The particular blend was specifically formulated to be higher in alcohol to match the bourbon mouthfeel the barrels impart. But the boozy finish provided by the barrels matches the natural potency of the blend.
It’s also far higher in alcohol content than most red wines at 17%. The final product feels consistent-a stream of flavor, where each note lies at a different depth-rather than uneven. Now, if the entire lot sticks out funny I’m having a bad day at the office.” And a barrel that maybe sticks out a little is actually a good thing. Cooper & Thief Cellarmaster Chris Leamy explains, “In six or three months or whatever, that flavor is going to build and build and build. This is why the team has to be careful regarding how much of the barrel’s natural flavors are put into the wine. When it emerges, fragrant vanilla gives way to smooth leather and soft stone. The wine that goes in (a combination of 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% other) has a high alcohol content and a bit of a bitter, butterscotch finish. But few brands have chosen to pour their wines in there with the intention of amplifying the flavors.Ĭooper & Thief’s Red Blend-a dense and delectable, almost dessert-like wine-is aged for three months in unattributed bourbon barrels. From maple syrup and beer to sauces and coffee, the flavors imparted by time inside a barrel are widely sought after. The method of storage and seasoning (charred, new American, and French oak each impart their own distinct flavors) has been employed in dozens of product categories. Though one of their three wines on offer right now employs grapes grown in the former, each of Cooper & Thief’s wines are crafted to withstand, and benefit from, a stint in spirit barrels.īarrel aging isn’t a new technique.
The wines they produce can still file under well-known categorical styles- Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Red Blend-but the spirit with which they produce wines could not be more different than conventional wineries in Napa and Sonoma. Unlike more traditional winemakers, the team behind Lodi, California’s Cooper & Thief prove particularly fond of breaking conventions, all while employing centuries-old techniques.
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