Named to honor the natural predators that helped clear the way for its founding, Kynsi Winery was born in 1995. When Gwen and Don Othman decided to start the winery in an old rundown dairy barn in Arroyo Grande, California, they first had to eliminate the gophers who had taken up residence. They chose the natural approach, installing two wooden owl boxes in the old barn adjacent to the winery. Within a few weeks, a couple of beautiful barn owls had moved in and began processing the gophers. They produced four owlets and saved the ranch in one spring. The word kynsi, Finnish for talon, was the perfect name for the Othmans’ new endeavor.
Long before they started Kynsi Winery in the heart of Edna Valley, Gwen and Don had already made a major contribution to the wine industry. Don, an innovative expert craftsman, invented the Bulldog Pup back in 1986. The Bulldog Pup is a gas pressure racking wand that transfers wine from barrels without agitation or oxidation. While originally designed to handle delicate Pinot noir, “the Pup” is now widely used to preserve richness and complexity in all varieties of premium quality barrel-aged wines.
At Kynsi, the winemaking philosophy is gentle and terroir-driven. The Othmans— now joined by daughter Kala and her husband Michael—focus on producing distinguished wines in limited production including Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, and unique red blends. Nocturnum, a harmonious blend of cool growing Grenache and Pinot Noir, captivates with the bouquet alone. It is one of those interactive wines that changes dimension with each sip. All of Kynsi’s wines are rich and aromatic, with complex varietal characters.
Each night, the current generation of barn owls emerges to watch over the vineyard, carefully assuring that the exemplary quality of Kynsi will endure in the vintages to come.
For more information, please visit: kynsi.com