Has a big, rich, meaty blackberry nose, with an opaque purple color. Drank over several nights, this held up well on day 2, so for my bottles at least, this still has plenty of life left in it. Made in an a somewhat Parkerized burly style, before Wells dialed things back beginning in '06, with a bit more vanilla oak than I like to see. Despite my preference for Old World syrah, this still hits a sweet spot for me, as it draws from many of these benchmark wines: the floral lift of Cote Rotie, the burliness of Hermitage, and the rusticity of Cornas. Oil-cured olive, dried beef, Herbes de Provence and brambly blue-blackberry fruit on the palate. Finishes with a bit of tartness and some fine-grained tannins. These older Copain syrahs are aging quite well, definitely better than the pinots.
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Dark inky purple core turning to ruby at the rim. The nose is similarly sinister with heady aromas of blackberry compote, charred meat, violets, forest floor, and lavender. The palate is rich, dense, and complex with dark berry fruit, soft sweet tannins, and earthy spicy undertones. This wine has aged beautifully and it still has tons of substance left, don't hesitate to age it for another ten years.
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I had low expectations given some of the notes here.... but this is actually a nice wine, drinking well. Blackberry fruit with vanilla/oak (though not too heavy). Tannin largely gone.
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I most recently tasted this wine in June of last year and, although it was still good, I suggested that it should be drunk up. This was my last bottle and that was a correct assessment. A faint cherry nose. The palate starts out strong with dark cherry notes but rapidly deteriorates to a cherry cough syrup/menthol taste. Soft tannins, good acidity, but a bit of heat is showing (14.1% ABV if you're interested). Short finish. This wine has definitely seen better days.
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Tonight with bone-in pork chops. The nose is a bit shy at first but eventually shows some dark fruits and a bit of iodine. The fruit is plush on the palate, plums and a bit of beef blood, some pepper. The tannins are fully resolved but still lending structure. Nice acidity and decent balance. The overall impression is a luxurious texture. The finish is moderately long and shows a bit darker fruit than the rest of the palate. Bottom line: this was probably a bit better three or four years ago, but it is quite nice right now. Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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Needs a decant 1+hrs. Musty and oxidative notes blow off and dark meaty syrah comes through. Bacon fat, charcuterie, white pepper, olives..yumm...A manly wine not for the faint of palate...
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Very enjoyable wine still showing well at this age. Initially the nose is the most captivating part of the wine-black olive tapenade, violet, rosemary/sage. Nice black fruit, herb flavors with a still robust tannic finish balanced by acid. I would drink now before the fruit fades further.
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The nose offers dramatic hickory smoke, olive tapenade, bacon fat and cherries while the full bodied palate extends sweet cherries and strawberries to go with smoked ham and black pepper. Dense with juicy acidity, it is nicely integrated. With air it took on a bit of a Robitussin or stewed fruit flavor, best consumed as a pop and pour.
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Tarry nose. Dense and heavy still but the fruit seems reserved or not expressive. That nice acidity I usually notice from the Hawkes Butte bottling never made itself present. It seems like every time I have one I have a different experience from the last. Doesn't seem to show a decade on it at all. Air did not help it as it was consistent over two nights.
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Very dark, opaque garnet, no sign of age in the color; quite an interesting nose, with deep fruit compote, underbrush, hint of dried herbs; nicely intense, ripe, deep, dark raspberry fruit, shows some sweetness of the vintage, but with good balance, nice acidity, still some chalky, grippy tannins. This is in the mold of the pre-2007 Copain shift, riper and more voluptuous, but an excellent example of California syrah, quite drinkable now if you can tolerate some tannins, but probably needs another 5 years to start showing more complexity. I would give this a drinking window of 2015-2025.
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PnP. (Better later, so decant advised) Reddish violet. Nose has oozy blackberry, some blueberry, cracked pepper, meat/iron and stone. Palate features the viscous-leaning dark fruit, but there is a terrific cut that gives a gritty texture and some mineral acidity; yet it retains a silky/thick sensation that surprisingly satisfies. Similar to, but decidedly better put together than the '04 Thompson from earlier in the week. In fine shape, no hurry.
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Again, I have to go against the grain. Decanted and consumed over 3 hours, heavy dark ripe fruit that just didn't create an exceptional experience. Don't know if this is a typical Copain wine, but will probably avoid the label with so many other excellent choices at this price point.
Bring a big cali syrah (My place, Chicago IL): nose: Very rich and forward nose with gloppy tones of dark red fruits, spice tones, black fruits and some blue fruits. There is some depth to this but it's also too rich with some oak as well.
taste: Full bodied with no real tannins. The tones of blue fruits, black fruits, spices and black cherries and some liqueur tones are in the over ripe category.
overall: I've definitely liked the more dialed back copains. I caught this earlier in the night and it was still resembling something. I didn't take notes later, but it became more gloppy and chunky than smoothing out.
An Evening of Californian Syrah (Keith's House): Lots of dark fruit, mocha and scorched earth. Characterized primarily with juicy, dark fruit with a hefty dose of mocha. Thick and viscous, I wasn't enthused by the lack of elegance. Love their new style of wines, but some of the older bottlings are outside my comfort zone.
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Dark inky color. Subtile aromas of must, olives and meat. Well integrated and evolving through a lengthy finish. Dark cherry, olive, and meat flavors are very smooth with fully body.
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A really nice bottle that is drinking young after a p&p. I'm going to decant my last bottle for at least an hour. A very nice wine but not a qpr thats for sure.
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Very similar to the bottle from a year ago, but softer in all dimensions, suggesting it is on the downside of its window. Light vanilla and fruit on the nose, with a hint of spice. Not quite as full and lighter acidity, but still has dusty tannins. Moderate finish 90, but fading.
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PnP. Wonderful aromas and flavors of plums, black cherries, meat, leather, and smoke, framed by beautiful minerals and acidity. Complex, velvety, and smooth, with a long finish. Delicious.
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Wine is absolutely delicious. The bacon fat is subtle but present from the front of the mouth to the finish. Terrific velvet mouth feel, and the wine has a subtlenose that I enjoyed alot.. This just in...I liked this..
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Initially massive floral nose - I could smell it when I walked into the room. After it had been opened awhile this subsided quite a bit and the nose became the telltale bacon-fat smell with some violets and maybe a hint of smokiness. On the palate more bacon fat, some leather, peppery spiciness initially opening up to an herbal range with a very pleasant underlying rockiness. Mouthwatering acidity. On the long finish the combination of herbal spice and more bacon fat hangs on for a long time. Terrific!
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Wow - One of the better bottles tasted in 2011. 30 min decant. Rich deep dark color verging on black. On the nose I got hit with gaminess, raspberries and herbs. First thing that came to mind was blood sausage. Somewhat like smelling a meal. On the palate, so smooth with the same flavors as the nose suggests. My first Copain and struck me as Old World style which I seem to lean towards.
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Inky cherry-purple. Pleasant and complex nose, sweet and savory. Similar palate, very extracted, but the alcohol is just too strong for me to love this.
