cooper and thief red wine blend 2016 review

#COOPER AND THIEF RED WINE BLEND 2016 REVIEW FULL#

At no point does it disappoint but instead it delivers. It combines the smokiness of the bourbon barrels, in which it has been aged for a period of 3 months, with the aromatic youthfulness of the Merlot and Zinfandel grapes used in the blend. RatingĬooper & Thief Red Blend wine is a one-of-a-kind Californian Merlot-based red blend. In other words, it has a finish that leaves little to desire, apart from wondering why the wine bottle is already empty. The smoke flavor is ever-present as well as the feeling of cooked black fruits and vanilla-scented plum jam. With a long lingering but sweetish finish, Cooper & Thief Red Blend maintains its complexity right through to the end. Cooper & Thief Red Blend is dedicated to those who admire the strong character of the American South but seek the freshness of the West Coast. Rich flavors of smoke, Belgian chocolate, and freshly picked raspberries, together with ripe blackberries, jam, white pepper, and leather serve as a fine memory of the best Kentucky bourbons, but taste like a traditional Californian Merlot-blend with velvety tannins and subtle heat. It proves that New World ingenuity can blend marvelously with conventional winemaking. It is a powerful nose and may overpower some but its bourbon-orientation is undoubtedly its strong point. An intense smoke hits the nose as soon as the glass is raised, followed by aromas of blackberry, vanilla, cloves, and small hints of chocolate, coffee, caramel, and ripe strawberry-the latter coming from the Zinfandel used in the blend. AromaĬooper & Thief Red Blend has a complex aromatic profile with multiple layers of underlying aromatic intensity. Wine enthusiasts will be enthralled from the first drop in the glass. Appearanceĭistinctive and powerful, Cooper & Thief Red Blend is greatly appreciated for its dark, bourbon-inspired mahogany color and the deep purple, plum-like highlights. This is vastly different to the production in Bordeaux estates in Southern France where the fresh fruit character, as well as leafy, vegetal aromas dominate. Afterwards, the produced wine is matured in new white oak barrels that were previously used to mature bourbon, to add toasty flavors.įurthermore, Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a wine made in the international style of winemaking. The Merlot grapes mainly used to make this wine, are harvested from Californian vineyards as late as possible to generate intense purple color, concentrated blackberry fruit, and velvet-textured tannins. Its silky-smooth palette is coupled with an explosion of dark fruits, chocolate, and earthy sensations too. It can also be characterized as a cross between a classic red wine and a port.

The 3 months that this satisfying red blend is aged in bourbon barrels, give it unparalleled richness and flavor. The well-known and the secret test plots.Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a complex, smooth, and well-round full-body red wine. The California appellation allows us to seek out the best and brightest. Where do we get our barrels? Therein lies the mischief and a secret we keep for ourselves. We take quality grapes from prime California growing regions, and then we stash select lots of our wine in ex-bourbon barrels for three months.

#COOPER AND THIEF RED WINE BLEND 2016 REVIEW FULL#

Fully developed, juicy fruit resulted in full bodied, intense wines. A cooler spring and summer accompanied by nice rainfall resulted in a longer growing season and a harvest with fruit bursting with varietal character.

These California blends are very balanced and are great when they are young, but they can also age for decades.Ģ018 was a very good vintage for Northern California. Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot are even added at times for complexity. Merlot is added to soften the edges and add red fruit flavors. Just like Bordeaux, California’s dominant grape is Cabernet Sauvignon with its rich blackberry flavors. Although the wines of Bordeaux have historically been considered the best wines of the world, the bolder, richer, and more fruit-forward wines of California are now just as respected. The warm days and cool nights of the Napa Valley in Northern California make it the ideal place to make Bordeaux-style red wines. The most successful blends follow the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot recipes of Bordeaux, but with even more intensity. Some of the greatest wines in Californiaare a blend of various red grapes. The combined result is a rich flavor, with a long, lingering finish.ģ8% Merlot.

Crafted by Cellarmaster, Chris Leamy, our wine is aged for three months in bourbon barrels, which gives way to soft, velvety tannins with a subtle heat. 2019 Cooper & Thief Red Blend, From California, United StatesĬooper & Thief Red Blend is a dark and jammy red wine blend loaded with bourbon-inspired flavors and aromas.

Cooper and thief red wine blend 2016 review