TN: You're Copain...You Probably Think This Song is About You...

[Marshall_Manning]

Thanks for all of your comments! A few things:

So 10 years on with these two wines, you definitely have to be into aged qualities to score them higher

The window of enjoyment will be different per individual based on your desire for the fruit/secondary flavor balance.

Copain Wines, IMO show the best at the dinner table.

I was hoping to find more of those aged, secondary flavors that I really love, but both seemed a little simple and jammy without the tertiary development. I had both wines with dinner and afterwards on two consecutive nights, so the wines were tasted with food for sure.

But as for the Copain, you can imagine how a vintage like that could produce both a ripe impression and a simple wine at the same time. I wouldn’t write off the brand from that period as a whole. 2010 was a difficult vintage.

I wouldn’t say I’m writing them off, Nick. I just have limited disposable income and can’t buy everything I might like, so I try to find producers that have consistency of the qualities that I like.

[larry_schaffer]

Marshall,

I think that there are plenty of folks out there making wines that will continue to age and build up complexity for a long period of time. Check Tom Hill’s and other’s notes on Jaffurs reds, for instance - and they are in that sweet spot price wise for the most part. I would certainly think the Halcon wines may get there - but it still is a relatively young label so time will tell. In all honesty, the challenge is to find things mentioned here on the board at that price point you’re looking for - there are certainly scores of others that would most likely fit the bill to many - Saxum, Kiplinger, Alban (to some) - but these are outside the price range.

I seriously would look towards newer producers who’ve established good track records thus far, including Piedrassasi, perhaps Samsara with Matt Brady at the helm, some of Stolpman’s and Beckmen’s offerings, Paix Sur Terre in Paso . . .

Cheers.

[Marshall_Manning]

I think that there are plenty of folks out there making wines that will continue to age and build up complexity for a long period of time. Check Tom Hill’s and other’s notes on Jaffurs reds, for instance - and they are in that sweet spot price wise for the most part. I would certainly think the Halcon wines may get there - but it still is a relatively young label so time will tell. In all honesty, the challenge is to find things mentioned here on the board at that price point you’re looking for - there are certainly scores of others that would most likely fit the bill to many - Saxum, Kiplinger, Alban (to some) - but these are outside the price range.

I seriously would look towards newer producers who’ve established good track records thus far, including Piedrassasi, perhaps Samsara with Matt Brady at the helm, some of Stolpman’s and Beckmen’s offerings, Paix Sur Terre in Paso . . .

Thanks, Larry. The other issue I have is that I don’t like most “big” wines nor wines with a lot of oak. I like pretty, earthy, clean, complex, soil and acid-driven wines, so while I haven’t had them for a few years, I’ve never liked things like Saxum, Alban, etc. Just too jammy, alcoholic or woody for my palate.

[Jeff_D]

I think I am with you. I bought a bunch of CA syrah and pinot in the 2001 to 2007 vintages (Novy, Siduri, Carlisle, Peay, Arcadian, Copain, Pax). Most have not really changed - mellowed yes, but not evolving into secondary character driven wines and some seem over the hill. The exception that has been very interesting has been Arcadian. I have more sampling to do but this is early look and disappointing in comparison to some similar varietals from the other side of the Atlantic.

[Al_Osterheld]

It must have been 2003. I think that was the year Peter Cargasacchi slept it off under the truck after the hotel backyard party. That was our third and last trip. In '01 my wife came out with me and I behaved.
In '02 if I have my years right I got myself into one fiasco after another including a drunken dropping of a wash rag down the toilet resulting in a 2:00 am call to the motel management when the entire room flooded and capped off with a drunken hold-the-paddle-up Rudy style on a half barrel of Carlisle/Novy syrah. Learning that I could not be trusted, Lynn came back out with me in '03 and that party was a blast. I think the backyard cookout got outlawed not long after that. Sorry for the thread hi-jack. I posted about whether anyone was still buying Copain two weeks ago and got crickets other than a very kind PM by a former buyer.

I think it was 2004 and think I also met you and Marshall at Mel Hill’s Black Oak barbecue and maybe other events that year, and didn’t attend any earlier years. As far as Peter sleeping under his truck, I doubt that’s unique to any year.

-Al

[P_Intag]

Just opened another bottle of old-style Copain Pinot - this time 2003 Hein Vineyard. Absolutely stellar.

2003 Copain Pinot Noir Hein Family Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (5/16/2020)
14.2% abv.
This showed even better than the last bottle. There was no reductive stink on the pop 'n pour. Relatively full-bodied and deep, with a note of oak and enough acidity to keep things in balance. Oak seems more integrated than the last bottle six months ago – still a touch more oakiness than I prefer – but overall very enjoyable. Still plenty of fruit. Based on this bottle, this is in a very good drinking window and can develop even further. I hope my 3rd (last bottle) is in as good of shape as this bottle. Nowhere near past prime for my palate. (90 pts.)