1. Asnella Single Vineyard Vinho Verde

Cooper’s Price $15.99

Kevin’s Notes:  Rarely, do you find a Single Vineyard Vinho Verde.  The literal translation for Vinho Verde is “Green Wine”.  Oddly however, Vinho Verde is not a grape or wine, it’s a region!  It is a well-known DOC in the Minho region of north-western Portugal, but what does DOC mean for Portuguese winemaking ad why is it important?

Education: There are 3 levels of wine quality in Portugal; DOC (or DOP): DOC stands for Denominação de Origen Controlada and means the wine comes from a strictly defined geographical area with recommended and permitted grapes and maximum vine yields (tons per acre) to control quality.

Why do most Vinho Verde have very little bubbles?  Many of the Vinho Verde wines have a light fizz that can be extremely refreshing. Originally, this occurred when carbon dioxide, which is a natural byproduct of fermentation, was trapped inside the freshly fermented wine during bottling. Today, winemakers may add it through a boost of carbon dioxide, because they know that drinkers abroad have come to associate Vinho Verde with light bubbles.

Taste:  First of all, this wine has a very light fizz and it occurs naturally.  The grapes are 60% Arnito and 40% Loureio.  The fruit in this Vinho Verde is much bolder and has a very long finish.  It’s outstanding!!  They only made 340 cases!!!!

2. Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau, Macon Villages Clos St. Pancras 2017

Cooper’s Price $21.99

Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau is a small estate run by two talented winemakers, Frantz Chagnoleau and his wife Caroline Gon (winemaker at H. du Comte Lafon.) Frantz graduated with a degree in Oenology from Bordeaux University in 2004 and cut his teeth working for Olivier Merlin in the Mâconnais. Caroline holds two degrees in agricultural engineering and oenology.

Critics and people of Burgundy call this dynamic duo as one of the most talented teams in all of Burgundy, farming the old-fashioned way and making micro-quantities of single vineyard White Burgundy from some of the finest Chardonnay terrior in the world.

Education:  What is “terrior”?  Terroir is how a particular region’s climate, soils and aspect (terrain) affect the taste of wine. Some regions are said to have more ‘terroir’ than others. Example: Palisade Peaches and Olathe Corn.

More  Education:  Mâcon-Villages is an appellation for dry white wines made from the Chardonnay grape. These are produced in selected communes of the Mâconnais wine area of southern Burgundy. This wine is rarely found in the U.S.

3. Terres Dorées, Beaujolais Rosé d’Folie 2018

Cooper’s Price $18.99

100% Gamay from vineyards across Jean-Paul Brun’s Beuajolais organically-grown holdings. Fermented and aged in concrete.

Taste: Jean-Paul Brun releases small quantities of this Beaujolais rosé each year.  Due to its organic growing conditions, the fruit is vibrant and explosive with fresh strawberries and minerality throughout the finish.

Education:  Beaujolais is an important wine region of eastern France, famous for its vibrant, fruity red wines made from Gamay. It is located immediately south of Burgundy.  The widespread plantings of Gamay here make Beaujolais one of the few regions of the world to be so focused on a single grape variety.

More Education:  You may have heard me say this in the past, “All wine gets its color from the skin of the grapes.  This includes white wine as well.”  If you pull a bunch of Cabernet grapes from a vine, and squish them in in your hand, the juice will come out clear like 7up.  Roses are made from red and purple grapes, but they are rose in color because they see little skin contact and they are fermented dry. 

4. Smockshop Band Spring Ephemeral Grenache – Columbia Gorge, Oregon 

Cooper’s Price $37.98

This is from a 10 acre site that we farm where the Gorge transitions to desert. The Grenache is planted on the banks of the Columbia in deep sand with basalt cobbles. It was fermented whole cluster in open top wooden vats and tread by foot once a day. After fermentation it was pressed directly to barrel via gravity with a basket press. The wine was bottled after 8 months of aging on the lees. 

