Review: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare Pittyvaichįollow Adventures In Whiskey on WordPress.Review: Muckety-Muck 25-year-old Single Grain Scotch Whisky.Review: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (A123).Review: Michter’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon (2023).Crafted by Cellarmaster, Jeff Kasavan, our wine. Review: Four Roses 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a dark and jammy red wine blend loaded with bourbon-inspired flavors and aromas.Johnnie Walker Platinum Label Scotch Whisky Review.

Review: Filibuster Single Estate Bourbon.Dewar's White Label Blended Scotch Whisky Review.Review: Benriach 'The Smoky Ten' & 'The Smoky Twelve'.Review: Muckety-Muck 25-year-old Single Grain Scotch Whisky.Crafted by Cellarmaster Chris Leamy, the wine is. Crown Royal XO and XR Canadian Whisky Reviews Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a dark and jammy red wine blend loaded with bourbon-inspired flavors and aromas.As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.Įnter your email address to follow Adventures in Whiskey and receive notifications of new posts by email. This is one to bring to that holiday dinner party this holiday season. At about $25 a bottle, Cooper & Thief offers great value for what’s in the bottle. Wine Tasting Notes Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a dark and jammy red wine blend loaded with bourbon-inspired flavors and aromas. In other words, the wine is still the star here, while the caramel, vanilla and oak notes simply help elevate the fruit notes found in the wine. The wine characteristics balance nicely with the bourbon barrel contributions. The velvety mouthfeel make this red wine a pleasure to sip. I pick up typical red wine hints of raspberries and burnt orange peel on the palate, as well as a healthy undercurrent of dark caramel with some light oak tannins on the backend. On the nose, hints of dark fruit jam, vanilla bean and sweet oak are most dominant. Maybe the bourbon barrel contributes slightly to this higher-than-average proof? Their red wine blend, comprised of 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% other varietals, rests in ex-bourbon barrels for three months and bottled at 17% abv. One new trend in the wine world is resting wine in ex-whiskey barrels. We know of whiskies that age in wine barrels. This of course is a mere sketch.As America’s fascination with bourbon continues to thrive, companies look for ways to creatively and successfully incorporate America’s native spirit. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.įine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. After a wine has leached the whiskey flavor, it is bottled for sale. Their main claim-to-fame is placing different varietals into used whiskey barrels for at least a month. Their red blend holds that same heavy sweetness. The wine maker’s notes said it was Jamy with vanilla. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. My first try at wine aged in whiskey barrels was a Pinot Noir by Cooper & Thief. The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity. While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season.

In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. California is a winemaking colossus by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world.

Cooper and thief red blend 2017