2017 Coopersmith Pinot Noir (1.5L Magnum)

Winemaker's Comments

This designate, named after my husband, Ken, became a favorite with customers almost as soon as it was first released. Like Ken, the wines are generous and full-bodied, reflecting their UCD37 heritage and terroir, grown here on the sandy Laguna Ridge in Sebastopol. To hold the vigor of the vines in check, the vineyard is farmed without tilling the soil. This allows carbon dioxide to remain sequestered — a real contribution to supporting our environment in this time of climate chaos.

The trademark aroma of this luscious Pinot greets us — a profuse mélange of deep, dark fruit highlighted with rich cocoa powder and chocolate. Blackberry preserves, cassis and dark cherry are complemented with black tea, a bit of tar and a hint of roses. Toasty François Frères oak is another signature as this wine chose this cooperage upon its first christening in barrel in 2004. The effect is a pronounced savory aspect of charcuterie and bacon.

A showy, expressive Pinot, it has broad, succulent tannins and good acid balance. Cocoa resurfaces and lingers on the finish. This is a powerhouse wine that will release its energy over a long lifetime in bottle.

Please enjoy this recipe for Merry’s Crispy Oven Baked Chicken. The skin gets nice and crispy while the sweet potatoes remain moist and succulent. I also make this substituting heritage potatoes from our garden. The juicy chicken and earthiness of the dish are a nice accompaniment to our Coopersmith Pinot. Ken’s Idaho roots also make this an appropriate pairing.

Critical Acclaim

94 points

"Perfumed aromas of rose and lavender lead the nose of this wine. It shows ample power, density and structure, with flavors of chocolate-covered strawberry and cherry that are cradled with toasted oak."

Virginie Boone, Wine Enthusiast, December 2019

94 points

"Deep ruby color; silky texture and smooth flavors of cherry plus a note of vanilla; tangy, but lush and savory; from a vineyard Merry owns with her husband."

Anthony Dias Blue, Blue Lifestyle, May 2019

93 points

"At this point impressing far more for its substance and size than it does for any evident finesse, this very deep, well-extracted youngster is lavishly appointed with fully ripe blackberry fruit and makes up in sheer richness for what it presently lacks in refinement. It has lots of flesh on its ample structural bones, and, as it is uncommonly energetic and long on stamina for the weighty and mouthfilling wine that it is, it comes with great expectations for a long life. Look for it to gain in polish over the next four or five years, and expect it to be in very fine shape a full decade out."

Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wines, November 2019

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