2010 Copain Pinot Noir Kiser En Bas

The 2010 Pinot Noir Kiser En Bas is one of the darker wines in the range. Sweet black cherries, licorice, spices and crushed rocks all come to life in a vibrant, beautifully delineated Pinot that impresses for its clarity, nuance and pure energy. Although a bit fragile, the 2010 has an inner perfume and sweetness that is hugely appealing. At the same time the 2010 remains bright and light on its feet, in a style that is more lifted than is typical for Copain Pinots from this lower part of Kiser. In 2010, the fruit was 100% destemmed. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. I have to say, it is a bit strange to visit Wells Guthrie’s beautiful Copain winery in Healdsburg, as none of the wines are made from fruit grown on the estate! Guthrie prefers to source fruit from cooler parts of Sonoma, most notably Anderson Valley and Yorkville Highlands. Today the Copain wines are mid-weight, gracious and delicate in style, a far cry from a few years back, when they were much more overt. In cold years like 2010 and 2011, some of the wines are a touch on the fragile side. Readers on a budget should be sure to check out the Tous Ensemble range, as those wines deliver tremendous quality for the money. All of 2011s I tasted from tank were scheduled to be bottled a few days after my visit. Tel. (707) 541-7474

Light red. A wild, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes redcurrant, strawberry, rhubarb and Asian spices, with a hint of blood orange emerging with air. Juicy and focused, offering vibrant red fruit and floral flavors and suave allspice and cinnamon qualities. Energetic, precise pinot with excellent finishing clarity and florality.