Cooper's Reed Cabernet Sauvignon (2021)

About this wine

This 2021 Cooper's Reed is a Cabernet driven blend made of roughly 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Sirah and 1% Merlot, with fruit sourced from North Coast sites in Napa and Sonoma. The nose opens with black cherry and blackberry, followed by notes of dark plum, dried herbs and a touch of star anise. On the palate the fruit is focused and clean, with fine, supple tannins and a silky finish that keeps the wine approachable. The wine was fermented on cool temperatures and matured for about nine months in very large upright oak casks, which preserves fresh fruit and limits overt oak influence. Overall the wine is medium bodied and streamlined, showing an old school Cabernet character with modern clarity and length.

About the grape

Cabernet Sauvignon is the backbone of this wine, a grape that traces its modern fame to Bordeaux but thrives across Napa and Sonoma where the 2021 fruit was sourced, and here it is vinified mainly from North Coast sites and aged in large neutral oak vats to preserve primary fruit and structure. Petite Sirah, originally Durif from France, has a history in California as a high color and tannin variety, and the 5 percent in this bottling is used sparingly to boost color, mid palate weight and aging potential without dominating the Cabernet. Merlot brings a long Bordeaux lineage and is present at one percent to soften edges and add early approachability, while the blend benefits from cool temperature fermentation and organic farming practices credited on this bottling.

Quick facts

• 🌾 The name Cooper's Reed refers to the ancient practice of sealing very large oak vats with reeds, a technique used in this wine to create an old school texture and aroma.
• 👩‍🔬 This bottling was produced by the Heitz team with winemaker Brittany Sherwood steering the blend, linking it to a storied Napa legacy while offering a more accessible price point.
• 🌙 Grapes for the 2021 vintage were harvested overnight under moonlight in some sites to preserve freshness and cool temperatures before fermentation.
• 🍇 The actual blend is unusually precise for a North Coast Cabernet, it is about 94 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Petite Sirah and 1 percent Merlot, giving it bold fruit with a touch of spice.
• 🛢️ Instead of small new barrels this wine spends time in very large, old upright oak vats or reclaimed neutral vessels, a technique that preserves bright fruit and creates a silky, throwback style.

Palate profile

Producer

Weingut Brendel is a family run winery in Pleisweiler Oberhofen in the Palatinate that focuses on Riesling and Burgundian varieties. The estate farms vineyards on clayey calcareous marl and shell limestone, and uses hand harvesting and soil friendly practices to preserve vine health. They operate a local weinstube where visitors can taste wines and learn about the small parcel approach they favor. The team emphasizes traditional viticulture with organic sensibilities and a commitment to expressing the local terroir in fresh, approachable wines.