Gwen Othman and her husband, Don, started Kynsi in on the Central Coast in 1995, taking their inspiration for the name of their winery from the resident owls that roost in the barn next to their winery; kynsi is a Finnish word for ”talon.” Kynsi Winery is a focused, family-run operation.

Gwen and Don are joined by their daughter Kala, who grew up in the business, and son-in-law Michael, each sharing the vision and values on which Kynsi has been built. Together, they all work very closely to maintain the quality and consistency of the Kynsi portfolio. The climate in the Edna Valley is strongly influenced by the ocean, which fosters ideal temperate growing conditions for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Syrah and other cool-growing varieties. Kynsi focuses on producing small lots of vineyard designated wines including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.