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Hugely aromatic with charcoal, violets and herbs. Structured yet lavish black fruit, graphite and evident stems. This is complex, savory wine with somewhat chunky tannins on the finish.
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This was an exceptional bottle of wine. Upon opening and during decant, the nose is a pungent mix of resin, clove, cedar, pepper, and dark berry fruit. Compared to many CA syrahs, this is bold but not in a cloying, jammy sort of way, which is not easy to achieve. It is massive but with considerably more nuance than other wines of this viscosity. Great structure, but a touch more acidity would have been appreciated to balance out the big flavors.
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Tasted blind. Black in color. Black fruit and tobacco on the nose. Very full bodied. Blackberry, pepper, anise, leather, tobacco, and earth. Nice acidity. Powerful finish with mature fruit, tobacco, and caramel. 14.5% alcohol. Brought by Scott.
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not decanted, and originally served blind. wonderful composition and balance, blended pepper note with rounded black fruits. i liked this immediately, and gassed over night, it stuck around quite nicely. very nice.
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Great color (deep, clean garnet), classic Cali syrah aromas - spice, vanilla-tinged sweetness and a touch of heat on the nose; fleshy, mouthcoating palate, blend of pepper, fruit, choco?, clean acidity, dusty tannins. Finish is medium-long, but not deep. Overall enjoyable, but lacks the complexity and depth to rate higher.
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rich purple color but not quite opaque. soothing, inviting aromas of warm blackberry, clove, freshly cracked black pepper and bacon. the palate is bold and demands attention. the tannins still retain their grip. the acid is perfectly in balance with the tannins. the fruit is pure and lush in its mouthfeel and pure in its focus. blackberries, cassis and plum skins are backed up by vanilla, chocolate and a rush of minerality. there's almost a rocky flavor on the finish of this syrah, along with the vanilla. it's fruit forward, but by no means flabby or overdone. with time, the complexity of this wine increased tremendously. showing red currants, chocolate shavings, iron, slate and earth. it doesn't have any of that northern rhone inspired meat or olive. it's not that kind of wine. but it is a complex, fruit-forward syrah, one that is a gorgeous experience from start to finish. the yorkville highlands' expression of syrah can be incredible, especially when in the hands of a producer like copain. great stuff, will continue to evolve in complexity for three-five years?
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Beautiful nose of blackberry puree, toasted marshmallow, violets and beef blood. Early on, this was very round and meaty on the palate with some tannins but very little fruit or acid to provide life. Finding it borderline flabby, I left 2/3 to try the next day. I am definitely glad I did - blackberry and acid come forward resulting in a very nice balance of fruit and meaty/smoky elements. The wine continued to evolve into a leaner mix of mixed berries and iron. This is a really enjoyable wine. As others have suggested, I will miss this "old style" and, unfortunately, I am running out of pre-2007 Copains.
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wow, I have had copain all wrong. after opening too many just after receipt, I now know whey these are so well respected. this was a terrific bottle of wine with great structure, nice fruit, tar, cedar, and spice/pepper notes. paired terrificly with steaks and roasted potatoes and decanted 2 hours.
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Open about 2 hours. Changes over this time so if you want to open a bottle and track the wine, it's a nice progression of flavor. Camprfire embers, flowers in the aromatics. The palate starts off juicy and a little pillowy at the same time, but as it airs out, picks up a cooked meat quality with smoke, and the fruit sweetens up, which I liked better when the bottle was open for the first hour. I also find some black cherry, some mineral/tannin and I think that helps gird the wine and keep it together. I'll reserve final comment until I finish the wine tomorrow to see how it fully fleshes out......So l let the bottle sit and while I can't get through it all tonight, I can form the rest of my perspective. Remains a big wine, and I will offer it is less complex with more air time, with some sweetness but enough remaining acidity to help balance off some the big shouldered black cherry and blackberry fruit, along with some tar, leather. With all that said, this wine should age a bit more but given the size of this wine, this is certainly old-era Copain and from my view, ready to go.
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Decanted 1 hour. Deep red with a hint of violet. Forward nose of red raspberry, some cherry, herbs, peppery spice and musty iron. Palate features bright red fruits, slightly sweet but with a balancing leanness that seems to be equal parts stems, tannins and acidity. Texture is not plush; small dose of vanilla oak and mineral. Not much finesse and the complexity is low. Still, this is a very balanced syrah with with a good deliciousness index. At a good place now and should hold for several years; don't think long term aging will benefit.
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If FM III says this is ready to go, I don’t need a second affirmation. This has aged well. The altitude of the vineyard clearly puts the fruit under the red fruit spectrum, but there is no lack of richness or charm. A complex array of raspberry has nicely melded with the exotic spin of the stem inclusion, and time has added an extra floral dimension to seal the deal. I did notice that after being open for an hour or so, the wine seemed a little more complex, so perhaps maybe not quite a peak (if stored in a cool cellar) it’s pretty dang close. Wonderful wine.
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This bottle is ready and it's not going to age, really old style Copain or maybe old style plus big vintage. Pretty smooth and ripe, forward so drink now. Is not like the 2003.
In its' prime. This syrah has a undertoneof minerals throughout ... in the best way. I like the "new" Copain ... but what's not to like with this. A mouthfull of blackberry, stones, spice and cassis that is balanced perfectly. A note of dark chocolate lingers on the finish. ready to drink now but should drink well for several years.
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Definitely has that balance of Old World/New World. On the nose I get licorice, blackberry, and hints of meat/bacon. On the palate I get a lot of sweet plum fruit, some leather, a bit of mocha and (per my better half) tobacco. Long finish, plenty of life left. Try this one again in 2-5 years. (PE: 91)
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In honor of the newest copain Mailer hitting today, I decided to pop one. I realized that I had not had a Copain of any kind in a while. I have noted on the BB's that there is a new style to thesewines, but I am not sure I want this 'old Style' to go away. The key to me is the way this wine has integrated to a smooth any lovely drink. The front of the wine is chocolate and cherries, but one flavor after the other. Mid palette the wines are heavy in the leather and tobacco, but the back end of the wine leaves me with a hint of strawberry fighting through the leather. These are ery enjoyable, and I plan on continuing to enjoy these for awhile as they still have plenty of time in the bottle left.
Saddle leather, minerals, tar, and anise on the nose. Blackberries, and dark chocolate on the palate. Long finish. This wine is drinking well right now.
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Really really really good! After an hour or two, this wine opens into rich cherry, gravel, pomegranate goodness. Lots of tannic astringency that bothered my companion, but kept my palate alive and interested.
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Pure velvet is how I would describe this wine It's so good now it has to be at it's peak. I love the Hawks Butte that Wells' crafts but this one is one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to consume.
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Dark purple and thick. Nose of oak, iodine and a hint of blackberry; no heat. Tastes of iodine, bloody beef with a background of blackberry, black cherry and oak. Over the next 2 hours, a toasted cocoa bean emerges and the dark fruit intensifies. Very well-integrated tannins, just enough so you know that they are there. After decanting for 4 hours, acidity emerges and the fruit moves to the front. Fortunately, the beef still there in the background. Very nice evolution. Delicious now.
