Copain Offline @ Fratello's In The South OC

A reason for the season....well, not the reason but more of an excuse on a cold OC night to get together and do Fratellos. The theme was only Copain, a mix of old and new to check in on style.

As for the flights, not really a flighted event but easier to arrange the wines for display by using this format and in truth, the order we passed the wines very much followed the line up below

• 1984 Ridge Geyserville

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  This was the kick off to the Copain dinner. Man, for 25 years old, still fresh. If bagged and served blind, then asked to guess vintage, I would have never got close to offering a vintage guess of this age. Fresh nose, even a bit of cobbler. Strawberry fruit, hints of herb and maybe some sigar leaf but the latter in the background. Very nice and fresh--bravo.

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With the smaller group, we just could not feature everything so unfortunately, no Kiser, Hacienda Secoya or the like made it into the dinner.

• 2005 Copain Roussanne James Berry Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Nutty flavor with lemon peel and a pineapple note. Not sweet but also more fleshy with a waxy edge.

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• 2006 Copain Pinot Noir Tous Ensemble

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Mixes ripeness with also some of the newer Copain style. The ripe part is shown in the palate where candied red apple, strawberry and even some black cherry mix. But, some minerality also shows, just not to the degree of some of the other Copain pinots that really express site and tension. More of an up front drinker.

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• 2006 Copain Pinot Noir Wentzel Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Zesty is what I noted on the wine. Lots of verve with tart raspberry and a finish that was full of red apple skin notes. Very nice. BTW, did not get much of a decant.

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A good mix of 2007s, judged against some of the 2006s.

• 2000 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  This was just vintage removed from the first EPR vintage of 1999. Lavender notes on the bouquet, some creamy raspberry notes, earth, mixed against some green flavor and perhaps some austerity on the finish. Not bad but at this age, I thought the wine would be a bit more seamless and together. Likely needs some more time--drank pop and pour.

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• 2005 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Menthol and stem aromatic. Meaty. Ripe blueberry mixes with some green stemmy notes, with some mocha. The stem and fruit is colliding here so this will need some more time to let the two complement each other.

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• 2007 Copain Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Flowery nose, sweet lavender and really expressive and fragrant. Blue fruit, minerality/rocks and tannin. As opposed to the 2005 EPR which we tasted alongside this 2007, the latter shows the flavors well married and complementing each other. I love the minerality that carries the finish--great showing and another testament to the 2007 Copains.

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• 2005 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  Some stems, hint of pepper too, on the bouquet. The palate is just smooth and balanced, with a mixture of the Thompson blue and black fruit. Stil some stems showing in the wine with a youthful finish. This wine will IMO settle in for a nice balanced life so drink in 2010 and it will go more after that.

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• 2006 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  In viewing the recent set of CT notes as I post, I would have to agree with the comments about "primary" and even the one about heat. Even my own note from earlier this year was not as enthusastic as I often am when I open Copain. This 2006 is a bit disappointing, which was arrayed in the same dinner with the 2005 and 2007 Thompsons. This 2006 shows as one dimensional, lacking complexity, with some heat. Coffee and blueberry, and a maple note. Just lacks the Copain elegance. I have 2 left in the cellar and plan to open another one in the next couple months to re-rest the note here.

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• 2007 Copain Syrah Thompson Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  My 3rd bottle this year, and as of right now, I own all the TNs in CT so these are certainly early impressions within the community. As with the bottle 2 weeks ago, this 2007 is humming. Broken rocks in the bouquet, even and balanced on the palate with black fruit, minerals and a purity like I found when I first tried it this past June with Wells @ the winery. It does add weight as the wine warms but it holds together and drinks like Thompson should, but with the added touch of Wells to add the structure and complexity. Excellent.........and following back up on this wine which is now fully decanted overnight, pure blue and black fruit, married with charcoal, crushed rocks and healthy acidity. Neither gloppy nor fat......like with the other 2007 Copains, just full of pure driven flavor and structure. Damn good and years ahead of it, which I will enjoy.

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• 2006 Copain Syrah Madder Lake

  USA, California, North Coast, Lake County

  Soft and easy drinking was this experience. Smooth palate, with olive, white flower and a fleshy riper edged raspberry.

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• 2006 Copain Syrah Spirit Rock Alder Springs Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County

  Stone fruit pit on the nose with a bouquet, expressive like the 2007 Copain EPR. Iron, black fruit, and steely yet married with a moderate level of ripeness. Unlike the 2006 Thompson that showed as out of snych, this 2006 Spirit Rock is excellent and impressed me a lot. The screwed up part is I don't own this bottling--not sure how that happened but this 2006 is terrific.

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• 2007 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  This wine shows its origin--it's big and full of flavor and depth, and as much as this wine carries its weight, there is no heat in or around it. Rseolved and opulent with bittersweet and espresso flavor and of the 2007s, this was IMO the most ready to go.....and as with the other 2007 Copains from last night, following back up with a note here with the wine having been open since last evening. Of the 2007s (Hawks, ERP and Thompson), this JB is the most fruit driven. But again, like with the Thompson that is all warmer in climate and subject to bigger fruit and density, this doesn't get that direction. Instead, you will get the blue and back fruit, even some density but it remains fresh, with some chalky edges and noticeable youth, reminding me in finish to the Hawks Butte, with the mineral streak, adding chalk, running through it. Pure and classy.....adds a new signature to James Berry. Excellent.

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• 2007 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands

  Was eager to retry this wine, as I have high respect for this veinyeard and how Wells makes it always sing. As with June, my notes from last night say "pure". Olive, iron and menthol with earth and dark fruit, finishes with a liquid minerality and crushed rocks. Excellent. Listed alcohol of 13.4%. Someone take me to task that this isn't high class syrah. I'll buy another 3 more if it pops up........and as a follow-up with the bottle fully decanted, this wine is about subtlety, balance and restraint. There is no fruit sticking out but instead, you'll find purity of blue and red fruit, supported by acidity and tannin that is all fitting just perfectly. Classy, just like Hawks Butte should be when Wells does it.

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• 2007 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  As we wrapped up the Copain wines, we eyed Rob's RM Cab, which Frenchenstein had just traded to Rob for Copain to use in the dinner. Out with the cork. As I tasted this wine, which was pop and pour, I do not recall the wine I tasted in June showing this much oak: coffee, mocha and that new oak scent of cologne. The fruit was cherries and milk chocolate, like a Hershey's Bar with fruit. This wine will need some time for the new oak to fade and I won't touch my other bottle until 2011. Clearly CA in style and new world all the way.

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