Copain Pickup Weekend Tasting

Getting the sorting belt working at Copain 9/5/09 (Wells on far left)


I'm a big fan of Copain, and they always do a lovely event for the pickup weekends. This is what we got to taste on 9/5.
Parker has downgraded his points on Copain ever since Wells moved to pick earlier and lower alcohol levels with the '06 vintage, but that's just another sign of Parker's insistence on a particular (outmoded) style of wine, and his demonstrated idiosyncratic (and incomprehensible) palate for Pinots that taste nothing like Pinot. It's also a sign of Wells's continuing growth as a winemaker (one of the most influential in California at this point) and of his integrity.

Most of these wines showed as well or better than when I've tasted them before, especially the '07 Monument Tree Pinot, which is developing into something "monumental." The Tous Ensembles are Copain's lower price label.

• 2008 Copain Viognier Tous Ensemble 90 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Light yellow color; light peach, honeysuckle nose; ripe peach, honeysuckle, orange cream palate; medium finish

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• 2006 Copain Roussanne James Berry Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Light medium canary yellow color; lovely, lightly oily, apple, green apple, pineapple, mineral nose; tasty, complex, lightly oily textured, green apple, mineral, tart pineapple, tart peach; medium finish

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• 2006 Copain Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Light medium strawberry red color with pale meniscus; lovely, spicy, strawberry, cranberry nose; tasty, refined, silky textured, tart strawberry, cranberry, spice palate; medium finish 92+ pts.

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• 2007 Copain Pinot Noir Monument Tree 94 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; gorgeous roses, spice, dried cherry, berry nose; very tasty and huge tart cherry, spice, dried cherry palate with orange notes; medium-plus finish

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'09 Brosseau Vineyard Syrah after destemming

• 2006 Copain Les Copains James Berry Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; berry, charcoal, black fruit, dried cherry nose; great Grenache, cherry, dried cherry, charcoal and berry palate; medium finish

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• 2008 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble Rosé 91 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Light yellowish pink color; light strawberry, cranberry, orange nose; tasty, ripe and tart strawberry, mineral palat with good acidity; medium-plus finish

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• 2007 Copain Syrah Baker Ranch 93 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Dark red violet color; lovely, roasted red fruit, pepper, green peppercorn nose; tasty, tart roasted red fruit, pepper palate, drinking surprisingly well now; medium-plus finish

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• 2005 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands

  From magnum - dark cherry red color; nice creme de cassis, pepper and graphite nose with a savory note; tart cassis, red fruit, pepper, spice and peppercorn palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2005 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch 93 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; sexy, blue fruit, satsuma plum, talcum powder, sweet smoke nose; tasty, sweet plum, blue fruit, pepper, graphite palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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Brosseau Vyd stems