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Spanish Tapas w 2001 Vieux Telegraphe & 2004 Copain Hawks Butte Syrah (Barlata Spanish Restaurant = Oakland, CA): This also accompanied tapas and was a nice contrast to the Vieux Telegraphe. Really drinking well right now and does remind one of a northern Rhone wine. Dark fruit, iodine and grilled meat on the nose. The palate shows dark olive, dark fruit (with a little bit of that CA sweetness - not RS sweetness though), black pepper with a little bit of smokiness. A complete wine with good palate weight from front to back and a nice medium long finish. Great effort from Wells. 92-93/100
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Popped and poured. Great Syrah nose of bacon fat combined with boysenberry compote and an alluring smokiness. The palate is a little rich, extracted and heavy, but the flavors have an underlying acidit, well balanced and intense, with a 60 second plus finish.
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Dark red; intense wine with heavy tannins, pepper and coffee flavors; did not decant which might explain the backward flavor profile. Still, this one just seemed too heavy and the fruit was buried; might come out in a few years, but I am not so sure
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Intense nose and complex tastes. Delicious bloody meat, coffee, tar, elderberry and anise. Tannic. Still needs a long time in the bottle before drinking. This one should last a long time.
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Excellent, classic Copain, serious black fruits and herbs, a certain spice to it nearing the finish, and the whole CA-meets-Northern-Rhone package in a glass. Bravo Wells!
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Just a beautiful syrah in a style that Wells excels in not over the top. Showing great now it should continue to show well for many years. Sure glad I've got 5 more in my cellar.
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Some tannin remains, but only some. The nose seems a bit reticent, but the mouth is round, with fruit (cherries, dark plums, bitter chocolate, meat) and the length is quite good. Sadly, my last bottle of 3. I can't say that if I had more, I'd save them for 2012, as this wine is quite nice now, but it seems to have the stuffing to last, if not improve.
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Decanted about 2-3 hours prior to tasting. This thing is still huge. Almost like a barrel sample to me and with some Saxums on the table seemed right at home. Didn't spend a lot of time with it but the huge fruit was notable as it seemed that way on 2nd taste a couple hours after getting there. Will let the others sleep longer.
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Brilliant balance and great length. Very cote-rotie like in its mouthfeel, this wine shows its briary blackberry, beef blood, and pepper with great balance to its oak and acid.
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definitely needs a decanting still, but I only had hints of smoke and no bitterness, unlike a previous note from another user. I had the more mid palate red and black fruit with just a hint of olive and some coffee perhaps. I'm glad I still have some bottles left
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Loads of bacon fat and smoked ham on the nose. Too much smoked ham if you ask me, so the nose was not my cup of tea. On the palate the wine had some bitterness in the mid-palate with some bright red fruit throughout. Not bad, but not great.
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First Hawks Butte Copain. Needs sunstantial decanting at this point. Aromatic floral, earthy nose. Very smooth mouthfeel after an hour decant. Tastes of olives, black fruit, coffee, smoke with a touch of bloody beef. The only offputting aspect is a drying after taste that really takes away from this wine. This wine would be a 92-94 without the dry finish. Hopefully this will dissipate over time. SECOND NIGHT-Finished off the bottle and it was transformed. Ultra smooth, yet brooding black fruit. the drying sensation gone this is definitely a 93-94 point wine.
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Deep opaque black purple with medium thick legs in the glass. The nose is wonderfully expressive with unique aromas of olive, mineral, and blackberry. The aromas carry over to the suavely textured palate with flavors of olive tapenade, meat juice, dark berries, and spicy pepper undertones. I get the impression that this wine has a tremendous concentration of fruit but the structure is so commanding with firm sweet tannins and fresh bracing acidity that you don't realize it. This is my first experience with this vineyard but in the hands of Copain it appears to offer an amazing combination of new world and old world attributes. Decanted several hours.
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This bottle was excellent. Upon opening, I was taken with aromas of green olives. The green olive notes continued throughout the evening and mellowed out with some air time. I will wait another year for the next bottle. The green olive sensory experience was excellent.
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Short TN. Needed a couple hours to unwind and we killed the whole bottle by the 3rd hour. Look for nice balance, a depth of fruit and just really deep. Did not see the wine as tight or unapproachable but rather quite ready. Did not take TNs but just recall this being terrific and deep.
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Slightly disappointed in this bottle. Has the smokey Copain nose, but really seemed to be lacking in the mid-palate. Nose and attack were great but the wine just kind of fell off quickly. Not nearly as concentrated as other vineyards of the same year.
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Day 1 One of the darkest syrah's I've had outside oz. Huckleberry and dark black raspberry on the nose. Gamey nose, with bacon fat and a hint of white flowers. Acid more prominent n the wine at this point in the development, but nicely balanced. This would be great with some BBQ. Also, has some peppery earthy notes. The tannins are much more prominent at this point too. This wine has evolved a lot during the 3 bottles I've had in the last 1.5 years. Wells makes very terrior driven wines and is extremely gifted. I don't think any of his wines have a homogenous feel.
Day 2 Tannins subsided, much more smooth and round in the mouth. The gaminess has tamed down too. Overall still very good, but I think on day 1 the wine was more intriguing.
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At Aigre Doux - for $69 on the list. Hugely aromatic - herbs, black pepper, meaty dark fruits and spice. In the mouth - plenty of dark fruit that is initially lean but puts on weight and meatiness with time in the decanter. Rich dark fruits are have herbs, licorice and spice adding interest and complexity. Plenty of acidic kick provides lift and suave tannins fill the finish. A few years would do this well, but a fine dinner companion tonight. (4+13+17+9=93).
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Deep garnet color. Aromas of black pepper with blue and black fruits. Flavors of blue and black fruit, along with oak, vanilla and a minerally tone on the finish. Very different than the 2003, which was more feral and wild.
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opened...half the bottle in a decanter about 90 mins prior to consuming...restrained on the nose but good amount of smoke coming through...on the palate secondary flavors of smoke, burned earth coming through...solid acidity and dry tannins...wine is tight only giving a glimpse..good mouthfeel but no lushness to this wine right now...I like it but it is a brusier
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It's been nearly 6 months since my last bottle so I figured I'd give this a spin. Open and cellared since last night, the color is an inky dark blue/black. Aromatically, the wine doesn't give up much right now, but I do get some blackberry jam and asphalt. Really a plush and fairly tannic wine on the palate with very good texture and surprisingly ample acidity. Finishes well and goes well with fatty, meaty food like Hamburgers or Bratwursts. Seems to be in an awkward phase right now and I would recommend laying off this bottling for a year or two.
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Deep purple color with a violet rim. Dense aromas of creamy blackcurrant liqueur, bacon fat, white flowers, iron, crushed rock and a whiff of salty sea breeze. Fat and creamy on the palate with cassis, black olive and gunflint. The powerful finish shows good fruit and acid balance but the stemmy tannins are rather pronounced. Needs another 2-3 years in the bottle to show its best. Will be a mid-90 pointer.
