April 19th, 2019 

Anne Amie “Cuvee A” Willamette Rose – Midnight Saignee is a dry, deeply fruity wine, layered with complex Pinot noir character. A saignee requires timing and balance, and like much of harvest, the right moment often occurs late at night. We produce a limited amount of this wine each year, using the saignée technique and fermenting in neutral French oak barrels. Grapes were hand-picked, meticulously hand sorted, then destemmed into open top, stainless steel fermenters. The must was cold-soaked for five days. On the 2nd day, the fermenters receive a saignee (bleeding off a small percentage of juice) in order to concentrate flavors (and control alcohol levels). This rosé wine is a blend of all of our pinot noir saignée lots, representing multiple vineyards and AVAs. Each lot was racked to neutral French oak barrels and barrel fermented using multiple yeast cultures. It was fermented to dryness and allowed to remain on the lees until blending. Aromas of lemon meringue, starfruit, kumquat, and flint. Flavors of Japanese plum, grapefruit, feijoa, and Meyer lemon. Regular $18 Cooper’s Price $15.99 

Raeburn Russian River Chardonnay – Born and raised in Bakersfield California, Derek Benham entered the wine industry immediately after graduation from college.  In 1990 Derek and his brother founded the Codera Wine Group and created the Blackstone brand; in 2001 they sold Blackstone, dissolved Codera, and created the Purple Wine Company based in Graton California. Derek started the Raeburn Winery only in 2014, as a nod to classic California Chardonnay. The wine is elegant and expressive, with bright fruit character and creaminess;  it was aged on the lees for six months for enhanced complexity, flavor and texture. This lovely and lingering white impresses from start to finish, showing a wealth of pear and peach flavors within an inviting jasmine aroma. It finishes in swift teases of wild vanilla and subtle oak.Regular $20 Cooper’s Price $18.99

Laura Lorenzo Camino de La Frontera Tinto – Arribes is a dramatic region bordering the Duero River where it slices Portugal from Spain. Its remoteness seems to be its allure, to Lorenzo, who is a vineyard whisperer and well regarded for bringing back wild, or lost historic vines, and creating exciting wines with them. In Camino de la Frontera, Laura Lorenzo finesses the indomitable local variety Juan Garcia, co-planted and co-fermented with Tempranillo, Bobal, Rufete, Mencía, Garnacha, and more from 100-130 year-old vines in the town of Fermoselle. A wonderful mix of tangy fresh fruits and natural earthy elements with a lighter frame, with firm tannins somewhat reminiscent of Nebbiolo, while unfamiliar in a way that makes it gloriously new and riveting with every sip. This wine follows Laura’s style of allowing these ancient vines to speak in their own voices, with native yeast fermentation in tank, no manipulation, and very low sulfur. Medium body, this delicately hued red is full of interest, starting on the nose with floral tones, moist earth, and wild herbs. Brooding, structured black and purple bramble fruit leads to a velvety palate with grilled fennel, salty black licorice, finishing with flint/gravelly elements, saddle leather, currant, herbal tea spices and faint flower blossom. This wine gets more generous with food and time in the glass, bringing a riper profile forward and becomes more textural in mouth-feel.Regular $32 Cooper’s Price $29.99 

Rigo Barbera d’Alba – Located in Diano d’Alba, in the heart of the Langhe region, all their wines are cultivated and produced, respecting the CEE Environmental Protection Agency rules. The Rigo Wines Estate is a family run company, managed bt Silvano and his father Secondo, who started the project. The vineyards cover a total area of approximately 10 hectares and are located mostly in the “Sori Piadvenza” at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level.Barbera is one of the Italian varieties that is sought-after around the world. This particular example is wonderfully different and expertly crafted. Usually, Barbera is heavily oaked, to allow the wines to have long aging potential. But what many don’t know is that it also makes fresh, balanced and elegant wines that drink superbly at a younger age. This particular example is made to be enjoyed young. Intense ruby red color, with floral aromas leading way to a palate of strawberry and cherry, soft tannins yet full-bodied with hints of liquorice, and herbs.Cooper’s Price $17.99

