Last saturday my buddy Jürgen Klucken invited to a Copa Santa-Vertical with almost all vintages ever produced (3 corked bottles!)
The tasting clearly proved that these wines from the south could age such well, especially 95,96,98. Chapeau, the winemaker Pierre Clavel never increased the price. Year in and year out only 12 Euro in Germany which is a terrific QPR. Disappointing was the high cork rate and I am not a fan of change in style after the vintage 2000, as I miss the wild notes from garrique and stable.
2007 Cascaille
Simply structured white wine with flavors dried flowers, white blossoms, fennel and herbs. Nice spice and a good food-wine when you stay in the south with grilled fish.
1995 Copa Santa
Lovely wild perfume of garrique, chocolate, fruit in rum and horse stable. Animal, meaty on the palate with a lustful, warm, sweet fruit like Mon Chéri. In good shape and offers a lot of drinking pleasure with its rustic elegance. A bit like an aged Bordeaux according to my friends. A Cuvée of 80-90% Syrah and the rest Grenache.
1997 Copa Santa
A nose wine! Floral velvety bouquet like a Cote-Rotie…WOW.
Unfortunately quite short on the palate and harsh, dry, tannic.
Disappointing.
1996 Copa Santa
The best Copa Santa of the night! Shy nose, but unbelievable slim, fresh and subtle on the palate. Shows a cool stilistic, finesse and such young. Good years ahead with notes of black chocolate and black cherry (Mon Chèri). This ´96 clearly proves that these wines from the south could age very well. BRAVO
1999 Copa Santa
Quite tannic and harsh. A lot of Coca-Cola flavors, too much new oak. Not good.
2000 Copa Santa
Bombastic ripe fruit and lacks of structure. I miss the rustic charme and flavors of garrique&horse stable of the 80s. A change of style! Too polished and in a certain way “modern” made.
2000 Fondreche Cuvée Persia
Solid wine with our first dish. Cool structured with a fine spice and a certain elegance. Don´t touch my heart.
2000 Calage
Here we have the luxury cuvée of Copa Santa and only made in good years. Seductive perfume. Concentrated flavor profile of fruit in rum and very, very quaffable. YUM, YUM
2000 Gourt de Mautens
Another food-wine. Clearly much more finesse at the beginning than a Copa Santa. On the other hand offers no drinking pleasure and quite flat on the mid palate. Too intelectuel style. Doesn´t convince me.
2001 Gourt de Mautens
Superb… WOTN
Shows everything what an outstanding wine should have with notes of strawberry from the wood and tar. Rhone meets Burgundy!
2004 Copa Santa
Horrible fruit&oak bomb. Too modern and boring. But it seems I was wrong, as all my friends liked it and doesn´t share my view. It seems my palate and head was already in the kitchen making the main dish.
2005 Copa Santa
No reliable notes, as I was cooking.
2006 Copa Santa
Much more freshness&finesse than the 04&05. Slim structured and with good tannins. A little bit too polished and pleasing. Otherwise well-made and I am quite curious how this wine will develop in the coming years.
2007 Copa Santa
A real fruitbomb! No surprise at this stage. Big, big potential and maybe the best Copa Santa ever made. BUY
1998 Copa Santa
Delicious opulent juice! Voluptuous, hedonistic flavors of prune with a good structure. Drink it now.
2003 Copa Santa
Surprise, suprise, quite fresh&slim for this hot year. Nobody thought these wines could develop such lovely. I am really puzzled. Normally these from 2003 are too alcoholic and broad.
1985 Mas de Daumas Gassac
A real star from the south. Very noble performance with some dry tannins in the finish. A bit shy and a wine you have to spend some time with. Really not an easy-drinking wine and reminds on a fantastic `82 a few years ago.
2001 Ch. Rieussec Sauternes
LECKER