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Dark black rasberry and blueberry on the nose. Gamey nose, with bacon fat and a hint of white flowers. Very rich and concetrated wine, with some pepery earthy notes. Definitely has some grip to it, but the tannins are held in check with the fruit. I have half a bottle left, so I will update my notes after day 1. I believe this wine should age well.
Wine was just as good the second night. Wine rounded out some, the tannins smoothed out a little, but werestill present.
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Wine was decanted and showed very Purple. Beautiful wine with full mouth of berries and fruit. Red ripe fruits, plums, blackberries, showed from the onset, the wine opened up throughout the night and showed some of the integration that I found in the Eaglepoint Ranch earlier this year. It never quite sang like that wine did for me, but it is very good in its on right, it just needs more time to rest. I found even on the second night that the wine was not fully open and so We will wait.
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Very gamey nose, dark brooding syrah. As it opened up, notes of bacon fat. Was a little disappointed in how the wine held up after 4 hours in the decanter, was much better during 1st 2 hours in decanter.
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Decanted 6 hrs. Offers serious potential from the first sniff, with lovely cassis and blackberries scents, fresh flowers and raw meat. Although the wine tasted quite primary at this point, the plum and cassis flavors had a very plush and inviting feel on the palate. A saline quality makes the transition from the ripe fruit to the thick and youthful tannins quite seamless. As noted many times, this really tastes like a hybrid between a Northern Rhone and a Cali syrah. This should prove most difficult to keep my paws off my remaining stash, yet clearly another 2-5 years of cellar sleep could yield a really special wine down the road.
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Decanted for 2 hours. This syrah exuded a pitch black purple color with tinges of a lighter purple. A beautiful nose of freshly crushed raspberries and blueberries with a floral quality with hints of minerality, coffee, and pepper. On the palate, rich cherry flavors with a mineral edge were quickly followed by plums and coffee leading to a silky smooth finish. Still very young and I don't plan on opening another one for another 4-5 years. HS94
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Round but present tannins frame this wine that's full of flowers and ripe blackberry fruit... Very full of fruit. Subdued nose, good length, excellent mouthfeel, but tannic. Vervey.
NA: That was a crappy tasting note, but as an afterthought, one glass of wine held up quite well in a decanter until the next day.
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Call this is a science experiment. The earliest Copain I can recall opening. Nose of herbs, flowers and a final note that is intriguing but one I can't put my words on (graphite?). A silky smooth mid-palate of smoky cherry and then a rush of flinty, gritty tannins comes into the wine. This is full of plums and cherry and needs more time. Will see if further aeration tonight softens the finish.
Finally, at the third hour of aeration, this wine was gone—polished off the whole thing with a buddy. Damn, this is great syrah. The nose has some pepper and a big presence of dark fruit. The palate is full of great cherry and same dark sexy fruit, with some iron notes and a flinty finish. Even a little bit of the Alba Tithings feel through a peach/stone fruit pit note. Balanced, complex and delicious stuff, man.
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Wow - if I didn't know better, I'd've sworn this was Old World Syrah. Earthy, gamey nose, with some dark fruit peeking out from around the corners. The palate was more of the same, but with some burnt cherry fruit and elements of leather thrown in. The finish was a bit disjointed and left traces of something a bit medicinal or else this would've been worth another point or two. UPDATE: What a difference another hour makes. I was sufficiently underwhelmed (especially based on my experience with the Madder Lake a few weeks ago) to open another bottle of wine. However, with dinner I went back to this and, while there is still a French element, it's in the background and this has become a California Syrah once again. The fruits are more rounded and lush, the funkiness on the finish is gone, and this baby is really starting to sing. Recommendation at this point - give it at least an hour of air time after a vigorous decanting. (Originally scored this 89 points.)
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Perfumed aromas of lush cassis, medium-roast coffee, flowers, minerals, and herbs. Massive, velvelty, seamless, concentrated, and incredibly rich on the palate, this nonetheless shows considerable elegance. Serious coarse-grained tannins sneak out towards the end and coat your teeth, and are then followed with delicious sweet fruit. This is very nice now; I wonder how it will be with some cellar time?
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Pretty good, a slight bit of bitterness on the taste and needs a bit more acidity. I will wait a while before drinking another bottle to see if time sorts things out.
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5/18/2021 - GrapeScott wrote: 91 Points
Has a big, rich, meaty blackberry nose, with an opaque purple color. Drank over several nights, this held up well on day 2, so for my bottles at least, this still has plenty of life left in it. Made in an a somewhat Parkerized burly style, before Wells dialed things back beginning in '06, with a bit more vanilla oak than I like to see. Despite my preference for Old World syrah, this still hits a sweet spot for me, as it draws from many of these benchmark wines: the floral lift of Cote Rotie, the burliness of Hermitage, and the rusticity of Cornas. Oil-cured olive, dried beef, Herbes de Provence and brambly blue-blackberry fruit on the palate. Finishes with a bit of tartness and some fine-grained tannins. These older Copain syrahs are aging quite well, definitely better than the pinots.
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1/5/2021 - Badfish Likes this wine:
Dark inky purple core turning to ruby at the rim. The nose is similarly sinister with heady aromas of blackberry compote, charred meat, violets, forest floor, and lavender. The palate is rich, dense, and complex with dark berry fruit, soft sweet tannins, and earthy spicy undertones. This wine has aged beautifully and it still has tons of substance left, don't hesitate to age it for another ten years.
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1/12/2020 - Jdwinedrinker Likes this wine:
I had low expectations given some of the notes here.... but this is actually a nice wine, drinking well. Blackberry fruit with vanilla/oak (though not too heavy). Tannin largely gone.
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5/1/2019 - Charlie C wrote: 79 Points
I most recently tasted this wine in June of last year and, although it was still good, I suggested that it should be drunk up. This was my last bottle and that was a correct assessment. A faint cherry nose. The palate starts out strong with dark cherry notes but rapidly deteriorates to a cherry cough syrup/menthol taste. Soft tannins, good acidity, but a bit of heat is showing (14.1% ABV if you're interested). Short finish. This wine has definitely seen better days.
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6/13/2018 - Charlie C Likes this wine: 88 Points
Tonight with bone-in pork chops. The nose is a bit shy at first but eventually shows some dark fruits and a bit of iodine. The fruit is plush on the palate, plums and a bit of beef blood, some pepper. The tannins are fully resolved but still lending structure. Nice acidity and decent balance. The overall impression is a luxurious texture. The finish is moderately long and shows a bit darker fruit than the rest of the palate. Bottom line: this was probably a bit better three or four years ago, but it is quite nice right now. Drink 'em if you got 'em.
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4/3/2018 - JKelly05 Likes this wine:
Needs a decant 1+hrs.
Musty and oxidative notes blow off and dark meaty syrah comes through.
Bacon fat, charcuterie, white pepper, olives..yumm...A manly wine not for the faint of palate...
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5/22/2017 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 89 Points
Blackberry and tea.
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5/6/2017 - redpine42 wrote: 92 Points
Bacon fat. Love this style of Syrah.