1.Nortico Alvarinho – Ask anyone for the best Alvarinho in Portugal and people will point to the extreme north to the sub-region of Moncao and Melgao, right on the border with Spain. Nortico Alvarinho is a superb example of the grapes hallmarks: fresh citrus, peach and tropical fruit aromas paired with clean, juicy fruit and vibrant minerality. Nortico is produced on the south bank of the Minho River in plots so small they are called “jardins”, or gardens in Portuguese. Soils here are granite and schist and although there is plenty of rainfall (2,000 ml annually), the inland area is a little warmer than the coastal plantings, allowing for perfect maturation. 100% Alvarinho. Sustainably grown vines. This is a young, fresh white wine with the characteristic bright acidity and aromas of peach and grapefruit. Creamy citrus oil, lime and yellow apple notes are nicely spiced and detailed with saline mineral and floral underpinnings through the long finish. At only 12.5 % alcohol, Nortico is light and delicate, lovely as a “porch-sipping wine” to drink on its own. Have it simply with corn bread and butter like country folks do in Portugal. Also a terrific seafood wine, particularly with salty, fattier dishes like fish tacos or broiled oysters.

Regular $14.99, Cooper’s Price $12.99

2. Thierry Germain “Les Roches” Samur Champigny Cab Franc — Thierry’s domaine, Roches Neuves, whose vineyards are planted in the Saumur (Blanc) and Saumur-Champigny (Rouge) appellations, has rightfully become one of the greatest examples of high achievement in biodynamic vine growing in France. Thierry relocated to the Loire from Bordeaux in the early 1990s, and soon fell under the influence of his spiritual father, Charly Foucault of Clos Rougeard. Thierry would ultimately convert his entire domaine to biodynamic viticulture, which was the equivalent of his wine epiphany. Listening and observing his plants, allowing them to guide him, revolutionized his way of thinking. Thierry harvests on the relatively early side to preserve fresh, vibrant fruit. His goal is to produce Cabernet with purity, finesse, and drinkability, while avoiding rusticity, vegetal character, and hard tannins. His incredibly diverse terroirs are translated with utter clarity and precision. 100% de-stemmed, and fermentation in stainless steel tank for 8 to 10 days. Light pump-overs during fermentation—meant to infuse the grapes not extract them. Aged in stainless steel and wood tanks on fine lees, without sulfur, for 3 to 4 months. Thierry’s style of Cabernet Franc emphasizes soaring red fruit aromatics, plush and silky textures, and racy acidity. Sounds pretty good, right? It isn’t your grandmother’s rustic, furry, tannic, bretty Cab Franc, that’s for sure. Biodynamic agriculture, no trimming of the vine shoots, early picking, and aging in large barrels are a few of his keys to success. Les Roches is Thierry’s entry-level Cab Franc for barbecues and general everyday gladness.

Regular $28.99, Cooper’s Price $25.99

3. Rivale Rosso Toscana – This is a well-situated estate on the ‘north slope’ of the Montalcino hill, located just below the village of Montalcino. Casanuova delle Cerbaie is comprised of 15 hectares, 10 of which are under vine. The vineyards are located at approximately 300 metres above sea level and grow on the prestigious hill of Montesoli. The estate’s sure-handed enologist, Paolo Vagaggini (a Montalcino fixture who’s worked with a host of top estates, including Fuligni, Il Palazzone, and Biondi-Santi) favors a woodsy, savory style of Sangiovese aged in larger Slavonian oak barrels crafted by the Austrian cooperage Stockinger. This Sangiovese based blend has very appealing smokey herbal notes with subtle cherry tones. Well balanced silky tannins, and nice texture make this wine great food companion. 50% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 10% Colorino, 10% Petit Verdot.

Cooper’s Price $18.99

4. Ca del Baio Vallegrande Barbaresco – Valgrande or Vallegrande is a cru in the commune of Treiso. A small domaine with deep roots in Piemonte. The Grasso family has been making wine in Barbaresco since the 1880’s. Giulio and Luciana Grasso, fourth generation wine makers, are now running the family business with the help of their daughters Paola, Valentina and Federica. They maintain their traditional values with particular attention to the vines, especially during pruning, crucial for yield control and fruit quality. The use of herbicides and fertilizers in the vineyards was banned long ago and only natural yeasts are used for fermentation. Ca’ del Baio has a number of Nebbiolo vineyards on the Vallegrande cru, covering an area of 3 hectares in all. They face west, and produce the estate’s Barbaresco DOCG Valgrande. A traditional Barbaresco, grown on vineyard sites planted in 1967. Is aged – as in the past – only in large casks. It represents the elegance of Barbaresco at its very best, without flaunting the muscle of Nebbiolo. Traditional, stem-free, on-the-skins fermentation, for 7 to 15 days in steel at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for 24 months in casks made of Slavonian Oak, and is then cellared for 6 months in the bottle prior to release. Garnet red in the glass, intense aromas with powerful, deep fruit, dried flowers, new leather and underbrush. The firm palate offers dried black cherry, raspberry jam and licorice flavors alongside taut, fine-grained tannins and firm acidity.

