Cooper and Thief Red Blend Review
Cooper and Thief Red Blend is a bourbon barrel aged wine from Cooper and Thief Cellarmasters in Lodi, California, USA.
The blend consists of 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% other red varietals.
Wow… Quite a lot of varietals in the blend!
But, does it add to the wine’s complexity or perhaps tamper down the bourbon flavor?
Let’s find out…
Cooper and Thief Red Blend Wine Review
According to the bottle label, the wine was aged for three months in bourbon whiskey barrels in order to produce a more complex, smooth and rounded wine.
With that said, I’ve tasted bourbon barrel aged wines in the past that were FAR from being smooth.
Cooper and Thief calls the flavor profile of this wine “Dark and jammy with toasted vanilla notes.”
Here’s another quote from the bottle label:
Cooper and Thief is a rich wine with warm vanilla flavors and some subtle spicy notes. It finishes with a smooth mouthfeel reminiscent of a fine bourbon.
And one more thing… This review actually comes from a reader request.
A reader named David called this a “port like” wine and suggested I check it out.
So, that’s what I did!
I headed to my local wine store, picked up the 2016 vintage of this wine and now I’m pleased to give you this review!
Appearance
To start, the bottle itself was not shaped like the usual wine bottle you find on your store shelves.
As you can see from the picture above, it’s similar to what small-batch bourbon bottles look like these days.
Some slick marketing going on there!
In the glass, the wine poured inky black purple in color.
Very dark!
Legs were slow to fall and quite thick.
Aroma
Of course, the first thing I wanted to see was if the wine had a bourbon-noted aroma to it.
It didn’t and I was pleased by that. I’ve sniffed some bourbon aged wines in the past that really lit your nose up!
Speaking of the nose, the dominant notes were Fig Newton cookie, black cherry and a hint of allspice.
Quite enjoyable and very little alcohol burn, which was surprising given its alcohol content.
Cooper and Thief Red Blend alcohol content 16.0% by volume per the bottle.
Hey that’s pretty high!
Taste
On the palate, Cooper and Thief Red Blend is quite sweet and flavorful.
The best way to describe it, is flavors of vanilla infused maple bourbon, with some very ripe black cherry and plum.
This is the kind of wine that you need to be careful with, since it goes down so smooth and quick.
The 16% alcohol content will catch up with you, so be prepared!
Mouthfeel and Tannins
With this wine you get a very silky mouthfeel and “barely there” tannins.
Finish
The finish is quite long-lasting and vastly dominated by its flavors versus its tannins.
Overall Opinion
Overall, this wine is a jammy flavor bomb! It’s delicious and over the top decadent.
But, if you’re more of a red wine purist, I think you’ll find this wine too sweet.
And I have to say, David (the reader who suggested I try this) was spot on.
He said it was “port like” and that’s an excellent description, in my opinion.
Cooper and Thief Red Blend price $27.99.
Food Pairing
This one’s a bit tricky when it comes to a pairing suggestion.
I’d first say, it’s probably best as a standalone sipper.
But, I would also give it a try with barbecued ribs with a sweet smoky sauce.
What do you think?
Have you tried this wine?
Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this unique wine.
absolutely delish red wine! not too … anything – dry, sweet, heavy …. it’s just A GREAT RED WINE. i smoke cigars – this held its own with triple maduros, ligeros medium to full body smokes. will be my go-to red from now on …
My son introduced me to C & T red blend….lovely to sip…smooth no bite…and it does have the tendency to mellow me out quickly due to the 16%! Sams Club & Costco under $20 which is great as the first time I bought it at Harris Teeter it was $34! Will use my other reds to cook with because this is now my go to wine!
Thanks for commenting Andrea!
Ya, that 16% ABV is pretty high, but always great to find a go to wine.
Cheers!
Jon
I discovered this wine through my supervisor at work. I’m glad I asked who made this amazing wine. I love the smokey, sweet flavor and the smoothness. It doesn’t tear up my mouth like the heavy cabs. I like the versatility of the Cooper & Thief Red Blend. It works with a medium rare NY steak as well as a plate of cheeses & salami. This red blend is balanced… not too sweet or smokey but just right for having a glass in the afternoon with a good book for no apparent reason. The other competitors who boast their wines are aged in bourbon barrels take on too much of the bourbon flavor for my taste along with the heat. I’m very picky as to what I drink. I’m looking forward in trying the Pinot Noir to see how it compares to the Red Blend. I’ve not seen any Pinots aged in bourbon barrels. Usually at work we see the typical Pinot Noirs with fresh red cherry, rose, black pepper and a lighter oak. So I’m looking forward to opening my Cooper & Thief Pinot Noir in the next few days. I congratulate the winemaker for the perfect blend with Cooper & Thief’s 2018 Red Blend.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your review, Christine.