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4/18/2017 - Vinomnivore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very enjoyable wine still showing well at this age. Initially the nose is the most captivating part of the wine-black olive tapenade, violet, rosemary/sage. Nice black fruit, herb flavors with a still robust tannic finish balanced by acid. I would drink now before the fruit fades further.
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3/5/2017 - goodvitis.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
The nose offers dramatic hickory smoke, olive tapenade, bacon fat and cherries while the full bodied palate extends sweet cherries and strawberries to go with smoked ham and black pepper. Dense with juicy acidity, it is nicely integrated. With air it took on a bit of a Robitussin or stewed fruit flavor, best consumed as a pop and pour.
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12/26/2016 - JKelly05 Likes this wine:
Drank amongst early 2000 radio coteau Sarah's. this was the star. Dark fruits, earth, game flavors
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10/6/2016 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
PLUMS AND SPICE IN THE NOSE WITH BLACK CHERRIES AND SOME EARTHINESS IN THE FLAVOR. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH
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4/21/2015 - Knicksfan wrote: 89 Points
Still a lovely if not exciting syrah.
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11/3/2014 - redz wrote: 89 Points
a little frumpy, heavy chocolate flavors. few hours decant and lamb helps!
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10/31/2014 - WetRock wrote:
Tarry nose. Dense and heavy still but the fruit seems reserved or not expressive. That nice acidity I usually notice from the Hawkes Butte bottling never made itself present. It seems like every time I have one I have a different experience from the last. Doesn't seem to show a decade on it at all. Air did not help it as it was consistent over two nights.
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8/13/2013 - alanr wrote: 89 Points
Very dark, opaque garnet, no sign of age in the color; quite an interesting nose, with deep fruit compote, underbrush, hint of dried herbs; nicely intense, ripe, deep, dark raspberry fruit, shows some sweetness of the vintage, but with good balance, nice acidity, still some chalky, grippy tannins. This is in the mold of the pre-2007 Copain shift, riper and more voluptuous, but an excellent example of California syrah, quite drinkable now if you can tolerate some tannins, but probably needs another 5 years to start showing more complexity. I would give this a drinking window of 2015-2025.
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4/6/2013 - thomaskeil wrote: 92 Points
PnP. (Better later, so decant advised) Reddish violet. Nose has oozy blackberry, some blueberry, cracked pepper, meat/iron and stone. Palate features the viscous-leaning dark fruit, but there is a terrific cut that gives a gritty texture and some mineral acidity; yet it retains a silky/thick sensation that surprisingly satisfies. Similar to, but decidedly better put together than the '04 Thompson from earlier in the week. In fine shape, no hurry.
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2/24/2013 - w00dee wrote: 91 Points
love this wine but think its seen better days
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1/25/2013 - oenophilemoose wrote: 84 Points
Again, I have to go against the grain. Decanted and consumed over 3 hours, heavy dark ripe fruit that just didn't create an exceptional experience. Don't know if this is a typical Copain wine, but will probably avoid the label with so many other excellent choices at this price point.
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1/5/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 80 Points
Bring a big cali syrah (My place, Chicago IL): nose: Very rich and forward nose with gloppy tones of dark red fruits, spice tones, black fruits and some blue fruits. There is some depth to this but it's also too rich with some oak as well.
taste: Full bodied with no real tannins. The tones of blue fruits, black fruits, spices and black cherries and some liqueur tones are in the over ripe category.
overall: I've definitely liked the more dialed back copains. I caught this earlier in the night and it was still resembling something. I didn't take notes later, but it became more gloppy and chunky than smoothing out.
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1/5/2013 - tooch wrote: 78 Points
An Evening of Californian Syrah (Keith's House): Lots of dark fruit, mocha and scorched earth. Characterized primarily with juicy, dark fruit with a hefty dose of mocha. Thick and viscous, I wasn't enthused by the lack of elegance. Love their new style of wines, but some of the older bottlings are outside my comfort zone.
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6/13/2012 - davidspieker wrote: 91 Points
Dark inky color. Subtile aromas of must, olives and meat. Well integrated and evolving through a lengthy finish. Dark cherry, olive, and meat flavors are very smooth with fully body.
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4/21/2012 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
A really nice bottle that is drinking young after a p&p. I'm going to decant my last bottle for at least an hour. A very nice wine but not a qpr thats for sure.
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4/20/2012 - dekay wrote: 90 Points
Very similar to the bottle from a year ago, but softer in all dimensions, suggesting it is on the downside of its window. Light vanilla and fruit on the nose, with a hint of spice. Not quite as full and lighter acidity, but still has dusty tannins. Moderate finish 90, but fading.
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1/8/2012 - psrv wrote: 94 Points
PnP. Wonderful aromas and flavors of plums, black cherries, meat, leather, and smoke, framed by beautiful minerals and acidity. Complex, velvety, and smooth, with a long finish. Delicious.
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12/19/2011 - jfkwines wrote: 92 Points
Wine is absolutely delicious. The bacon fat is subtle but present from the front of the mouth to the finish. Terrific velvet mouth feel, and the wine has a subtlenose that I enjoyed alot.. This just in...I liked this..
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11/20/2011 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Initially massive floral nose - I could smell it when I walked into the room. After it had been opened awhile this subsided quite a bit and the nose became the telltale bacon-fat smell with some violets and maybe a hint of smokiness. On the palate more bacon fat, some leather, peppery spiciness initially opening up to an herbal range with a very pleasant underlying rockiness. Mouthwatering acidity. On the long finish the combination of herbal spice and more bacon fat hangs on for a long time. Terrific!
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9/22/2011 - pedwards wrote: 93 Points
Wow - One of the better bottles tasted in 2011. 30 min decant. Rich deep dark color verging on black. On the nose I got hit with gaminess, raspberries and herbs. First thing that came to mind was blood sausage. Somewhat like smelling a meal. On the palate, so smooth with the same flavors as the nose suggests. My first Copain and struck me as Old World style which I seem to lean towards.
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6/18/2011 - petitblanc wrote: 88 Points
Inky cherry-purple. Pleasant and complex nose, sweet and savory. Similar palate, very extracted, but the alcohol is just too strong for me to love this.
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5/28/2011 - rmodak wrote: 91 Points
Hugely aromatic with charcoal, violets and herbs. Structured yet lavish black fruit, graphite and evident stems. This is complex, savory wine with somewhat chunky tannins on the finish.
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5/23/2011 - bmwcarl wrote:
This was an exceptional bottle of wine. Upon opening and during decant, the nose is a pungent mix of resin, clove, cedar, pepper, and dark berry fruit. Compared to many CA syrahs, this is bold but not in a cloying, jammy sort of way, which is not easy to achieve. It is massive but with considerably more nuance than other wines of this viscosity. Great structure, but a touch more acidity would have been appreciated to balance out the big flavors.
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5/19/2011 - kstoddard Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted blind. Black in color. Black fruit and tobacco on the nose. Very full bodied. Blackberry, pepper, anise, leather, tobacco, and earth. Nice acidity. Powerful finish with mature fruit, tobacco, and caramel. 14.5% alcohol. Brought by Scott.
