I like how this 2007 is showing and I was concerned it would be closed down but it’s coming along. If I can recall a wine with red apple skins larger than this, it would be hard to find it. That and the minerals, I think Wells did a fine job here and I’ll keep buying whatever from 2007 is left (but I think next release is the rest of the 2007 syrahs).
2007 Copain Pinot Noir Monument Tree- USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (9/10/2009)
I expected something leaner here but there is at least medium weight, even medium +. Has a fleshiness, big red apple and red fruits, along with the minerality, although the fruit profile has come forward more now to meet the mineral and structure. The finish comes with a spicy element, awash with the red apple skin and tart raspberry. This wine is improving with bottle time so decant well if you wish to get the full picture or allow more bottle time. I’ll keep my remaining 2 laid down until summer next year…as a closing note, with 24 hours of open bottle time, the minerality and struture is really in tact, like it was in June. Finishing tannin and a prominent red apple and getting cranberry today (more than raspberry) but this is hair splitting, as well as some vanilla on the nose. I really like the parts in this wine, the depth of red. Let it age some more and meld together.
I just tasted through the lineup of Copain 2006 pinots and really liked everyone that I tasted, so am glad to hear that the 2007 Monument Tree was also spot on. From the 2006 version that I tasted, I firmly got the sense that this vineyard will age well and I would love to see the wine again with ten years of bottle age, as it is so finely balanced that it should have no trouble cruising along in the cellar. It had really lovely complexity for a young wine and impressive soil tones, and I would love to see how the soil steps out from the background as the puppy fat of young fruit eases back. It was interesting to note that this had the lowest alcohol level of the six pinots that I tasted (13%)- is this typical of the Monument Tree bottling in your experience, or just in 2006? I really like what Wells is doing here and find this one of the most interesting wineries out in California these days to my palate. Have you had the 2006, and how would it compare stylistically with the 2007? Wells had reached out to me as he had read something that I wrote and thought I might really like the direction he is going at Copain these days. I came away mightily impressed.
The '06 Monument Tree was my second favorite of the '06 lineup I tried. Glad to hear the '07 sounds like it’s still on form, I’ll have to keep my eye out for some.
John, I committed to letting my 2006 Copains sit in the cellar. My last tasting of them (mainly the whole lineup) was with Wells in April 2008. Since then, I have bought three packs of most 2006 selections, and will buy mostly all the 2007s. I am not sure I can be specific to your question (unless you asked me about syrah, of course!) but in my opinion, from tasting the wines from barrel and bottle and looking at my notes in CT, the wines are very nice complement to my more riper tasted style that I also buy–for me, new Copain is strawberry, red apple, cranberry, cherry, mineral, kiwi, mostly red spectrum, higher acidity.
Frank…thanks for the note. My wife and I recently tasted the 2007 Monument Tree at the winery. It was easily our favorite. Balance and complexity. A bit of structure that seems to make it interesting young. We also got the spice note, which nicely offset the fruit.
Russ–your avatar gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.
Thanks for the note Frank. I agree that this wine has come together a lot with a little time in bottle. I tasted it again last Saturday at Copain:
2007 Copain Pinot Noir Monument Tree - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; gorgeous roses, spice, dried cherry, berry nose; very tasty and huge tart cherry, spice, dried cherry palate with orange notes; medium-plus finish (94 pts.)
Thank you for adding your impression, Richard. I saw your Copain “pick-up weekend” notes in CT this morning and wondered if you would add some color to my note. I also picked up on an orange peel aspect to the wine but didn’t bother to list it and then I saw your comment about orange notes–we seem to be very synched up on this bottle.
Side note…looks like you enjoyed the 2005 Hawks Butte, too.
Was at Copain today, and have to say this wine was just stellar (though maybe the 07 Kiser En Haut was even better). Will post more when I get things entered in CT.