Amendment 21 Wines

Copain winery is perched on a hill overlooking the serenely beautiful Russian River Valley.  Wells Guthrie, Copain's winemaker, discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France's Rhône Valley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France's Rhone Valley.  At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him. He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

Composed of 100% Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, it is bone-dry, vibrant, and refreshing. This peach-colored wine offers aromas and flavors of cherry blossoms, watermelon, and strawberry. Its bright acidity makes it all the more refreshing and a perfect complement for those warm days right around the corner.

$24.00

Jean-Marie Rimbert, a native of Provence, arrived in the Languedoc nearly twenty-five years ago and managed the vineyards at Château de Flaugergues for five years until he saved up enough money to purchase his first parcels of gnarled ancient vine Carignan that had been nurtured in schist-laden soils for the better part of the last century.. From the beginning, his objective was to cultivate vineyards with the utmost respect for the environment and his wines reflect all of the natural beauty, depth and flavor originating from those vines. The wines Jean-Marie crafts are a passionate testament to this region's multi-dimensionality and ever-expanding potential.

This rosé is vibrant pink in the glass. Deep scents of ultra-ripe crushed red cherries, a note of guava paste, overripe fig flesh and a pretty, yet smoky note of sweet herbs. Blood Orange infused red berry flavors dominate the palate and are set-off by the wines generous minerality. Serve this summer wine with a spicy couscous and lamb tagine, flame grilled chicken dishes, spicy lamb or beef kebabs, sweet barbecued pork dishes. $14.00

In the village of Saint-Père, along a little creek to the southeast of Vézelay in Burgundy, a quiet, peaceful revolution is taking place. This part of Burgundy has been producing wines for centuries. Domaine de la Cadette now produces from thirteen hectares of land today, and has been farming organically since 1999, receiving their certification in 2002.

In this cooler climate, their vines enjoy great sun exposure, lending a balance between generous fruit and deep mineral structure.
"Their wines are a refreshing antithesis to a world of oaky, over-the-top, sloppy Chardonnays. The purity and finesse of a Vézelay Blanc provides a wine drinking experience that never gets old." - Kermit Lynch, Wine Importer

$21.99

We absolutely LOVE Rosé this time of year and tend to drink it all Summer long! We found this little gem of a Rosé a few years ago and are so excited each March when the cases starting showing up.

Provence, in France's southern region, is THE place for quality Rosé production and the 'Cuvée Rosée d'Aurore' is a wonderful example. This classic blend uses Grenache, Cinsault, and Rolle in delivering a light, crisp, and pleasant Rosé that smells of ripe peaches and tastes like liquid sunshine. Open a chilled bottle and enjoy while the Spring sun is shining down. Best enjoyed with linen clothes and a deep, dark Mediterranean tan. $18.00

Yes, you can drink Rosé and still be bad ass!

Franco-American wine making team Charles Bieler and Charles Smith have collaborated in bringing you this fun and zippy Rosé from Washington State. The blend is comprised of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Grenache.

"The 2012 Rosé exhibits a beautiful pink color, tinged with a subtle salmon hue and coppered fuchsia edges. The aromas pop with wild strawberry, rose, cherry, subtle hibiscus and a touch of citrus, with underlying dried herb, crushed gravel and mineral tones. These bright fruit and savory flavors continue through the palate with great acidity that carries into the finish." $12.00

The Italian viticultural area known as the "Langhe" is situated in north-western Italy in the province of Piedmonte, at the foot of the Alps. It is here you will find some of Italy's most noble red wines made from the variety known as Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo (from the word 'nebbia', which means fog) is king of the Langhe and produces wines that are lightly colored, highly tannic, and which offer scents of tar and roses. 

This Langhe Nebbiolo is a great entry to the category which includes Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, and a few others. Although those wines fetch much higher prices, the Nebbiolo from Monchiero will offer an expression of Nebbiolo without breaking the bank.

Light, bright ruby red color. Straightforward fruity aromas of cherry, plum, strawberry, and red flowers. A bit more depth and grip than the light color and bouncy, fruity nose would lead you to expect. The acid is strong, and noticeable tannin makes this a very food-frinedly wine. Clingy flavors of dark cherry and some roasted herbal resin.

Try it with Venison, roasted meats, pasta with a strong meat sauce, beef casseroles, and salami. $15.99 

Malbec may not be the most popular red grape varietal, but it is surely gaining popularity due to its drinkability and quality to price ratio. Malbec came to Argentina in the late nineteenth century, before the Phylloxera epidemic punished European vineyards, necessitating grafting of fruiting wood onto rootstocks that aren't native to Europe. In Argentina, which was never subject to the epidemic, most of these vines are not grafted. Instead, vines grow on their own roots. But if escaping the blight of Phylloxera provided a start, the key reasons for the recent emergence of the grape are improvements both to viticulture and vinification.

This Malbec, by famed Argentine producer Hector Durigutti, opens with a dark and luscious shade of deep purple. Blunt legs form slowly on the side of your glass indicating intense extraction. Your nose may sense concentrated aromas of dark purple fruits, plums, and macerated blackberries. A hint of fall spice sneaks through. On the palate, the wine delivers soft tannins with flavors of strawberry and notes of fresh Mediterranean herbs.

89 pts. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

$16.99

Cabernet Sauvignon fares best in warmer climates, and benefits from a long ripening season. Cabernet Sauvignon takes equally well to Mendoza’s desert climate, lean soils and high altitude. As this bottling shows, in the hands of talented winemakers, the varietal is as intense and complex as Cabernet from anywhere in the world.

Durigutti’s Cabernet opens with classic aromas of dark cassis and blackberry liqueur. Your palate might sense a subtle sweetness, which reflects the structure of the tannins. A velvety texture develops into a long and lingering finish with beautiful touches of blackberries, violets and cherries.

2009 Vintage - 90pt rating from Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar.

$16.99

"Napa Valley and Carneros had an especially cool 2010, which delayed the start of the growing season. A brief, late-season heat spike pushed ripening the other way, resulting in some areas having both ripe and not-quite-ripe fruit. Wineries that were able to thin out the affected grapes often produced well-made wines; on the other hand, some winery offerings showed a touch of green fruit." - San Francisco Chronicle Starmont used this growing season to make a stellar Chardonnay.

This wine opens with a very fragrant green apple bouquet with notes of lemon and pineapple. On the palate, medium bodied, slightly acidic, and crispier than most chardonnays. The flavor profile is a blend of green apple and bartlett pear with a dose of white pepper mixed in. There is also a touch of mild oak in the background.

$21.00