As the 2009 Copain syrahs make their way out, here is my first real look at the 2009 HB since I last had it at the winery in 2011. This is solid, very good. Over time, we’ll get some more notes from others and impressions up but here is mine. Thanks for reading.
2009 Copain Syrah Hawks Butte Vineyard- USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands (3/26/2013)
2 years since the last bottle, as this was one of the cuvees that was held back while the 2010s came out first. Just Alan, Mike and I at this stage with previous notes it seems, the Copain heads that we are. I opened this about 30 mins ago, dumped into a big Reidel and let it sit. Since some like to pour and enjoy, I will offer a note from that angle, then another tomorrow and one on the third day, for a full perspective. So to tonight, the aromatics are really about white flower and bacon fat, wafting out together. The palate? Started out a little soft and plush, with lavender and red/black fruit but as it hits air, it is starting to tighten, show more acid and energy. Smoke, cooked meat, juicy blue and red fruit, and some mineral–balanced. I’m guessing this evolves with more air, moreso tomorrow. I’ll check back…Day 2, and before I write further, and likely finish this bottle tonight too, I looked back at my past notes on the other HB vintages to look for consistency of expression across vintage. What words emerge, at least in my own notes, is bacon fat, zesty acidity and black cherry and black raspberry fruit. This too is what shows tonight in this 2009. Whereas the 2007 is more dense and packed, this is more delicate, so like the 2010 in that respect, yet the zesty acidity of the 2005. Juicy tonight, yet a suave texture that with air and as it warms, picks up a cooked game note, too. I suspect this will age softly and gently over the next 3-5 years, as while I don’t find the structure of the 2005 or 2007, I find great balance and even tones. Delicious, but it’s HB so this is what I expect from this plot and it’s here.
Azarenka is a machine, a competitor that I love watching. Hell, I would drink Dietz’s Pontet Canet if I could sit in the first row and watch her crush Williams, Popo and whoever else wanted to challenge her.
Interesting, Frank, to see your various notes on CT covering this wine. You find it light for an HB, while frankly (oops, bad pun), I find it heavy, large-scaled. This is a densely packed, tar-y, earthy wine. Chewy tannins and crisp acid. I wish I was drinking this very yummy wine with a meal rather than the end of a long evening of watching tennis. Just watched Berdych get dismantled by Gasque and Serena annihilate Radwanska. It was ugly. So Serena and Popo are in the finals and I have perfect seats for the battle. Only drinking 1/3 of the HB tonight, so lets see how it fleshes out tomorrow. This wine is not a candidate for pop and pour.
RA Jr, give it time. For me, the wine is what 05 and 10 would be if they merged together. The suave sense of 05 and acid of 10. Tell me tomorrow what you find and then we can volley the subject over the net, (oops, pun intended!).
Frank, great note. Thanks for sharing. Your comment re: “bacon” resonates with me, not because I’ve had this wine, but because I now know what to expect. Thanks again!
Apparently, after a quick review, I seem to have everything but HB in my cellar. But I do have a couple HB bottles…one '07, one '05. I will post when I open one! The notes, and your thoughts on consistency across vintages, are helpful. My wife is a pretty good cook, so I try to hold up my end with the wine pairings. Given the various Cali Syrah styles, knowing that the Copain HB leans towards bacon will make my job easier when the time comes:).
As an aside, do you think that is a consistent impression across the various Copain bottlings? My syrah holdings are centered around Gary’s and James Berry Vyds, and looking back at my notes, they are woefully inadequate.
Ok Frank, this is not a pretty wine. This is a manly syrah. Second day into this baby, and it’s “big”. Maybe I do not drink enough Cali wine to have your lexicon. Big, but balanced. It is not on par with '07, which was much more savory, but I like the scale of this wine. This is a wine to enjoy with a good hearty meal. I’m having a glass right now, after dinner, while stealing a slice of my son’s room-service pizza, which I have to admit, is really quite outstanding. Sun-dried tomatoes, quatro formaggio, and lots of love. Great pairing. I’m sticking my remaining '09 HBs away for some maturing.
I have to say, I freakin’ love syrah. My closest friends know me as a Bdx varietal guy (Bdx and Chinon), but if I am water-boarded, with Serena Williams kicking me in the groin, and Popo pinching my ear-lobe, I come clean: Syrah is my grape. French syrah, Northern Rhone in fact, but there are a few Calis that are getting there. Copain is one of them.
Tomorrow, Popo v. Williams, 6 rows back, mid-court. I’m in heaven.
Jim, I do think there is consistency. Most notably with Brosseau, that will express blue and black raz fruit and rocks/mineral typically, with lively acid. And the other is Hawks, as I described earlier. These are the core of Copain syrah for me, and the other two, one being Halcon, I am still trying to figure out, as with Baker Ranch, as those have yet to convey ‘signature’ but I suspect they will, once I can settle into a few more years with them.
OK, so Jr., how was the match and did you finish the 09.
Killed the last 1/4 bottle today, drinking to console my grief after Popo’s collapse. She won the first set. The traded breaks to 3-3 in the second, then Popo never won another game. These two ladies are giants, literally and figuratively. Their power is breathtaking. I had dream seats. Mid-court, 6 or 7 rows back, perfect vantage. Got lots of great pics. Sharapova is gorgeous. Power, grace and style. Ridiculously competitive. Drinking a crappy Malbec right now following a serious of very good Mojitos.
Thanks for the insights Frank. Looking at it, I’m longest on Copain Gary’s and James Berry. To be honest, I haven’t tried many of them, as I’m fairly new on the list, and the first few I opened seemed a bit young / tight. That being several years ago, it might be time to revisit. I see some '05/'06 stuff that I should probably check in on!
Jim, for a comment, the Garys’ was always made with 100% whole cluster and no new wood so they can be fairly stemmy, at least the 2005 was that way the last time i had it about 18 months ago. It’s been several years since I had a 2006. This cuvee should age well, given the stem content.
For the James Berry, I have drank all of my 2005 and 2006, as both of those cuvees, relative to those starting in 2007, will show higher alcohols. My alcohol comment is contextual, in that Copain’s alcs from this property were lower as compared to other producers of this fruit, so you will find Copain more moderate but still higher, relative to the beauty of 2007 (which is a stunner and nearly impossible to replace now) and ending with the final production in 2009.
I’d start drinking these 2005 and 2006 now if you have them both, to see what you think. As said a # of times previously in other past threads, I am squarely in the camp of the 2007 vintage and beyond, as my palate for Copain’s style changed alongside that of Wells and his shift that really took hold starting in that vintage. All my notes in CT are open for reference to give you one perspective point-- plenrty of them, for sure.
Just popped one of these babies while I’m grillin 'n chillin. An excellent wine for BBQ. Very savory and seems to have fleshed out more from my last poppage.
Funny as I scrolled up through this thread we were having tennis discussions, and here I’ve been watching French Open, and Popo, for much of today (earlier). BTW, I think I was drunk at Post #11.
Happy Memorial Day Everyone! Copain is a great choice for today. Today was a great day for Florida, sunny and breezy. My wife and I have been sitting under a big oak tree in our backyward, lakeside, while the wind keeps us wonderfully cool. The kid is skiiing. The dog is snoozing. I actually dozed off on the cool blades of grass as well. But that was after we shared a bottle of NZ Sav Blanc.
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