Regular $44.99 Cooper’s Price $36.99

Casa de Valor Brut Nature Cava – Cava is a sparkling wine from the Denominación de Origen  (DO) status from Catalonia, also produced in other regions of Spain. 95% of all Cava is produced in the Penedès area in Catalonia. Cava can be white or rose. Only wines produced in méthode champenoise may be labeled Cava, those produced in other ways must be labeled sparkling wine. This is a dry, non dosage Brut Nature

50% Xarel-lo 25% Macabeo 25% Parellada (zero dosage), from 15 to 35 year old vines with grapes farmed and hand harvested by a third generation family. Aged 14 months on the lees in the bottle before disgorgement

The nose of revealing hints of citrus, orchard fruits and white flowers on the nose. Crisp, bright acidity and fresh citrus fruits, reminiscent of lemon cake. On the palate, there’s an attractive interplay of candied lemon and crisp acidity. Lively mousse and properly dry finish, but no hard edges. Cooper’s Price $14.99 

Ferrari-Carano Tre Terre Russian River Chardonnay – Don and Rhonda Carano founded Ferrari-Carano in 1981. They were introduced to the beauty of Northern Sonoma County in 1979, and eventually purchased a 60-acre parcel in the Alexander Valley. Those vineyards piqued their curiosity about winemaking, and as a result, they began taking classes on enology and viticulture at the University of California, Davis. Realizing the potential that this area held, the Caranos began to acquire additional vineyard land, and  ground was broken for the winery in Dry Creek Valley in 1985. The first wines bearing the Ferrari-Carano label were released in 1987. In 2015, Ferrari-Carano’s 24 vineyards earned California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) certification for their numerous efforts to preserve the land while producing memorable, sustainable wines of outstanding quality. Each lot for this wine is hand harvested, whole‐cluster pressed, then barrel fermented with native and cultured yeast. The wine completes 96% malolactic fermentation and is aged on lees and stirred weekly for 9 months. The wine is barreled again in neutral oak until bottling. This is a delicious, full‐bodied Chardonnay with aromas and flavors of Meyer lemon, apple, graham cracker, creamy marshmallow, stonefruit, brown sugar and spice, with bright fruit, nice acidity and a long, lingering finish. This wine’s rich fruit component complements mildly spiced vegetarian dishes and rich, creamy shellfish entrées. It also works well with veal, poultry, pasta and rice. Cooper’s Price $19.99 

Cantine Povero Barbera d’Asti – Cantine Povero began to bottle wine in 1964 but Povero family members have always been winemakers. Their 45 hectares of vineyards are located in Piemonte, around Cisterna d’Asti: this very central position allows them to produce a wide range of typical wines of Langhe, Monferrato and Roero areas. The third generation is now managing this promising enterprise, following the production process, from the grape to the bottle. Respecting nature is the keyword, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The careful work in the vineyards together with the innovative technologies used for the vinification process allow them to reach high quality standards with affordable prices. Povero’s ambition is to showcase the flavors and emotions of their wines, which express the uniqueness of their land.Deep ruby red in color with mild and fruity flavors on the palate. Full bodied with velvety and pleasantly dry tannins. This is a highly flexible wine that is superb with meat dishes. Excellent during the first year following the vintage. Cooper’s Price: $10.99

Domaine Andron Haut-Médoc 2010 – Domaine Andron is situated in the little village of Saint Seurin de Cadourne (just north of Saint Estèphe and not far from Pauillac) being neighbours of the famous chateau Sociando-Mallet. Three First-Cru vineyards are within 20 minutes away (Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild).

Domaine Andron dates back to the early 19th century. It became a “Cru Bourgeois” in 1892, and has first-rate vineyard with a reputation of the best wines of the Médoc. The domain is located on the famous rumps of Günziennes gravel close to the Gironde River. The soils are on deep sandy loam gravels. The vines are an average age of 42 years.

An extremely sophisticated culture, moderate yields, manual harvest at full maturity followed by careful breeding and vinification have resulted in an exceptional concentrated wine, with finesse and complexity, and was bottled without filtration. 

A large core of dark currant, plum and fig fruit rolled together and inlaid with baker’s chocolate, dark tobacco and loam notes. The long, solid, muscular finish lets the fruit and loam play out nicely. Best from 2014 through 2020. Cooper’s Price $29.99