Pale rosy pink, this crisp and lively wine offers flavors of strawberries and other red fruits. It is both light and satisfying, nicely balanced, and food-friendly. Tous Ensemble -- “all together” -- seems an appropriate rallying cry for gathering friends together to enjoy this perfect warm weather energizer.
Exploring The Best New Releases from Sonoma and Beyond The 2017 Pinot Noir Abel presents a vibrant, floral expression of Anderson Valley. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, chalk and white pepper give the Abel striking lovely lift and energy, with bright acids that add energy and vibrancy throughout.
From the Ohlson Vineyard, the 2016 Pinot Noir Sealift has a perfumed raspberry, violet, red plums, and spring flower-laced bouquet. With medium-bodied, richness, a slightly deeper, richer style, bright acidity, and a clean, pure profile, it will benefit from short-term cellaring and should age gracefully. This cuvée comes all from the Ohlson Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast and was brought up in 18% new French oak.
The 2014 Pinot Noir Les Voisins is quite a bit more delicate and floral than the 2013 tasted alongside it. The flavors lean towards the redder end of the spectrum in this gracious, Pinot Noir from Copain. There is good depth in the glass, but the 2014 is a wine built on understatement. The higher yields of the year are evident. Even so, the 2014 is very pretty.
The 2013 Pinot Noir Les Voisins is deep, pliant and super-expressive. Dark cherry, lavender, cloves and licorice are beautifully delineated. In 2013, the flavors are dark, intense and utterly beguiling. All the elements simply fall into place effortlessly.
Silky and juicy with spice and tangy blackberry and boysenberry fruit; smooth, ripe and showing toasty oak and a bright finish.
The 2013 Syrah Les Voisins is deep, powerful and pliant. Like most of the 2013s at Copain, the 2013 leans towards the darker, ripe end of spectrum. Succulent black cherry, plum, lavender, sage and licorice give the wine its bold, exotically ripe personality. There is a wonderful sense of immediacy to the 2013 that is best enjoyed on the young side.
Fresh nose with some pepper and iodine notes. Floral cherry fruits too. Fresh, quite supple, slightly sappy and with some detail. There’s warm spiciness on the finish. Nice weight, finishes tannic.
The 2015 Chardonnay Laureles Grade has an attractive stony/flinty quality that gives the wine its slightly nervous, tense personality. Apple, pear, wet stone and white flowers are very nicely delineated. Medium in body and a touch compact in feel, the 2015 has plenty to offer. This is nicely done.
The 2015 Chardonnay Les Voisins packs a serious punch. The intensity of the vintage comes through in the wine's texture and density, but the aromatics are fresh and nicely lifted throughout. Pear, green apple and lightly spiced notes are some of the signatures in this delicate, finessed Chardonnay.
An addition to the range, the 2014 Chardonnay Les Voisins is gorgeous. Made from a collection of estate vineyards in Anderson Valley, the Voisins offers lovely intensity in the classic Copain style that favors finesse. Lemon confit, chalk, graphite, white flowers and white pepper give the 2014 its signature high-toned aromatics, but there is plenty of structure beneath.
Coffee, chocolate, spicy, meaty, saddle leather, vanilla, black cherry, plum, tobacco, floral and licorice aromas. Rich, round, full palate with fresh acidity, some youthful, grainy tannin but good finesse. Orange, black cherry, licorice, vanilla, plum, chocolate, spicy, clove flavours. Good length but tight with great acidity and fresh fruit characters. Needs 5-7 years but will drink well before with its fruit intensity.
Fresher and more floral than the 2003, with flavors that run toward mulberry while adding hints of vanilla and maple syrup. It's richer, creamier and longer than the 2003, showing the results of Seillan having full control over the property for the entire year. Drink now-2015.
Very spicy, licorice, plum jam, coriander, black olive, orange, floral, vanilla, savoury, peppery, cherry aromas. Rich, round, full, vibrant palate with good acidity and concentration and grainy but supple tannins. Vanilla, chocolate, orange, black olive, peppery, licorice, clove, spicy, meaty, savoury flavours with bright plum and cherry fruit. Long, full and intense, has very good aging potential, keep for 7-15 years.
This wine's black cherry and plum flavors veer dangerously toward prune-no doubt a product of the exceedingly hot summer. It's creamy and supple in texture, adding just enough tobacco, vanilla and smoke for complexity. But for all the fruit and ripeness, it finishes with great elegance and precision. Drink now-2020.
This full-bodied wine smells like black pepper and light wood smoke, and tastes rugged but fruity as blackberry blends with woodsy notes. A dose of tannin provides grip in the texture, and good balance bodes well for mid-term aging. Best after 2019.
Bright ruby-red. A smoky, highly perfumed bouquet evokes black raspberry, cherry-cola, dried rose and anise, with a spicy topnote. Weighty dark berry flavors become livelier with air and pick up an element of minerality. Finishes tangy and quite long, with lingering smoke and vanilla flavors and gentle tannins. This 1100-acre property, situated just north of Boonville, was planted in 2006 by Jackson Family Estates and now has 85 bearing acres.
A deeply scented, perfumed wine, the 2011 Pinot Noir impresses for its nuanced personality and sheer detail. Dark cherry notes lead to plums, cloves, menthol and crushed rocks. The 2011 is all about delineation, nuance and freshness, all qualities that are very much present in the glass. This is a terrific first effort from Champs de Reves. These vines were only planted in 2006. It will be fascinating to see what develops here in the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019.
Bright medium red. Intense red fruit and floral aromas show impressive clarity, energy and bright minerality. Racy, precise strawberry and cherry flavors pick up a hint of blood orange and gain in sweetness with air. Very pure and sharply focused, finishing with lingering floral character and a subtle smoky note.
A partnership between Julia Jackson of Jackson Family Wines and Hélène Seillan, whose mentor is her father, Pierre Seillan of Vérité, this wine is lithe and complex, made from 100% Cabernet Franc, and shows plum and tangerine atop layered, pronounced acidity and a depth of weight that belies its lightness of being.
The 2014 Red Wine (Sonoma County) has turned out beautifully. Ripe, luscious and voluptuous to the core, the 2014 exudes richness and concentration. The high percentage of Cabernet Franc give the wine its lifted aromatics, while the Merlot adds softness and juiciness throughout. With a little aeration, the 2014 can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. The 2014 spent ten months in oak, about 30% new.
Made by Pierre Seillan’s daughter Hélène, with input from her father. Dense, dark and spicy with earth, juicy plum and complex flavors; mellow texture and good structure; long and balanced. 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec.
This widely available bottling is an excellent choice for an attractive price. Aromas of hibiscus, pomegranate, raspberry and herbs lead into a palate with hints of game, red fruit and a touch of dried mint.