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5/19/2011 - jeff nowak wrote: 93 Points
not decanted, and originally served blind. wonderful composition and balance, blended pepper note with rounded black fruits. i liked this immediately, and gassed over night, it stuck around quite nicely. very nice.
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4/29/2011 - dekay wrote: 90 Points
Great color (deep, clean garnet), classic Cali syrah aromas - spice, vanilla-tinged sweetness and a touch of heat on the nose; fleshy, mouthcoating palate, blend of pepper, fruit, choco?, clean acidity, dusty tannins. Finish is medium-long, but not deep. Overall enjoyable, but lacks the complexity and depth to rate higher.
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4/10/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 93 Points
rich purple color but not quite opaque. soothing, inviting aromas of warm blackberry, clove, freshly cracked black pepper and bacon. the palate is bold and demands attention. the tannins still retain their grip. the acid is perfectly in balance with the tannins. the fruit is pure and lush in its mouthfeel and pure in its focus. blackberries, cassis and plum skins are backed up by vanilla, chocolate and a rush of minerality. there's almost a rocky flavor on the finish of this syrah, along with the vanilla. it's fruit forward, but by no means flabby or overdone. with time, the complexity of this wine increased tremendously. showing red currants, chocolate shavings, iron, slate and earth. it doesn't have any of that northern rhone inspired meat or olive. it's not that kind of wine. but it is a complex, fruit-forward syrah, one that is a gorgeous experience from start to finish. the yorkville highlands' expression of syrah can be incredible, especially when in the hands of a producer like copain. great stuff, will continue to evolve in complexity for three-five years?
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3/24/2011 - waragi wrote:
Beautiful nose of blackberry puree, toasted marshmallow, violets and beef blood. Early on, this was very round and meaty on the palate with some tannins but very little fruit or acid to provide life. Finding it borderline flabby, I left 2/3 to try the next day.
I am definitely glad I did - blackberry and acid come forward resulting in a very nice balance of fruit and meaty/smoky elements. The wine continued to evolve into a leaner mix of mixed berries and iron.
This is a really enjoyable wine. As others have suggested, I will miss this "old style" and, unfortunately, I am running out of pre-2007 Copains.
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2/13/2011 - jwolfsthal wrote: 92 Points
wow, I have had copain all wrong. after opening too many just after receipt, I now know whey these are so well respected. this was a terrific bottle of wine with great structure, nice fruit, tar, cedar, and spice/pepper notes. paired terrificly with steaks and roasted potatoes and decanted 2 hours.
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1/9/2011 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Open about 2 hours. Changes over this time so if you want to open a bottle and track the wine, it's a nice progression of flavor. Camprfire embers, flowers in the aromatics. The palate starts off juicy and a little pillowy at the same time, but as it airs out, picks up a cooked meat quality with smoke, and the fruit sweetens up, which I liked better when the bottle was open for the first hour. I also find some black cherry, some mineral/tannin and I think that helps gird the wine and keep it together. I'll reserve final comment until I finish the wine tomorrow to see how it fully fleshes out......So l let the bottle sit and while I can't get through it all tonight, I can form the rest of my perspective. Remains a big wine, and I will offer it is less complex with more air time, with some sweetness but enough remaining acidity to help balance off some the big shouldered black cherry and blackberry fruit, along with some tar, leather. With all that said, this wine should age a bit more but given the size of this wine, this is certainly old-era Copain and from my view, ready to go.
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12/4/2010 - norsktorsk wrote: 93 Points
Balanced with some residual tannins that are not off putting but lead one to believe another year will benefit. Beautiful.
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9/11/2010 - thomaskeil wrote:
Decanted 1 hour. Deep red with a hint of violet. Forward nose of red raspberry, some cherry, herbs, peppery spice and musty iron. Palate features bright red fruits, slightly sweet but with a balancing leanness that seems to be equal parts stems, tannins and acidity. Texture is not plush; small dose of vanilla oak and mineral. Not much finesse and the complexity is low. Still, this is a very balanced syrah with with a good deliciousness index. At a good place now and should hold for several years; don't think long term aging will benefit.
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5/16/2010 - Dale M wrote: 93 Points
If FM III says this is ready to go, I don’t need a second affirmation. This has aged well. The altitude of the vineyard clearly puts the fruit under the red fruit spectrum, but there is no lack of richness or charm. A complex array of raspberry has nicely melded with the exotic spin of the stem inclusion, and time has added an extra floral dimension to seal the deal. I did notice that after being open for an hour or so, the wine seemed a little more complex, so perhaps maybe not quite a peak (if stored in a cool cellar) it’s pretty dang close. Wonderful wine.
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5/10/2010 - pjhr wrote: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully! Last bottle of the 2004!
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4/26/2010 - Frank Murray III wrote:
This bottle is ready and it's not going to age, really old style Copain or maybe old style plus big vintage. Pretty smooth and ripe, forward so drink now. Is not like the 2003.
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3/28/2010 - wequedad wrote: 93 Points
In its' prime. This syrah has a undertoneof minerals throughout ... in the best way. I like the "new" Copain ... but what's not to like with this. A mouthfull of blackberry, stones, spice and cassis that is balanced perfectly. A note of dark chocolate lingers on the finish. ready to drink now but should drink well for several years.
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3/18/2010 - MarkC Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely has that balance of Old World/New World. On the nose I get licorice, blackberry, and hints of meat/bacon. On the palate I get a lot of sweet plum fruit, some leather, a bit of mocha and (per my better half) tobacco. Long finish, plenty of life left. Try this one again in 2-5 years. (PE: 91)
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3/18/2010 - jfkwines wrote: 92 Points
In honor of the newest copain Mailer hitting today, I decided to pop one. I realized that I had not had a Copain of any kind in a while. I have noted on the BB's that there is a new style to thesewines, but I am not sure I want this 'old Style' to go away. The key to me is the way this wine has integrated to a smooth any lovely drink. The front of the wine is chocolate and cherries, but one flavor after the other. Mid palette the wines are heavy in the leather and tobacco, but the back end of the wine leaves me with a hint of strawberry fighting through the leather. These are ery enjoyable, and I plan on continuing to enjoy these for awhile as they still have plenty of time in the bottle left.
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3/18/2010 - nfafoglia wrote: 92 Points
Saddle leather, minerals, tar, and anise on the nose. Blackberries, and dark chocolate on the palate. Long finish. This wine is drinking well right now.
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2/19/2010 - Screameagle wrote: 91 Points
Another very nice bottle.
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1/22/2010 - zheem wrote: 93 Points
Really really really good! After an hour or two, this wine opens into rich cherry, gravel, pomegranate goodness. Lots of tannic astringency that bothered my companion, but kept my palate alive and interested.
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12/27/2009 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully now!
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12/19/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 93 Points
Pure velvet is how I would describe this wine It's so good now it has to be at it's peak. I love the Hawks Butte that Wells' crafts but this one is one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to consume.
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12/18/2009 - waragi wrote:
Dark purple and thick. Nose of oak, iodine and a hint of blackberry; no heat. Tastes of iodine, bloody beef with a background of blackberry, black cherry and oak.
