The Reason Cooper Is King
You already know Cooper Vineyards is my favorite winery, so let's not beat around that bush. That's why, when I needed a wine to blow our socks off for Christmas Eve dinner, I selected this wine. This was also the first time we've opened a bottle of Cooper wine since Dick Cooper, the "Godfather of Barbera", passed in July 2021. We hadn't tasted the 2012 vintage in at least 3 years, so I was intrigued to see how it had evolved with a few more years in the bottle.
The nose has a beautiful bouquet of black plum, apricot chutney, and roasted pumpkin. On the palate, soft tannins wash over that black plum alongside notes of red currant and other dark fruits. This wine is very forward with its tannins without being overwhelming, blossoming into a dense, humid earthiness that feels like walking into a well-kept root cellar. On the finish, those soft tannins massage the tongue like a bite of thick pudding, a continuance of that lovely earthiness that lingers for quite a long time.
This is a wine that invites you to take a deep sip as soon as you get a whiff. The instant we popped the cork off, our entire group was filled with excitement. Delicately balanced, the tannins have really softened over the years to shine on the care and dedication employed by Dick Cooper and winemaker Mike Roser. Very few wineries make a Barbera like Cooper Vineyards, and the 2012 Riserva is one of their best. You'll have a hard time finding a wine like this anywhere else, especially outside the Shenandoah Valley, which is considered by many to be the best place in the world to grow Barbera.
