We recently took advantage of a local wine tasting in Raleigh, N.C., and tried some wines from a Napa producer we were not familiar with. The wine shop hosting the tasting was also not known to us previously, so it was a great chance to make two discoveries in one trip. The experience was excellent on all fronts.
First, the wine shop. The Wine Feed has two locations, one in Raleigh and one in Durham, N.C. The Raleigh location is quite compact and located downtown at 602 Glenwood Avenue. Inside is a small but very comprehensive wine selection, ranging from inexpensive to premium wines from all over the world. You can find just about any varietal there. They have large formats as well. A bar area invites you to sit and try a glass. It’s
really a fun little space.
What makes it even better is that they regularly hold tasting events here, both premium pay by event tastings as well as free tastings every Wednesday. They also sponsor trips to the great wine regions of the world. Who knew? We do now, and if you’d like more information on the Wine Feed then go to their website at https://thewinefeed.com/.
On this day we were there to taste the wines from Coquerel. Coquerel Family Wine Estates farms seven acres of vineyards in Calistoga at the northern tip of the Napa Valley. The vineyards are on the valley floor, and varietals grown are Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Petite Syrah, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields here are kept low as quality is the primary driver. In total Coquerel only makes about 2000 cases and 1200 of those are Sauvignon Blanc. For some insight into why the heavy percentage of Sauvignon Blanc we need to look to the winemaker.
Christine Barbe is the winemaker and oversees the viticulture for Coquerel. She came from Bordeaux years ago, having worked at Chateaux Carbonnieux and La Louviere in Pessac Leognan. There she gained a thorough knowledge of Sauvignon Blanc. At Coquerel she makes two styles: Le Petit is finished in stainless, crisp and fresh, while the Terroir is more Bordeaux in style, with some oak aging and richer fruit flavors. Accounting for around 60% of the estate production, it is clearly a focus. Yet you would remiss to neglect the other varietals Christine produces.
Let’s take a look at some of the wine.
Coquerel 2021 ‘Le Petite’ Sauvignon Blanc – this wine is 100% estate Sauvignon Blanc. The juice is very light straw in color. On
the nose some grapefruit is joined by pear and tropical notes. Lemon is also present. Overall it is a rich fruit nose. The palate does not let you down, as the fruit is all there. It’s not over the top though, but more refined and elegant than you might expect. Nice acid provides balance, and the very long finish is very clean. $25
Coquerel 2019 Estate Merlot – this is a medium ruby in color, although there is some amber around the edges. The nose is full of fruit, including cherry and berry along with light oak and some earth notes. It is 100% Merlot. During production only one barrel was aged in new oak with the rest in more neutral wood. It is 14.8% alcohol, but the wine does not come across as big and brawny. The palate is elegant, the fruit is pure and the juice has great acid to keep balance. It is medium+ in body with medium+ tannins. This will be great with food and is delicious by itself. Really nice. and only 200 cases made. $45
Coquerel 2019 Estate Cabernet Franc – here we have a dark purple and opaque wine. The juice spends 22 months in French oak,
all 250 cases of it. The nose is complex and rich, with dark berries, some strawberry, tobacco, some spice near the end and a little whiff of something phenolic. On the palate it is full bodied with brisk tannins. This wine really delivers, especially as it opens up and blooms. It’s a big wine but one with an edge. Clearly the wine of the night and a world class Cabernet Franc. Highly recommended. $54 and worth every penny.
Coquerel 2020 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – this is where things missed the mark for us. While the first three wines were beautiful, we found this to have some unusual qualities. It’s a very dark ruby in color and opaque. Dark fruits present on the nose, along with something rubbery. Some different and unexpected flavors joined in, such as prominent raspberry. There was vanilla as well. In the mid-palate the core of the wine faded some. It’s 14.5% in alcohol. This is a very different Napa Cab. Not for us, but keep in mind we are reviewing this in the context of the three great wines that came before it. $65 on the Coquerel website.
While we were just in Calistoga last November, we were not aware of Coquerel at the time. We certainly are now. The first three wines above are exceptional, and the Cabernet Franc is off the charts. We suggest you try them. Learn more on their website at https://www.coquerelwines.com/.
We also recommend the Wine Feed if you in Raleigh and looking to pick up some wine. It is a very cool wine shop. While small, the selection is well curated and there is something for everyone. We’re looking forward to visiting the Durham location soon.
A votre santé!
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