The wine is sun warmed, very pale in color and emphatically aromatic. The kind of Grenache that reminds one of Pinot Noir, but with an entirely different set of aromas. It smells like being in a field of flowering herbs. At first the aroma of desert sage is overwhelming. It surrounds one. And then the other herbs emerge, lavender, chocolate mint, yerba buena and yarrow. As the wine sits in the glass those primal aromas transform into some sort of romantic flower. The kind you get in a bouquet, but from the desert. There are fruits of course: josta berries, strawberries and currants, all perfectly ripe, and picked in full-sun at the end of the day. The wine offers all the textural sensations that can only be conveyed by Grenache. It is totally round, sensual and enveloping, but also pale and weightless. Its is fresh, but just enough to give the barest sense of shape. There is no strident acidity to spoil the sense of warmth and gentleness. It is a red of pure summer and perfect for the foods consumed in the peak of the garden season.  

1. Smockshop Band Rose of Zinfandel 2018

$29.99

Kevin’s Notes:  This is my FAVORITE Rose!  This is a delicious dry fruit bomb with flavors of cranberry and blood orange backed with a tantalizing texture and long finish.  This NOT white Zinfandel from the 80’ and 90’s.  It’s a taste profile I have never experienced, but I should not be surprised as it’s a creation of winemaker/owner Nate Ready.  

After receiving his Master Sommelier certification, Nate worked at Frasca in Boulder and the infamous French Laundry in Napa Valley.  Once he realized winemaking was his dream and passion, Nate worked at wineries throughout Europe and the U.S before starting Hiyu and Smockshop.  Hiyu wines come from Estate vineyards while Smockshop grapes are purchased.

His wines are organic and/or biodynamic.  His rows of vines will commonly be a blend of mixed grape varieties and he co-ferments many grapes at the same time.  This wine, like all of his wines, is very limited.  This wine comes out of a 1.8 acre plot.

2. Moulin de Gassac Guilhem White 2016

Regular $12.99 Now $10.99

40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Terret Blanc.

Mas de Daumas Gassac was founded in 1970 by Véronique and Aimé Guibert, and at the time they didn’t necessarily intend on planting vines and making wine. They had bought the property simply because they were enchanted by the beautiful Gassac Valley.

But when their friend, Bordeaux University geologist Henri Enjalbert, visited the estate he had no doubt: the cool micro-climate and perfectly drained gravelly terroir could produce world-class wines. 

The land here was manually farmed for hundreds of years before the family settled in the valley, and the soil has never suffered from the destructive use of chemical fertilizers. The Guiberts have drawn on that ancient tradition, farming organically, harvesting by hand, and sparing no effort to respect nature.

Taste:  A bright, lively wine with crisp acidity, and powerful, fruity aromatics. Medium bodied with flavors of apple, pear and a touch of minerality.  Pairings: Linguine with pesto, chicken sandwiches, seared scallops, green salads. 

3. Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Red 2016

Regular $12.99 Now $10.99

A Mediterranean blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 30% Carignan. 100% De-stemmed. All grape varieties mixed together for maceration and fermentation. Maceration for 10-12 days. Aged 6-7 months in stainless steel.

What is Maceration? Simply put maceration is the process of soaking crushed grapes, seeds, and stems in a wine must to extract color and aroma compounds as well as tannins. This is where red wines get their color and tannins and it is the lack of maceration that makes white wines so light in color and nearly tannin free.

Cold-soaking: When extended maceration is used on unfermented grape juice.

Extended Maceration: When extended maceration is used after the grapes have been fermented into wine.

Kevin’s Notes: These wines are incredible values and should be considered for case purchases as this cost is temporary.

4. Chateau Aney Haut-Medoc Bordeaux 2015

$29.99

Château Aney was built in 1850 by the family that gave it its name, just five years before the wine classification system was initiated in Bordeaux. The domaine thrived and earned Cru Bourgeois status, but by the mid-twentieth century the land was no longer being farmed and the château had fallen into disrepair. In 1972 Jean Raimond and his son, Pierre, bought the property, rehabilitated the vineyards, and refurbished the winery and cellars. This marked a new era for Château Aney; which fittingly achieved Cru Bourgeois status for a second time in 1978. Today Pierre runs the estate along with his son, David. 