Over the next 2 hours, a toasted cocoa bean emerges and the dark fruit intensifies. Very well-integrated tannins, just enough so you know that they are there.
After decanting for 4 hours, acidity emerges and the fruit moves to the front. Fortunately, the beef still there in the background.
Very nice evolution. Delicious now.
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11/29/2009 - tonyvelebil wrote: 92 Points
Spanish Tapas w 2001 Vieux Telegraphe & 2004 Copain Hawks Butte Syrah (Barlata Spanish Restaurant = Oakland, CA): This also accompanied tapas and was a nice contrast to the Vieux Telegraphe. Really drinking well right now and does remind one of a northern Rhone wine. Dark fruit, iodine and grilled meat on the nose. The palate shows dark olive, dark fruit (with a little bit of that CA sweetness - not RS sweetness though), black pepper with a little bit of smokiness. A complete wine with good palate weight from front to back and a nice medium long finish. Great effort from Wells. 92-93/100
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10/18/2009 - llink wrote:
Popped and poured. Great Syrah nose of bacon fat combined with boysenberry compote and an alluring smokiness. The palate is a little rich, extracted and heavy, but the flavors have an underlying acidit, well balanced and intense, with a 60 second plus finish.
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10/2/2009 - windypinot wrote: 88 Points
Dark red; intense wine with heavy tannins, pepper and coffee flavors; did not decant which might explain the backward flavor profile. Still, this one just seemed too heavy and the fruit was buried; might come out in a few years, but I am not so sure
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5/12/2009 - orcharddude22 wrote: 93 Points
Intense nose and complex tastes. Delicious bloody meat, coffee, tar, elderberry and anise. Tannic. Still needs a long time in the bottle before drinking. This one should last a long time.
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3/25/2009 - winelovr2001 wrote: 94 Points
Showing similar to the other bottles. A brilliant wine.
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3/1/2009 - jbposell wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, classic Copain, serious black fruits and herbs, a certain spice to it nearing the finish, and the whole CA-meets-Northern-Rhone package in a glass. Bravo Wells!
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2/15/2009 - Screameagle wrote: 92 Points
Just a beautiful syrah in a style that Wells excels in not over the top. Showing great now it should continue to show well for many years. Sure glad I've got 5 more in my cellar.
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11/28/2008 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Some tannin remains, but only some. The nose seems a bit reticent, but the mouth is round, with fruit (cherries, dark plums, bitter chocolate, meat) and the length is quite good. Sadly, my last bottle of 3. I can't say that if I had more, I'd save them for 2012, as this wine is quite nice now, but it seems to have the stuffing to last, if not improve.
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8/4/2008 - WetRock wrote:
Decanted about 2-3 hours prior to tasting. This thing is still huge. Almost like a barrel sample to me and with some Saxums on the table seemed right at home. Didn't spend a lot of time with it but the huge fruit was notable as it seemed that way on 2nd taste a couple hours after getting there. Will let the others sleep longer.
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8/3/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 95 Points
Brilliant balance and great length. Very cote-rotie like in its mouthfeel, this wine shows its briary blackberry, beef blood, and pepper with great balance to its oak and acid.
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7/6/2008 - eltejano wrote: 92 Points
definitely needs a decanting still, but I only had hints of smoke and no bitterness, unlike a previous note from another user. I had the more mid palate red and black fruit with just a hint of olive and some coffee perhaps. I'm glad I still have some bottles left
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3/24/2008 - pakabear wrote: 86 Points
Loads of bacon fat and smoked ham on the nose. Too much smoked ham if you ask me, so the nose was not my cup of tea. On the palate the wine had some bitterness in the mid-palate with some bright red fruit throughout. Not bad, but not great.
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3/16/2008 - karpos wrote: 90 Points
This was a lovely restrained (ie not a huge California/Aussie fruit bomb) syrah with great flavors and depth. Really good with food.
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1/15/2008 - orcharddude22 wrote: 90 Points
First Hawks Butte Copain. Needs sunstantial decanting at this point. Aromatic floral, earthy nose. Very smooth mouthfeel after an hour decant. Tastes of olives, black fruit, coffee, smoke with a touch of bloody beef. The only offputting aspect is a drying after taste that really takes away from this wine. This wine would be a 92-94 without the dry finish. Hopefully this will dissipate over time. SECOND NIGHT-Finished off the bottle and it was transformed. Ultra smooth, yet brooding black fruit. the drying sensation gone this is definitely a 93-94 point wine.
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12/26/2007 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
bright fruit, High acid, and an an oh-so-tiny amount of brett gives this wine its character. I would have guessed cote rotie blind...
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12/24/2007 - Badfish wrote: 95 Points
Deep opaque black purple with medium thick legs in the glass. The nose is wonderfully expressive with unique aromas of olive, mineral, and blackberry. The aromas carry over to the suavely textured palate with flavors of olive tapenade, meat juice, dark berries, and spicy pepper undertones. I get the impression that this wine has a tremendous concentration of fruit but the structure is so commanding with firm sweet tannins and fresh bracing acidity that you don't realize it. This is my first experience with this vineyard but in the hands of Copain it appears to offer an amazing combination of new world and old world attributes. Decanted several hours.
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11/22/2007 - Dave Mci wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was excellent. Upon opening, I was taken with aromas of green olives. The green olive notes continued throughout the evening and mellowed out with some air time. I will wait another year for the next bottle. The green olive sensory experience was excellent.
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9/22/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Short TN. Needed a couple hours to unwind and we killed the whole bottle by the 3rd hour. Look for nice balance, a depth of fruit and just really deep. Did not see the wine as tight or unapproachable but rather quite ready. Did not take TNs but just recall this being terrific and deep.
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9/10/2007 - Ekoostik wrote: 89 Points
Slightly disappointed in this bottle. Has the smokey Copain nose, but really seemed to be lacking in the mid-palate. Nose and attack were great but the wine just kind of fell off quickly. Not nearly as concentrated as other vineyards of the same year.
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9/8/2007 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Day 1
One of the darkest syrah's I've had outside oz. Huckleberry and dark black raspberry on the nose. Gamey nose, with bacon fat and a hint of white flowers. Acid more prominent n the wine at this point in the development, but nicely balanced. This would be great with some BBQ. Also, has some peppery earthy notes. The tannins are much more prominent at this point too. This wine has evolved a lot during the 3 bottles I've had in the last 1.5 years. Wells makes very terrior driven wines and is extremely gifted. I don't think any of his wines have a homogenous feel.
Day 2
Tannins subsided, much more smooth and round in the mouth. The gaminess has tamed down too. Overall still very good, but I think on day 1 the wine was more intriguing.
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8/20/2007 - NittanyLion wrote:
Decanted. Nice, but needs time.
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8/14/2007 - pjhr wrote: 92 Points
A bit closed on the nose with delicious blueberry and plum flavors with spicy oak notes.
Lovely mouthfeel and finish. A lot of potential upside here.
