By G.M. “Pooch” Pucilowski

A new winery with an old name is making wines in Amador County. Since the mid-1970s, Dick Cooper has been growing Barbera grapes for the likes of Windwalker, Lava Cap Reserve and Jeff Runquist Wines. Now, with the November 2004 opening of Cooper Vineyards winery, he is making his own. His Cooper Vineyards 2001 Barbera ($20) is a big wine with soft tannins, high acidity and plummy, jammy fruit. Cooper’s 2002 Sangiovese ($19) is soft, elegant and notably complex, with ripe berries and medium tannins. And his 2002 Roussanne ($16) is a dry white with lots of finesse. It tastes older than the vintage date and has a nice buttery, oaky finish.

Jewel Collection in Lodi recently released a couple of new wines. Jewel 2003 Firma ($10) is a unique blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Petite Sirah. This wine has bright flavors of blackberry, cherry and strawberry and a very soft finish that leaves you wanting more. Another wonderful wine is the Jewel 2002 Estate Raffaele ($22), a beautifully complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Grenache. Vanilla and spice leap out, and the flavors remain balanced—very easy to drink.

Brown Estate Vineyards 2002 Zinfandel (Napa Valley) surprises you: It starts off quite light, with a raspberry nose and hints of black pepper and vanilla, then continues forming in your mouth and ends up being elegant and complex. The tannins are light but form a great backbone. It was so good, I ended up drinking the whole bottle myself—you should have been there! $35

Holly’s Hill Vineyards 2002 Wylie-Fenaughty Syrah (El Dorado County) is a wonderful bottle of wine: spice and blackberries in the nose, soft tannins and great balance in the taste. $22