This left-bank château lies strategically between St-Julien and Margaux, at the epicenter of the great wines of the region where the terroir imparts exceptional quality and provides ideal growing conditions. The warm summer sun is tempered by the cool breezes of the Garonne River, and round, polished, gravelly, river stones cover the vineyard. Throughout the day the sun warms these stones, which gradually redistribute the heat to the vines, protecting them against springtime frosts and helping the grapes along towards full maturation in the autumn. 

The final blend of the wine matches the proportions in which they are planted throughout the thirty hectares of vineyards: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. This traditional Haut Médoc is more like what you might remember of the classic Bordeaux styles of the 1960s and 1970s. Not at all cloaked in new wood or over-extracted tannins, Château Aney’s wines have finesse and balance.  2015 is considered an OUTSTANDING vintage!

Crowley Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2017

Cooper’s Price $25.99

Crowley Wines only produces 2,500 cases annually. Their small size allows for a hands-on approach from vineyard to barrel. They visit each vineyard site throughout the year and work closely with their growers to achieve a natural balance in the grapes. At harvest, freshness, lower alcohols, flavor and acidity are the touchstones of their picking decisions.

“Our friends and growers are committed to non-irrigated and low impact farming. We are members of the Deep Roots Coalition and our primary vineyard sources are LIVE certified or certified organic. “

Kevin’s Notes:  This wine is too inexpensive for the quality in the bottle.  Aromatics of unripe peach, apple and pear skins leap from the glass.  This causes you to salivate instantly as if you walked into a smoked bacon parlor.  The fruit is vibrant and very refreshing to the palate.  Your palate will NOT tire with this Chardonnay as the acidity is plentiful.  This is one of the TOP 5 white wines I have tasted this year.  Unlike most Chardonnay’s, this beauty can work with or without food.  Quite simply it is outstanding and unfortunately they make very little – less than 200 cases were produced.

Tribute to Grace Grenache Rose Highlands Vyd, Santa Barbara, CA 2018

Cooper’s Price $24.99  Only 3 cases available!!

A Tribute To Grace Wine Company is dedicated to crafting authentic expressions of Grenache. All wines are single-vineyard sourced to maintain authenticity, and remain 100% Grenache.

Angela Osborne is a New Zealand born winemaker, who moved to California in 2006 with the dream of making Grenache. In 2007 she sourced her first Grenache fruit from the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard. Nestled high above the Pacific Ocean and 33 miles inland, this high-desert vineyard provided the perfect balance of heat and light she sought. She chose to name her label after two of her favorite things: her Grandmother Grace, and her most beloved attribute.

Wine Making-half of the clusters were gently pressed to tank, the other half foot-stomped and left on their skins for 24 hours, before joining the direct-pressed juice. 

Kevin’s Notes:  Besides making “Tribute to Grace” wines, she also make wines for other wineries.  Why?  Because she’ that good!  This is also a great rose because it is a single vineyard from Santa Barbara. 

Fosso Corno Aires Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Regular Price $16.99 Cooper’s Price $13.99

The Biscardo family owns Fosso Corno and has been producing wine since 1897. Today the estate is solely dedicated to Montepulciano vines. While Abruzzo is dominated by very large, low quality COOP’s and commercial wineries, the Biscardo family is slowly building a name for quality Montepulciano. Aires is produced from 100% Montepulciano grapes from the region Abruzzo on the Central-East Coast of Italy.

The harvest takes place in the period from the end of September to mid October. Maceration for a maximum of ten days, in steel fermenting vats. The wine is then put in steel for about 4 months for the ageing process. Finally it is kept bottled for a short while before being put on sale.

Aires is a young and immediately drinkable wine. Delicate aromas of plum and morello cherry on the nose, robust and full-bodied in the mouth, slightly tannin-rich with a dry flavoursome aftertaste. 

Sierra Cantabria Seleccion Rioja 2017

Regular Price $17.99 Cooper’s Price $14.99

Bodegas Sierra Cantabria was founded by Guillermo Eguren, a self-made bodeguero, who was, in the family tradition, a viticulturist. His family, native to San Vicente de La Sonsierra, one of the most sought after terroirs in Rioja, had grown grapes in Rioja Alavesa since the 1870’s. For decades the family sold their grapes to local producers, but Guillermo recognized the potential that his family’s vineyards had to create great wine, and founded Bodegas Sierra Cantabria in 1957. 

