Here’s the wine that has most dazzled my friends – and even bartenders
By necessity I buy affordable wines, usually below $40, but I can tell you with absolute authority that no wine I’ve ever shared with others has ever earned the rave reviews that Cooper & Thief red blend has.
The reason: it’s aged in bourbon barrels, which gives it an unforgettable kick. In fact – again, allowing that I only rarely get up into wine’s rarified air – Cooper & Thief is the only wine I have ever actually craved. When local stores couldn’t get it for months a year ago, I had to buy some direct and get it airlifted to me!
If you don’t enjoy bold wine, you may not love Cooper & Thief as I do – though, oddly enough, it’s also super smooth. Moreover, I think it’s fabulous right out of the bottle, without extensive breathing.
Consider, too, that this is coming from a guy who doesn’t like or drink bourbon. So, this is quite an endorsement.
Making it even better is the price point, which historically has been in the 20s.
Here’s how the winery describes it:
“Cooper & Thief Bourbon barrel-aged Red Blend offers a swirl of warm toasty vanilla notes, with dark fruit and a gentle hint of classic bourbon spice. Blackberry and jammy dark currants lead to a rich finish, with the elegance of a fine sipping bourbon.”
Former dinner guests of ours mention the Cooper & Thief we served even months later, right along with my wife’s world-class spaghetti and meatballs and French silk pie. I’ve even wowed bartenders with a taste of it at the local steakhouse where I’ve had it uncorked. One friend started buying it by the case after I introduced her to it – and when she shared it with another red wine aficionado, my friend reported that her friend “said it might be the most enjoyable red she has ever had! SO thank you!”
My son and his bride held a “wine ceremony” at their nuptials last year in which they sealed one of their favorite wines in a box to open on their fifth anniversary. Yep. They chose Cooper & Thief red blend – though they’re already talking about how hard it’s going to be to leave it alone for five years.
There are other red wines out there being aged in bourbon barrels, which I think is way cool, but I haven’t yet tried one that equals Cooper & Thief. I haven’t yet tried their bourbon-barrel pinot noir – but I definitely will. I’m just having a hard time getting off their fabulous red blend.
