2017 First Tasting-January 6th & 7th
Ema’s Vineyard White 2015 (Portugal)
Paulo Laureano is one of the leading winemakers in Portugal and his passion for wine led him, along with his family, to build the current business based on 110 hectares of vines in Vidigueira with a further 10 planted in Evora some 50 Km to the north. All the wines are made in the winery in Vidigueira. Wines created exclusively from Portuguese grape varieties! The Vidigueira D.O. is a special terroir in southern Alentejo featuring an uncharacteristic mix of schist in its soil.
Tasting Notes: With inviting aromatics of exotic fruits and citrus zest, this dry white is robust and delicious. Round on the palate, with a weighty mouthfeel, it shows notes of Asian pears, mangosteen, unripe mango and lemon zest. Subtle floral elements of orange blossoms add a delicate femininity to this luscious white. Juicy but well balanced.
Cooper’s Price $16.99
Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Pinot Noir 2014 (Oregon)
During the economic recession of 2001, and Owen Roe’s first couple vintages as a winery, Washington growers were facing hardship in selling their fruit, come harvest time. At Owen Roe, we wanted to help our farming friends and prevent missing out on such well-tended, beautiful fruit. We were presented with the difficult and costly purchasing of grapes to process, cellar and bottle, waiting several months to recover our costs on the finished wine. To overcome this obstacle, we decided to bring back the historical business practice of sharecropping, resulting in the aptly named wine, “Sharecropper’s.” This partnership meant that Owen Roe would take the fruit, make the wine and once it was sold, share the profits with our growers. This remains an important part of our history and due to the success of this wine; we are now able to pay our growers upfront.
Tasting Notes: A bright aroma of sweet strawberries, cranberry and cherry pie filling, this warm vintage Pinot Noir is luscious with flavors of dried herbs, cocoa, vanilla and cola. Black plum and dark fruit notes dance across the palate. The mouthwatering berry notes are well-balanced and enhanced with subtle tannins
Regular Price $22.99
Cooper’s Price $19.99
Wyatt Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (North Coast, California)
Wyatt was born from the idea that delicious, mouth-filling California wines can be hand-crafted at reasonable prices. The goal of Wyatt is simple…to WAY overdeliver for the money. Period! The Wyatt Cabernet Sauvignon comes from select California vineyards, predominantly from North Coast appellations. 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, aged a short time in French oak.
Tasting Notes: rich and forward fruit profile with cherry, cassis and dark stone fruits, while remaining fresh with nice tannic structure.
Cooper’s Price $16.99
Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel 2013 (Sonoma California)
At Ridge we begin with respect for the natural process that transforms fresh grapes into wine, and for the 19th century model of guiding that process with minimal intervention. When you have great vineyards that produce high-quality grapes of distinct, individual character, this approach is not only environmentally and socially responsible, it’s also the best way to consistently make fine wine. We decided to farm organically because we believe it leads to better grapes and higher quality wines. This approach in the vineyard, plus our traditional approach to winemaking, will provide the finest possible wines for our customers. We are honored to have our Monte Bello and Lytton Springs vineyards recognized by the Historic Vineyard Society. The HVS is dedicated to the preservation of California’s historic vineyards and we fully support them in this endeavor.
Tasting Notes:Garnet color; cherry and raspberry fruits, wintergreen, savory herbs, barrel spice; cherry fruit on entry, lively acidity, medium body, smooth tannin texture, gravelly-clay mineral finish.
Cooper’s Price $27.99