kosta and crafted in partnership with winemaker Shane Finley, Convene embodies over fifteen years of collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence. Focused on creating exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blends from cool-climate regions, Convene sources its fruit from California’s most renowned winegrowing regions, from the Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and Santa Lucia Highlands AVAs.

Winemaker Shane Finley, recognized for his global expertise and meticulous craftsmanship, has played an integral role in Convene’s journey. With experience spanning Australia’s Barossa Valley, France’s Northern Rhône, and California’s Russian River Valley, Shane brings a world of skill to the table. His partnership with Dan Kosta dates back to the early days of Kosta Browne.

**Convenes tasting room is located within Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg

About DK Wine Group:

DK Wine Group, launched in 2021 and founded by renowned vintner Dan Kosta, serves as the parent company for several wine labels, including Convene and DK Grail.

Dan also has a wine brand called Admire, that focuses on Pinot Noir.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!

 

At The Table – Susan Church-Downer

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Host Clark Wolf talks to Susan Church-Downer, author & former owner of Gaia's Garden Restaurant, about her new book: "All You Care To Eat: A Novice Buys A Restaurant"!

Click Here to purchase a copy for yourself!

 

TRUST AND INSURANCE…HOME NOT SELLING…WELL ORDINANCE…

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Home in Trust (Insurance)

Reasons Home Not Selling

https://www.simplifyingthemarket.com/en/2025/02/05/the-3-biggest-mistakes-sellers-are-making-right-now?a=14216-50c6321d048b9a243b6ad9944b9bd8ad

Love Letters...Yes or No?

Well Ordinance

https://permitsonoma.org/wellordinanceupdate

Numbers...Weekly and Compared to last year

CHECK OUT

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealEstateHour

Contact number:

707-799-3617

 

Sermon : February 9, 2025

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This week on the PCOR Radio Broadcast we begin with, “Ride On, King Jesus” by Moses Hogan. Next, a reading from 1st Corinthians 13: 1-13, and conclude with, "We To Whom, Much Is Given" a sermon by Ms. Peggy Preacely.

 

The Good Stuff – Donelan Family Wines

In this episode of The Good Stuff presented by the Sonoma County Winegrowers, hosts Virginie Boone and Karissa Kruse talk with David Milner, Director of Winemaking and Viticulture at Donelan Family Wines.

David was born and raised in Northern California in Fairfield and discovered his passion for wine while studying Wine Business Strategies at Sonoma State University. His interest was sparked by his roommate, who worked at a local winery and often brought home wines to taste. The fermentation bug bit David while he was taking an undergraduate brewing class. He continued to hone his skills over batches of home brewed beer with a few friends, and it left David looking for a new challenge. He had a stint in cheesemaking, but wine would eventually become his real passion.

In 2009, while David was working in a tasting room and completing his bachelor's degree in Wine Business Strategies, he produced his first batch of wine in his carport after convincing a local grower to give him a half ton of grapes. After graduation, he took a full-time job working in the cellar for a small pinot producing winery, who rented out custom crush space to clients.

After some time, David made his way over to Napa County and worked with two of the Valley's most respected estate wineries; the Eisele Vineyard and Groth. David returned to Sonoma County to take a production supervisor role at a family-owned biodynamic winery and then at Benovia, a small estate winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley.

In 2017, David joined Donelan Family Wines as the Cellar Master. Not long after his arrival–and under the guidance of Joe Nielsen, Former Head Winemaker and now Advisor at Donelan Family Wines–David was promoted to Assistant Winemaker. In 2019 David became the Head Winemaker of Donelan Family Wines. Today his title is: Director of Winemaking and Viticulture.

David’s winemaking philosophy of “...trusting your gut in making wines that clearly show where they come from,” will portray just that. He believes the goal is not to change what or how things have been done, but to understand and embrace the process through the lens of a given vintage.

About Donelan: Donelan Family Wines is a boutique winery in Sonoma County, celebrated for crafting exceptional Syrah. Their portfolio also includes Grenache, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne, and Viognier, reflecting their commitment to producing elegant, small-batch wines. The winery is family-owned and operated by Joe Donelan, the founder, alongside his sons Tripp (Director of Sales) and Cushing (Director of Marketing).

Joe Donelan’s wine journey began in the late 1980s at Toppers Restaurant on Nantucket, where he and his family were introduced to fine wines by the restaurant’s sommelier, Michael Fahey. This sparked a lifelong passion that led him to California, where he started bottling wines in 2000 under the name Pax Wine Cellars. In 2009, Pax evolved into Donelan Family Wines.

Known for their meticulous vineyard sourcing, the Donelan team collaborates with top growers in Sonoma County to ensure each wine expresses the unique character of the region.

The Vineyards: Donelan has vineyards stretching from the Mendocino Coast AVA to Bennett Valley AVA. They have at least 7 Vineyard sites, their most well-known being their Obsidian Vineyard located in the Knights Valley AVA.

And finally, Virginie and Karissa share their Tuesday Night wine picks!