1. Walter Scott – La Combe Verte Chardonnay
Cooper’s Price $28.99
Ken Pahlo’s (the winemaker) approach to Chardonnay pays attention to texture and structure, translating site and vintage. The La Combe Verte is fermented with 100% ambient yeast and full malolactic conversion in large barrels with very little bâtonnage. The wine is lightly fined and filtered prior to bottling to brighten aromatics and give us a polished finish. The result is an illuminating style of chardonnay, showcasing density and precision.
The palate spotlights evolving layers of textures which follow the aromatic notes of lemon blossoms, with the finish offering a subtle mineral and saline character.
2. Vermell Celler Del Roure 2017
Cooper’s Price $14.99
Based on the Monastrell grape, one of the indigenous varieties of Valencia, Vermell also includes smaller portions of Garnacha Tintorera and Mandó in the final blend. Hand harvested, destemmed and fermented by natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks and stone lagars, then aged in amphorae, Vermell showcases the typical dark-fruit flavors and herbal nuances of Monastrell without being overripe, overbearing or overloaded with oak. It is an excellent introduction to the new “old style” of wines being made at Celler del Roure.
3. Division Gamay Noir – Willamett Valley
Cooper’s Price $27.99
Named “Lutte,” which means “fight to overcome” in French, this is a Gamay sourced from a few places throughout the wide Willamette Valley. Most of the fruit (75%) is from the Methven family vineyard in Eola-Amity Hills. The rest is from Redford Wetle (Eola as well) and the Carson vineyard in Dundee Hills. This is an extremely pretty expression of Gamay, with soft notes of black pepper on the nose that mix with plush soft red fruit.
Extraordinarily texturally complex on the palate, with bright yet sumptuous notes of sour cherry and cranberry sauce on the palate, this wine has elegance in spades. A little lighter than medium-bodied, but with fine structure and mouthwatering acidity.
4. Chateau Beaumont Haut-Medoc
Cooper’s Price $26.99
The modern era for Beaumont began in 1986, with the acquisition of the property by the Société Grands Millésimes de France. The new owners found themselves in possession of 105 hectares of vineyard planted on well drained, deep and gravelly soils. The vineyard is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), with 35% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The harvested fruit is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats with three weeks of maceration.
Dense blackberry and raspberry aromas interwoven with cedary new oak athat surfave with aeration (swirling). The palate is medium-bodied with good weight. It dishes out freshness and crisp acidity with savory black fruit
