I realize this post will target down to a smaller audience, and since the wines just arrived a few weeks ago, only some may want to play, even a few. But, I just pulled the cork on one of mine and will enjoy over the next 2-3 days. Would dig seeing a few of the Copain heads join me. I’ll change the title of my post here when I put up my TN tomorrow so if you want to hop into the thread, please do.
FWIW, there are no CT TNs yet on the wine so we can cut some ground and give people a head up of what’s under the cork and the future of the wine.
My bad for not posting notes from the pickup day. Halcon was poured and frankly I thought it was very primary, not showing a lot right now. I might hold off for 6 months or longer to try one.
Joe, do it. We need more conversation around here about wine so consider yourself expanded.
Alan, I have had the bottle open right now for about 90 mins and it is changing all over the place. At first lean and pinot-like, then aromatic and full of bacon fat and rock dust, and now fattening up on the palate and tightening some in the finish. Really fun to watch this change in the glass, which I am done drinking now for the night, as the Ducks are coming on, buddy. BTW, with no notes in CT, waiting 6 months or more doesn’t help us get a baseline for what is supposed to be a heralded vintage. Open one, Mr Rath, add to the discussion. Do it.
Who are these Ducks you speak of? I do not recognize this strange game where grown men propel themselves on ice chasing a small round black object. I’ve heard there is a team that also does this here in the Bay Area. I’m told they help other teams practice, and become better so they can win some kind of “Stanley” award?
Since the Dr Mrs is out tonight, I will be having some more of the Halcon and will post my note while I watch the Kings game. Syrah and hockey, like last night, is the best combo.
Just for Alan, and it’s that time of year anyway, I changed my avatar.
As for the wine, it won’t make it to a 3rd day as I polished it off tonight after work. If this is an indication of the '12 Copain syrahs, I’m going to like these. Next up will be the '12 Hawks Butte, I’ll open that in a few weeks.
2012 Copain Syrah Halcon Vineyard- USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands (4/1/2015)
Opened 90 mins ago, this will be a bottle I drive over 3 days. This opened with a tight and lean coil, pinot-like in tone. With more air, it expands and the aromatic wakes up and shows bacon fat and some of rock dust. With more air, the palate fattens up and shows a deep fruit quality of dark raspberry and blueberry fruit, light olive and a finish of cool minerality. Shows a grapey quality too, pretty fruit laden. FWIW, the listed alc is 12,2% and the wine shows no trace of any wood, booze or jam. Much like new era Copain, this is about balance and texture in the lower register. More tomorrow…so getting at it again a day later, this time paired with some sweet potato fries. Some additional whole cluster appears tonight, mainly in the extra olive, garrigue and potpourri notes that comes through the palate–they season nicely. Like yesterday, this has a cool, zesty and rocky frame that really runs through the entire wine. In fact, and as I have said a lot about the new era Copain syrahs, Wells is really getting these lasered in and in doing so, there is acidity here and you’re not going to find any black fruit at all. This is all about tangy red and blue fruited syrah with terrific depth, cluster signature, an abundance of minerality and it’s going to get better with more time, as the acidity and rocks soften into the wine.
Pop & pour - notes are after about an hour in the glass. Nose is intense, but fresh - dark fruits, smoke, earth, iron/meat, and some briny notes all show up. It’s medium bodied on the palate with lots of red fruits, wet slate, some stems, with plenty of acid present. It’s showing a little primary right now, it will be interesting to watch as it gets some air… Will report back!
OK, Frank, you shamed me into opening one. Been open half an hour, and Joe’s description of the nose is a good one. Yep, quite primary, almost a bit grapey, not picking up much spice or stem element at this point. Will come back to it later after I make some guacamole.
Showing more acidity now, quite strong, but still in balance; structure is emerging, with medium, slightly chalky tannins clamping down on the finish; dark, somewhat restrained boysenberry/pomegranate fruit, hints of green olive and a bit of granite, saline, iodine; some of the primary/grapey character has diminished, but it is obviously still very young. Right now it puts me in mind of Gonon. Alcohol on the label says 12.2, which seems very low. I’ll have to ask Paul when this was picked, and when he picked his own Halcon, because I remember the Halcon Vineyards wine being in the 13s.
Sorry, Frank Pobega. I would play but I only have a few bottles and don’t want to burn one this early. I am very glad to have the notes as a reference, though.
The nose has really blossomed into something quite nice, wow. It’s flushed out on the palate as well, much more integrated when compared to yesterday. It’s pure, bright, and fresh. Should improve for a number of years. Great value.
eeww, fortunately, mine fleshed out on the second night
Actually, not a lot has changed after 24+ hours, there is a lot of acidity, which brightens the wine considerably, and good, brooding dark fruit, the same olive/iodine/pepper notes, and some fine but grippy tannins kicking in on the finish. I’ll have to pick up a couple more, now that my small stash has been diminished by Frank’s prodding
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