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8/11/2007 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
At Aigre Doux - for $69 on the list. Hugely aromatic - herbs, black pepper, meaty dark fruits and spice. In the mouth - plenty of dark fruit that is initially lean but puts on weight and meatiness with time in the decanter. Rich dark fruits are have herbs, licorice and spice adding interest and complexity. Plenty of acidic kick provides lift and suave tannins fill the finish. A few years would do this well, but a fine dinner companion tonight. (4+13+17+9=93).
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8/10/2007 - AllRed wrote: 92 Points
Deep garnet color. Aromas of black pepper with blue and black fruits. Flavors of blue and black fruit, along with oak, vanilla and a minerally tone on the finish. Very different than the 2003, which was more feral and wild.
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8/1/2007 - JBVino wrote:
opened...half the bottle in a decanter about 90 mins prior to consuming...restrained on the nose but good amount of smoke coming through...on the palate secondary flavors of smoke, burned earth coming through...solid acidity and dry tannins...wine is tight only giving a glimpse..good mouthfeel but no lushness to this wine right now...I like it but it is a brusier
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7/25/2007 - steffenpelz wrote:
It's been nearly 6 months since my last bottle so I figured I'd give this a spin. Open and cellared since last night, the color is an inky dark blue/black. Aromatically, the wine doesn't give up much right now, but I do get some blackberry jam and asphalt. Really a plush and fairly tannic wine on the palate with very good texture and surprisingly ample acidity. Finishes well and goes well with fatty, meaty food like Hamburgers or Bratwursts. Seems to be in an awkward phase right now and I would recommend laying off this bottling for a year or two.
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6/6/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Deep purple color with a violet rim. Dense aromas of creamy blackcurrant liqueur, bacon fat, white flowers, iron, crushed rock and a whiff of salty sea breeze. Fat and creamy on the palate with cassis, black olive and gunflint. The powerful finish shows good fruit and acid balance but the stemmy tannins are rather pronounced. Needs another 2-3 years in the bottle to show its best. Will be a mid-90 pointer.
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5/31/2007 - pakabear wrote: 90 Points
Powerful nose, mixed berrys with some spice. Palate has decent balance, good berry flavor, however it's a bit hot on the finish.
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3/14/2007 - redpine42 wrote: 93 Points
Nice! Fantastic nose. Nose is a little earthy, with hints of cinnamon. Nice long multy layered finish.
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3/7/2007 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Dark black rasberry and blueberry on the nose. Gamey nose, with bacon fat and a hint of white flowers. Very rich and concetrated wine, with some pepery earthy notes. Definitely has some grip to it, but the tannins are held in check with the fruit. I have half a bottle left, so I will update my notes after day 1. I believe this wine should age well.
Wine was just as good the second night. Wine rounded out some, the tannins smoothed out a little, but werestill present.
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2/2/2007 - jfkwines wrote: 91 Points
Wine was decanted and showed very Purple. Beautiful wine with full mouth of berries and fruit. Red ripe fruits, plums, blackberries, showed from the onset, the wine opened up throughout the night and showed some of the integration that I found in the Eaglepoint Ranch earlier this year. It never quite sang like that wine did for me, but it is very good in its on right, it just needs more time to rest. I found even on the second night that the wine was not fully open and so We will wait.
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12/30/2006 - bubbachumps wrote: 93 Points
Very gamey nose, dark brooding syrah. As it opened up, notes of bacon fat. Was a little disappointed in how the wine held up after 4 hours in the decanter, was much better during 1st 2 hours in decanter.
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12/10/2006 - Dale M wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 6 hrs. Offers serious potential from the first sniff, with lovely cassis and blackberries scents, fresh flowers and raw meat. Although the wine tasted quite primary at this point, the plum and cassis flavors had a very plush and inviting feel on the palate. A saline quality makes the transition from the ripe fruit to the thick and youthful tannins quite seamless. As noted many times, this really tastes like a hybrid between a Northern Rhone and a Cali syrah. This should prove most difficult to keep my paws off my remaining stash, yet clearly another 2-5 years of cellar sleep could yield a really special wine down the road.
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12/1/2006 - HurrahSyrah wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. This syrah exuded a pitch black purple color with tinges of a lighter purple. A beautiful nose of freshly crushed raspberries and blueberries with a floral quality with hints of minerality, coffee, and pepper. On the palate, rich cherry flavors with a mineral edge were quickly followed by plums and coffee leading to a silky smooth finish. Still very young and I don't plan on opening another one for another 4-5 years. HS94
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11/29/2006 - jbaron wrote: 92 Points
Round but present tannins frame this wine that's full of flowers and ripe blackberry fruit... Very full of fruit. Subdued nose, good length, excellent mouthfeel, but tannic. Vervey.
NA: That was a crappy tasting note, but as an afterthought, one glass of wine held up quite well in a decanter until the next day.
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11/14/2006 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Call this is a science experiment. The earliest Copain I can recall opening. Nose of herbs, flowers and a final note that is intriguing but one I can't put my words on (graphite?). A silky smooth mid-palate of smoky cherry and then a rush of flinty, gritty tannins comes into the wine. This is full of plums and cherry and needs more time. Will see if further aeration tonight softens the finish.
Finally, at the third hour of aeration, this wine was gone—polished off the whole thing with a buddy. Damn, this is great syrah. The nose has some pepper and a big presence of dark fruit. The palate is full of great cherry and same dark sexy fruit, with some iron notes and a flinty finish. Even a little bit of the Alba Tithings feel through a peach/stone fruit pit note. Balanced, complex and delicious stuff, man.
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11/4/2006 - MarkC wrote: 92 Points
Wow - if I didn't know better, I'd've sworn this was Old World Syrah. Earthy, gamey nose, with some dark fruit peeking out from around the corners. The palate was more of the same, but with some burnt cherry fruit and elements of leather thrown in. The finish was a bit disjointed and left traces of something a bit medicinal or else this would've been worth another point or two. UPDATE: What a difference another hour makes. I was sufficiently underwhelmed (especially based on my experience with the Madder Lake a few weeks ago) to open another bottle of wine. However, with dinner I went back to this and, while there is still a French element, it's in the background and this has become a California Syrah once again. The fruits are more rounded and lush, the funkiness on the finish is gone, and this baby is really starting to sing. Recommendation at this point - give it at least an hour of air time after a vigorous decanting. (Originally scored this 89 points.)
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11/1/2006 - jwwinec wrote: 94 Points
Perfumed aromas of lush cassis, medium-roast coffee, flowers, minerals, and herbs. Massive, velvelty, seamless, concentrated, and incredibly rich on the palate, this nonetheless shows considerable elegance. Serious coarse-grained tannins sneak out towards the end and coat your teeth, and are then followed with delicious sweet fruit. This is very nice now; I wonder how it will be with some cellar time?
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10/14/2006 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Doug's Birthday (Milford): Ripe, soft and plummy. A bit simple and a slight roughness to it, but quite pleasant.
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10/3/2006 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Pretty good, a slight bit of bitterness on the taste and needs a bit more acidity. I will wait a while before drinking another bottle to see if time sorts things out.
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