Opened tonight about 1.5 hours ago, poured a glass, and left it to get some air until 15 minutes ago or so. I decided to open this tonight for many reasons, not the least of which was my desire to break in my new Lot 18 Schott-Zweissel Congresso Burgundy stems, which ran about $5.50 per (yippee!) and actually look pretty cool.
To the wine: I last tried this about a year ago and love it, but I thought it was a bit tight. Tonight, this is performing exceptionally well. It is a darker garnet color in the glass than I expected, and a bit reticent on the nose still. But the palate impression is silky and almost weightless, delivering penetrating, tart cherry and a mineral component that reminds me of sandstone. Along with all of the flavor, there is plenty of acidity driving this wine making it exciting to drink. Not surprisingly, the stated 13.5% abv is not noticeable here; in fact, there is nothing out of balance about this wine at all. As great as I think this wine is now, I think it has plenty of upside. This is absolutely great Pinot Noir.
It is indeed, Joe. I am just home from work and am revisiting this. Now that the wine has had a chance to soften overnight, its nervous energy has subsided and the intense fruit and mineral flavors are at the forefront. While I think people who unashamedly call themselves members of the AFWE would love this wine (especially on Day 1, when it peaked for me), I also think the wine would appeal to those who enjoy boldly flavored wines. There is much to contemplate here. As much as I have enjoyed the spectrum of Copain wines over the last several years, this one may hold the title of “Best Copain Ever” for me.
Brad, thanks for the note. Joe and I are equally hyped about this wine, and for me, this was my red WOTY for 2011. I had a similar experience to you in that aeration really allowed the beautiful elements of mineral and intensity to come forward as you will see in my note below. I shared this December 2011 bottle with Steve Nordhoff and Andrew Christiansen ove dinner, and we finished the whole thing but the areation experience, while less than yours, is indeed true, This wine will be in a sweet spot in a couple of years and just beautiful. A truly great bottle of pinot noir, from our own CA soil!
2007 Copain Pinot Noir “En Bas” Kiser- USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (12/2/2011)
Taking a drive again with what I had listed as a WOTY candidate before summer. Haven’t had any since. Wine open for about 60 mins, will finish over dinner. Some early impressions. There is a racy kind of richness that propels this wine, kind of a seductive ripeness is the best way to put it. How that seems to manifest for me is that the raspberry quality that sits in the core of this bottle is both expressive and rich, yet also crisp and lean. Framing the richer side is watermelon and a kiss of vanilla, then minerality and dried cherry frame the other side. The finish is primarily the later qualities, with a rocky core, a real distinct minerality and a long, long finish. Then took the bottle to dinner, I had chilled it down some, too. The initial dinner impression was similar, not the ‘wow’ experience. But, as some wine does with aeration, which in this instance was about 4 hours, very nice transformation. What the wine added was a 5 spice aromatic which really lifted the bouquet and then a rasberry rocky-ness. Just a beautfiul finish, and I just knew with my last glass that the wine had maintained its impression from earlier this year. And I believe as exciting for this wine, the structure and fruit elements leave me thinking this wine will get better further. I’ll find more of this, as this is cellar worthy, of class and flare. My red WOTY for 2011, no question.
Here is a refresh on this wine. Last night’s bottle, along with the previous one I had in 2016, tell me this wine is at peak. There are a # of users with this wine still in CT and so my advice to those of you who align with my palate, I’d drink these now and enjoy what’s here. While the 2007s were good early on, they’re peaking now and I’d not wait on them. Both Bas and Haut for Kiser. Thanks for reading.
2007 Copain Pinot Noir “En Bas” Kiser- USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (9/22/2017)
Grabbed this from the cellar and then had the cork break in 1/2. Seemed dry so had to decant this bottle and fish out the pieces. Serving at room temp (69f), along with the splash decant it had to endure, using a burg stem and no food paired. I’m going to add some chill to this for later but for this opening comment, these are the tasting conditions. Some 5 Spice on the aromatic. The palate is pure, fresh, juicy. Mainly blue fruit with an infusion of the black raspberry that is so consistent with the Bas terroir. Structurally, this is still hanging together, with fresh acidity and some river rock tannin to anchor the finish. My hunch is this will soften between now and dinner that is in 3 hours but as of right now, this is drinking spot-on fantastic…with dinner, and after losing the chill, it reflects a softer tone, and the riper aspect of the 2007 vintage. My sense is the wine has reached peak and while very good still, it’s time to drink these. Waiting any longer in my view is going to add nothing more to the wine, other than the remaining fruit dropping out.
Totally agree with your assessment on this wine, Frank. It’s really pleasant and supple. But doubt it’ll gain secondary complexity. Drinking very well and is extremely pleasant.
A friend brought a bottle of this to an afternoon lunch. I know he sourced it from Winebid, FWIW. Over the years, I drank over a case of this wine, and had thought the last 3 bottles I had (late 2017 and 2018) we’re all showing at peak. However, yesterday’s bottle got me to change my mind a bit and revise my thought about the wine running out of time. The bottle we had yesterday was clearly not showing any age or being tired, was wonderful to sip on. I have one left in the cellar and will just let it ride.
2007 Copain Pinot Noir “En Bas” Kiser- USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (8/4/2019)
Well, yesterday’s bottle of this was spot on good. As opposed to the April 2018 bottle where I thought it was time to drink up, the bottle we shared over lunch yesterday was not lacking for energy at all. Some darker fruit, like a blackberry, aided by a tarter red fruit that freshens the wine and gives it both balance and also the energy to really impress me. We did drink it with some chill and where I land now is that if you can drink the vintage of En Bas at this stage a bit cooler, it allows the wine to be sharper and better delineated. I did make a comment a few times across the table to a couple guys drinking with me how wonderful the bottle was drinking now more than a decade since vintage and if this bottle can be replicated in other bottles still to be opened, it can continue to age. A cool mix of some decadence with structure and medium weight.
Tea & violets, beautiful fruit that’s still sweet and a bit tart, quite refreshing. Lovely domestic PN, I don’t get the sense this is close to the end of its enjoyment window.
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