Commanderie de la Bargemone, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé 2018 – One of the top estates in the Coteaux d’Aix. A small, fine-wine district within the larger appellation of Provence, Bargemone produces the top-selling Rosé at HPS. With more than 160 acres under vines, 2/3 of the production is dedicated to the dry rosé for which Provence is famous.
Founded by Templar knights in the 13th century, the property was named “Bargemone” after the wealthy Provencal family that owned it for 200 years. It passed from their hands in the 1800’s, with the vineyards finally succumbing to phylloxera ( a root louse that destroys the root system of the vines), ending, temporarily, a proud 800 year tradition of winemaking. In 1973, French industrialist Jean-Pierre Rozan purchased the property, restored the Commanderie and replanted the vineyards. Production was up to 50,000 cases/year when Jean-Pierre passed away in 2006, and a controlling interest in the vineyards and winery was sold to current owners Christian and Marina Garin (both from local Provencal families).
Kevin’s Note: The aromatics will make your mouth water.
Regular Price $22.99 Cooper’s Price $19.99
DaTerra Viticultores, Portela do Vento – About DaTerra Viticultores. For almost a decade, Laura Lorenzo was the winemaker and viticulturist at the venerable Dominio do Bibei. In 2014, she struck out on her own with her project, DaTerra Viticultores, and now works about 4.5 ha – 10 acres – organically in the Val do Bibei‐Quiroga subzone of Ribeira Sacra.
“No one has seen a woman like this in the vines of Galicia, and I’m not sure they’re ready for her.” -Alice Feiring.
Alice Feiring is an American journalist and author, and a wine and travel columnist for Time magazine. She is known as an advocate for “natural wine”.
Portela do Vento comes from several south-facing parcels of Mencía and Garnacha Tintorera in the Amandi and Quiroga-Bibei subzones. The grapes are harvested from 30+ degree sloped vineyards!! Harvested by hand in late September, 80% de-stemmed and fermented with wild yeasts in steel vats and aged in used barrels. This is Laura’s “glou-glou” wine = a wine that is incredibly drinkable, fun, and never stuffy. It’s a wine that she loves to share with her American friends. Fresh and easy-drinking, it is very versatile with a wide variety of foods…or straight from the porrón (a glass wine pitcher)!
Kevin’s Notes: I will buy every wine made by Laura Lorenzo that comes my way, because I so badly wish to share her wines with my customers! Why, you ask? Laura makes some of the most PURE wines, I have ever tasted. She is a true naturalist in the vineyard, allowing the “terruño” to really showcase itself in her wines. The soft, lush character of this offering, displays beautiful red fruit flavors with soft tannins, while carrying low alcohol. This wine is simply fun to drink, and a true one-of-a-kind! One of my favorite winemakers!
Regular $34.99 Cooper’s Price $29.99
San Gregorio Tres Ojos Old Vine Garnacha – Aragon, Spain – This wine has a dark red color with a bouquet of red raspberries, spice and white pepper. The palate is incredibly concentrated and rich. The modern styles of Garnacha in Spain are continuously being perceived worldwide as wines of extraordinarily good quality. This wine is fruity, juicy and shows a great depth, ripe tannins, length, but with wonderful elegance and lightness.
Wine Education – Aragon is one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain. Located in the country’s north, it stretches from the imposing Pyrenees mountains south to the expansive central Iberian plateau. Calatayud is a sub-appellation in the southwest part Aragon, northern Spain. It is located about 55 miles (90km) from the provincial capital, Zaragoza.
Kevin’s Notes: If I were still a wholesale wine buyer in Atlanta, I would buy 5,000 cases of this a year.
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Cooper’s Price $11.99
Anna Maria Abbona Dolcetto Dogliani – The quality of Dolcetto from the village of Dogliani has been skyrocketing in the last few years, and Anna Maria’s work is a good example of this. Her oldest vines were planted by her grandfather in the ’30s, and the vineyards are steep and perfectly exposed. More recently she has become a convert to the doctrine of low yields, and she has joined the elite of Dogliani. First, understand that producers in Dogliani take Dolcetto as seriously as producers in Barolo take Nebbiolo. Dolcetto is planted in all the best sites and vinified with great care, which is not always the case with Dolcetto d’Alba. Second, understand that Dolcetto is not the Beaujolais of Italy. The best modern Dolcettos have an inky color, lashings of blueberry fruit, and tannins to match. In fact, the concentration of top Dogliani wines has reached a point where the tannins need to be carefully managed to be pleasant.
The Wine is violet-tinged deep purple; a very inviting color. It smells of violets, Assam tealeaves, and blueberries, and it is a mouth-filling, deep, substantial wine to drink. The fruit comes from very old vines planted in the ’30s, and it is fermented and aged in stainless steel.
Kevin’s Notes: This is the best Dolcetto I have tasted in 3 years – its mind blowing rich and complex!
Cooper’s Price $24.99