I love it when people go into detail about their experience with wines that I’ve reviewed!
Plus it helps the readers who visit the review learn more about the wine, beyond my opinion.
Again, much appreciated!
Cheers!
Jon
Your description is good. It surprised me with its darkness . And i see why the port suggestion showed up.
The price was right and it came with a couple of glasses . $22.00. I read before purchasing that the blend was generally better favored than the Pinot Noir which is what I intended to buy at my favorite store the Black Bear in Mountain City Tennessee. A first class outfit.
Thanks for commenting, Patrick, and for the additional detail. Glad to hear my description was accurate.
Cheers!
Jon
My last name is Cooper, so I’m partial to things like Bradley Cooper movies, Gary Cooper movies, etc. I tried this wine just because of the name, but this wine is right up there in quality and taste with Bradley and Gary. Never buy just one or you will be heading back to the store to get another. Jon’s review is as perfect and honest as can be.
Thanks Mr. Cooper… Your comments are much appreciated!
Cheers!
Jon
has Cooper & Thief Napa Valley Rye been discontinued?
Seems some of the bigger wine and supermarket chains are still carrying it, so far.
Not much of a wine expert….but this is my favorite….very smooth with little burn. Without having to sip bourbon.
Thanks for commenting and sharing your thoughts, Ted… Much appreciated!
Thanks for your column/website. I have just recently discovered this wine – bought it at Sam’s
Club (under $20/bottle) because of the shape of the bottle, and because of the note of a hint of vanilla on the label (I am a vanilla-phile!).
I love the taste of the wine and disagree with the comments about it being too sweet. It is a bit sweeter than an Old Vine, or a Merlot, or a Shiraz, or a Syrah, but my guess is that Cooper and Thief stumbled across just the right combination of grapes to enhance the red and black fruit overtones found in the other individual wines.
Because it is a bit sweeter than expected, I have found it a pleasant accompaniment with fish, fowl and – last night – a nice medium rare steak with asparagus, corn on the cob and Serbian potato cakes! Mmm – mm – mm!
And yes, it is a nice stand-alone sipper – much more pleasant at that than a Merlot and way more pleasant than a Cabernet.
Thanks for commenting, Arthur!
I appreciate your opinion on the wine’s sweetness. Everyone’s palate is unique and what might be too sweet for some may be just right for others. No judgement!
Oh and your food pairing comments are making me hungry! Sounds tasty.
Cheers!
Jon
I absolutely love this wine. I was at Costco buying Meomi Pinot Noir, which I love, when I saw Cooper & Thief 2018 red blend. I liked the shape of the bottle and went ahead and bought a case. WOW!!! I loved every sip. I have shared this info with my red wine friends…even strangers looking at reds. Now we have a shortage in Tennessee. I found some in Dunedin, FL @ LUEKENS wine & Spirit’s… Thank goodness! Cheers!!!
Thanks for commenting, Kris!
As I always say, it’s great to find a wine you love.
Cheers!
Jon
I found this wine to be way too sweet. It does have complexity and jammy qualities (I finished the bottle to be sure), but it’s just too cloying for me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Dave.
Much appreciated!
blend it
WOW! I have been drinking red wine now for over 20 years, and this one sits EASILY in my top 3 of all time! Such a perfect blend of flavors and SO smooth! I absolutely love it and thank my son’s girlfriend for buying this for me. This is a staple on my weekly red wine menu!
Always great to find a wine you love!
Cheers!
Jon
Love this wine. Rich and full. It is a ‘special occasion’ sipping wine for us. Tip: It is now available at Costco for under $20.
Thanks for commenting, Gary.
And for sharing the Costco tip!
Cheers,
Jon
I’m commenting on the Cooper & Thief Red Blend: it is my favorite standalone sipper, to be sure!
I don’t really like the brown liquors that many folks hunker down with to enjoy while reading a good book or sitting by the fire. This is my preferred guilty pleasure wine. It does go with ribs smothered in your favorite sauce, but is super enjoyable all on its own.
likee! likee!
compares to 40-60$ bottles
awesome for price, taste