Today, the family still prides themselves as viticulturists first, and as a result, all of the grapes are estate grown, and they do not source fruit from any third party source. As viticulturists in Rioja Alavesa, they grow a vast majority of Tempranillo, with only a small percentage of Garnacha and Graciano.

Kevin’s Notes:  The expansion of planting any further grape vines has ended in Rioja.  Consequently, winemakers will have to begin paying more for grapes they buy from growers so Rioja wines are going up in price, but this will not be the case as Eguren family owns almost all of their vineyards.  This wine is a terrific full-bodied Tempranillo with a hint of oak.  Great for the BBQ. 

1. HugelWeine Gruner Veltliner, Austria 2018

This is a young family-run winery located in the  northeast of Austria, in Ketzelsdorf-Poysdorf. The owners Sylvia and Martin Hugl aim to produce fruity, full-bodied wines that are typical of the region and the soils. They use of the experience of their parents and combine it with their know-how to create high-quality wines. Grüner Veltliner represents about 70 % of the winery’s vineyards. 

Education:  Grüner means “green”, which reflects the variety’s yellow-green berries that typifies Grüner Veltliner.  Veltliner – a name shared by several European grape varieties – is thought to be a reference to the varieties’ possible origins in Valtellina.  Valtellina is an alpine valley in the far northern region of Lombardy, Italy where it has been producing wine for over 2000 years.

Taste Profile:  This is an intense and concentrated wine offering pleasant citrus and grapefruit aromas, exotic tropical fruits with a hint of freshly ground white pepper; it is full-bodied with a firm mineral backbone, giving it the strength of character to work well with many cuisines.

Cooper’s Price $14.99

2. Division Villages Rose of Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley 2018

Division Winemaking Company is Portland, Oregon based urban winery founded in 2010 by Kate Norris and Thomas Monroe. Inspired by the wineries of Loire, Beaujolais, Burgundy, and the Northern Rhône in France (where they first learned winemaking and viticulture).  Tom and Kate have a passion to work with organic and/or biodynamic vineyards.  Division Winemaking Company represents a new generation of winemakers that are looking beyond the status quo to create unique styles of wine, with a purpose, a story and without barriers.

Education:  Gamay (Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc in full) is a grape variety that is most famous for producing the light, fruit-driven red wines of Beaujolais.  It arrived there (most likely from Germany) in the 14th Century and initially received an unenthusiastic welcome. The ruling dukes of Burgundy, France even tried to outlaw the variety, distrustful of its unfamiliar taste and texture.  

Cooper’s Price $18.99

3. Valravn Sonoma County Cabernet 2017

Owner Baron Ziegler began buying Bordeaux futures at the age of 15, the sale of which later funded the down payment for a Boston condo while in college at Boston University. At 18 he was hired by Food & Wine Magazine’s 2012 “Top Sommelier” Peter Eastlake, to work in his wine retail shop where he worked “under the radar” for three years. By 21, he was managing three stores and purchasing wines by the container. Baron deferred medical school to work for award-winning wine importer, Eric Solomon. After five years, he took over the role of national sales director, where he ran all aspects of sales for the next five years. Baron moved to California in 2007, two years later Banshee Wines became a reality followed by Averaen (Oregon), Valravn (Sonoma) and Requiem (Washington).

Taste Profile:  100% Cabernet – “Refined and well defined with a lovely play of savory and sweet. Cassis, black cherry and blackberry fruit is accompanied by opulent notes of dark chocolate, espresso roast, and graphite. Silky tannins with amazing richness on the palate.”

Kevin’s Notes:  I worked with Baron Ziegler for three years buying multiple containers directly from Spain to the tone of 12,000 cases a year.  Consequently, I am not surprised at the stunning quality and the over-the-top value of this Cabernet. 

Cooper’s Price $29.99

4. Clos Pons Jan Syrah/Grenache, Costers del Segre, Spain

Education:  Costers del Segre is a DO (Denominación de Origen) wine region located in Catalonia, on the north-eastern coast of Spain. The name means ‘Banks of the Segre’ – a river which originates in the Pyrenees mountain ranges.

Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan and Cataluña in Spanish) is an autonomous community in the north-east of Spain.  The capital of Catalonia is bustling Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain and home to one of the biggest ports on the Mediterranean Sea.

Kevin’s Notes:  For quite some time, I’ve been searching for outstanding Spanish reds for the money and this is one of them.  This a full-bodied, rich red wine with integrated North African spices.

Great wine for the BBQ, Mediterranean foods, and lamb – Tremendous Value!  

Cooper’s Price $14.99

April 26th, 2019 

6 Bar California Methode Champenoise Brut

Education:  Methode Champenoise, also known as Methode Traditionelle, is the conventional method used in the Champagne region of France to produce sparkling wine. It’s a labor-intensive process whereby wine undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the bottle, creating bubbles. “Brut” is a term applied to the driest sparkling wines. Brut wines contain less residual sugar than those labeled dry or extra dry. Extra Brut denotes a wine that’s extremely dry, sometimes totally dry, and may called Brut Nature or Brut Integral.

This wine:  6 Bar refers to the amount of pressure the cork is under, which means that it can fly out at speeds up to 60mph! 

Varietals:Traditional Champagne varietals.(Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier)

Profile:  Bright aromas of bread dough and white fruit, smooth mousse-like flavors, and a tingling finish.

Regular $16.99 Cooper’s Price $12.99 

Chateau de la Font du Loup Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2017

Education:  What is Chateauneuf-du-Pape? It is one of the most renowned appellations of the southern part in the Rhône Valley. The name literally translates to “new castle of the Pope”, which originates when the Pope moved to Avignon in 1309. The move was due to issues between the King of France and the Papacy. 8 different Popes served in Avignon, and the Papacy remained in Chateauneuf du Pape until 1378.

The wine:  The vineyards are nearly pure sand, and at one of the highest altitudes (cooler climate) within the region, which lends itself to a wine of high spirit and elegance.

Varietals:  Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette and Bourboulenc. 

Profile:  Aromas of toasted almonds and brown butter, hints of yellow flowers and forest floor. The texture is intriguingly viscous, yet structured, with great weight. This wine will benefit from a little decanting or just let it open up in your glass. 

Cooper’s Price $49.99

Orchard Lane New Zealand Pinot Noir

Education:  In past centuries the Māori people hunted Moa (large flightless birds) here and cultivated vast Kumara crops in the year round sunshine. Early European settlers established New Zealand’s pastoral industry on the fertile rolling hills of the river valleys. In 1873, long before the modern day vintners recognized the extraordinary potential of the region, pioneering Scottish farmer and grape grower David Herd, planted Marlborough’s first vineyard. It was to be another 100 years before that vision took root with the development of viticulture in Marlborough on a commercial scale.

The wine:  Small batch fermented from hand harvested fruit. 100% Pinot Noir.

Profile:  The wine is gently lifted on the nose displaying red/black cherry, game and mixed spice characters. The palate is juicy and bright with smooth texture and soft tannins, making the finish silky and appealing.

Cooper’s Price $18.99

Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico

Education:  Chianti Classico is a DOCG in Tuscany, a region that has been making wine for over 3000 years. The expression “Classico” suggests this region is the origin of the primary Chianti grape, Sangiovese. DOCG = Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita. In 1980 the Italian wine board took quality control even one step beyond the regular DOC, creating DOCG. The G means the wine was submitted to governmental controlled tasting panel and they absolutely guarantee the stylistic authenticity of a wine. DOCG wines make up only 1-3% of all Italian wine produced. The wines must be at least 80% Sangiovese, the remaining 20% being other grapes, including native, Canaiolo and Colorino, as well as other international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The wine:  198 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards of which, only 88, are Chianti Classico. This winery has been in existence since the middle ages.

Varietals: 90% Sangiovese 10% Merlot

Profile:  Genuine and characteristic expression of Sangiovese. Ruby red color, intense and dense. The nose is wild fruit, sour cherry, dried herbs and leather. Dry decisive flavor, balanced by the delicate sweetness of the French oak barrel.

Regular $22 Cooper’s Price $19.99