TN: 2004 Copain Pinot Noir Hein Family Vineyard, Anderson valley. Uninteresting. Just a touch hot on the backend the way a Chateauneuf can be – already not exactly what I want in my pinot. Maturing pinot fruit – nice – but without real nuance. A touch cloying on the end even. Light on the palate, which I like, but still overdone and lacking the acid to make you want more. Stored properly since release. Bummer. Where do I go for a refund? $55. 85 points.
Not to be the Copain apologist, but that was a 2004 (biggest, ripest CA pinot vintage ever), and it was before Wells’s highly celebrated style change.
I had a 2007 Kiser En Bas on Saturday, and it was one of the best California pinots I’ve had in a long time. I followed that up with a 2009 Wentzel on Sunday, and that was terrific as well.
Not sure about a change of style - I would certainly hope so, and I hope it was dramatic.
Starting with the 2006 vintage, Wells dialed back big time and that metamorphosis has continued to this day.
TTT
Not just “dialing back,” which was part of it, but more importantly focusing on vineyards which produced the kind of fruit he wanted, to achieve the desired style of wine. Though there’s certainly leeway in picking decisions, you can’t just say “I’m going to pick vineyard XYZ 5 brix lower to make the wine I want”. All the Pinot vineyards are now in Mendocino, for example.
We’re muddling the story slightly, it was Syrah that he was making from all over - SBC, SLH, Paso, etc. Starting in 2007 he began limiting sourcing to only Mendo county except for the Brosseau from Chalone.
From his first vintage in 1999, Wells always made only Anderson Valley pinot. The only exception I was aware of was the 2007 Clos Pepe pinot, however I just checked CT and it looks like he released an estate wine (RRV) in 2011. I was completely unaware of that one, but I have not been a customer since the 2009 vintage.
He did start focusing more on preferred vineyards, and I believe wanted more control of the farming as well. And I remember they bought at least one vineyard, but I don’t recall which one.
His comments at the time of the changes were that he did not like how his wines were aging - at least that was what was reported in the press. I took that as a cue to drink up or sell what I had of the older wines. 2004 was the last vintage for Hein. I had my last bottle in mid 2011. My sketchy note was of a bigger, rich wine, but I didn’t notice any heat. But with lowish acidity and 3 more years for the fruit to fade i’m guessing the alcohol could have become more prominent.
I do have a bottle 2004 Kiser En Bas left, i’ll have to open it soon as an experiment.
Perhaps. Perhaps not. What are Copain’s alcohol levels on his “new regime”?
You are absolutely right, my error in muddying the waters. My favorite Copain wines are the Syrahs, so I tend to have those more in mind. Any way you look at it, the style changed via both vineyard and picking choices starting in 2007, so anything before that vintage is probably not reflective of the current house style (and even then it took a few years to really dial things in).
Grapes o’ Rath,
When you say the style changed in 2007, I assume you mean the 2006 vintage was actually the first vintage under the new winemaking philosophy.
TTT
Even with my glasses I seem to be unable to read the alcohol levels on the bottles.
I have never seen them printed smaller, and I wonder how it can be legal.
When I have been able to make them out with a magnifying glass I think they’ve all been under 14% with some under 13. But again the last vintage I own is 2009, so someone else may have a better answer.
Others will have better info i’m sure, but I recall the Pinot approach being adjusted in 2006, and Syrah in 2007. I’m guessing this had to do with crop commitments for the vintage since the syrah change involved changing regions/vineyards much more than the pinot.
The 2004 Hein says 14.4%.
Your recollection is better than mine, your TTT-ness 