Cinnamon brick color; peppery blueberry and singed cedar nose; Nice mouthful of warm black fruit, mild tannins, white pepper, roasted poblanos, resinous blackberry liquor with a rush of alcohol at the 4 second mark. Long aftertaste. Definitely tasting well, perhaps at its peak?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My previous ranking were probably too high and more focused on value at this price. Lots of vanilla and blackberry in this. At first sip, there is alot of mineral that eventually fades after being opened. A little hot too. But t this price I will continue to buy for a cheap cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
When assessing the Copa del Rey CS I think it's helpful to bear in mind what this wine is intended to be and what it is not. By that I mean that it is not offered as a complex, intense, brooding CS. If one judges it against that standard, it will certainly come up lacking.
What this wine is intended to be, though, is a solid "drink now" CS that should appeal to people who have been drinking cheap CS and can appreciate something that is a couple of cuts higher. In that context I think the Copa del Rey CS does quite nicely. It's fruit forward, with a fair amount of oak and enough RS to make it approachable for non-discriminating drinkers. But behind that approachability is a decent amount of structure to sustain on the palette, combined with some noticeable tannin. There's enough heft to make a bit of aeration worthwhile. If I were going to a barbecue where many of the people would be casual wine drinkers, this should go over pretty well with the supermarket wine drinking crowd. I put this in the same niche as Mirassou and Barefoot, and I think that this CS is what Mirassou CS should aspire to be.
If that describes what you are looking for the Copa del Rey CS should do nicely for you. But don't have any illusions that it's any more than that. Keep your expectations in check and I think you will be satisfied. Rated good (80-82).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red/garnet; spicy pine forest scents, some wet granite and cola also in the nose. Taste explodes with fruit: ripe red and black berries, plum, cedar, juniper. Very well balanced, a bit volatile, long lingering AT. Drinking superbly right now, will improve over the next few years. Paid less than $10, drinks like a good $20 everyday Cab. Well worth the purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I've had three bottles now from this shipment. The first two seemed pretty ordinary. Passable, but nothing special. Worth the wine.woot price but nothing to get excited about. Tonight, based on comments from others, I vinturied into a decanter and let it sit for about 20 minutes before drinking. This made a huge difference. With this treatment the wine became very fruit forward, with good overall balance. Not much heat, and a touch of acidity. Easy drinker and I could see this going well with pizza. We had it with grilled steaks, and it was decent but not outstanding - didn't have the depth that a really good Cabernet has in that kind of setting. Probably a good bottle to bring to a party with casual wine drinkers if you could be sure that it would get enough air prior to consumption.
rated good (81-83). Definitely worth the woot pricing and this is an easy buy again as an everyday caliber Cabernet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Certainly a young wine... better with some proper aeration. We let it sit for an hour and it mellowed out a bit. Not sure how it will behave with aging but plan to keep one for a long term test. The others should be gone shortly -- good for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not bad; initial notes are overpowered by vanilla. Hopefully this will mellow with a little aging. Worth the price tag on woot, not sure I'd pay over $10 for it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
9/22/2018 - ChipGreen wrote:
Hot and medicinal = drain pour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2018 - nfurlong Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cinnamon brick color; peppery blueberry and singed cedar nose; Nice mouthful of warm black fruit, mild tannins, white pepper, roasted poblanos, resinous blackberry liquor with a rush of alcohol at the 4 second mark. Long aftertaste. Definitely tasting well, perhaps at its peak?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/18/2013 - North316 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Still a nice solid QPR on this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/25/2013 - Kesslerc14 wrote: 84 Points
My previous ranking were probably too high and more focused on value at this price. Lots of vanilla and blackberry in this. At first sip, there is alot of mineral that eventually fades after being opened. A little hot too. But t this price I will continue to buy for a cheap cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2013 - Buck naked wrote: 84 Points
Lots of fruit on the nose, raisin and some vanilla on the tongue. Decent low price cab.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/4/2013 - Basil Ganglia wrote:
When assessing the Copa del Rey CS I think it's helpful to bear in mind what this wine is intended to be and what it is not. By that I mean that it is not offered as a complex, intense, brooding CS. If one judges it against that standard, it will certainly come up lacking.
What this wine is intended to be, though, is a solid "drink now" CS that should appeal to people who have been drinking cheap CS and can appreciate something that is a couple of cuts higher. In that context I think the Copa del Rey CS does quite nicely. It's fruit forward, with a fair amount of oak and enough RS to make it approachable for non-discriminating drinkers. But behind that approachability is a decent amount of structure to sustain on the palette, combined with some noticeable tannin. There's enough heft to make a bit of aeration worthwhile. If I were going to a barbecue where many of the people would be casual wine drinkers, this should go over pretty well with the supermarket wine drinking crowd. I put this in the same niche as Mirassou and Barefoot, and I think that this CS is what Mirassou CS should aspire to be.
If that describes what you are looking for the Copa del Rey CS should do nicely for you. But don't have any illusions that it's any more than that. Keep your expectations in check and I think you will be satisfied. Rated good (80-82).
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2012 - nfurlong Likes this wine: 85 Points
Dark red/garnet; spicy pine forest scents, some wet granite and cola also in the nose. Taste explodes with fruit: ripe red and black berries, plum, cedar, juniper. Very well balanced, a bit volatile, long lingering AT. Drinking superbly right now, will improve over the next few years. Paid less than $10, drinks like a good $20 everyday Cab. Well worth the purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2012 - Basil Ganglia wrote:
I've had three bottles now from this shipment. The first two seemed pretty ordinary. Passable, but nothing special. Worth the wine.woot price but nothing to get excited about. Tonight, based on comments from others, I vinturied into a decanter and let it sit for about 20 minutes before drinking. This made a huge difference. With this treatment the wine became very fruit forward, with good overall balance. Not much heat, and a touch of acidity. Easy drinker and I could see this going well with pizza. We had it with grilled steaks, and it was decent but not outstanding - didn't have the depth that a really good Cabernet has in that kind of setting. Probably a good bottle to bring to a party with casual wine drinkers if you could be sure that it would get enough air prior to consumption.
rated good (81-83). Definitely worth the woot pricing and this is an easy buy again as an everyday caliber Cabernet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/1/2012 - ddmhunter wrote: 82 Points
Fruit forward. Light tannins and a fast finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2012 - Biskit Likes this wine: 88 Points
thru vituri right after opening. great with pizza.
long legs. ruby color. nice finish. low tannins
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/6/2011 - WinoMan2007 Likes this wine: 85 Points
Certainly a young wine... better with some proper aeration. We let it sit for an hour and it mellowed out a bit. Not sure how it will behave with aging but plan to keep one for a long term test. The others should be gone shortly -- good for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2011 - greyday wrote:
Not bad; initial notes are overpowered by vanilla. Hopefully this will mellow with a little aging. Worth the price tag on woot, not sure I'd pay over $10 for it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment