18 May California Claret – Coppola 2020 Diamond Collection
Plonk.
Butt.
Baumé.
There are a number of obscure & antiquated wine terms
that haven’t completely gone away but are not
in the mainstream of present-day wine nomenclature.
Claret is on that list..
It’s a British term…several hundred years old…
that originated as a reference to common red Bordeaux wine.
As Bordeaux became more refined and sophisticated (and expensive!)
the term claret faded away outside the UK.
But recently, claret has made a bit of a comeback.
It’s Wine Thursday!, our weekly look at a good wine
that sells at a reasonable price
and is easy to find at retail or online.
This week, we’re revisiting a wine
we’ve highlighted in the past.
The name of the wine might not be well known.
But the name of the wine’s producer is quite famous.
Where it’s from
Academy-award winning director Francis Ford Coppola
built his winery outside Geyserville in the north end
of Sonoma County wine country.
It includes a memorabilia-filled gallery
with props and artifacts from Coppola’s long list
of notable movies including The Godfather,
Apocalypse Now and, pictured above, Tucker.
It’s a must-see for anyone who loves movies and wine.
That’s everybody, right?
What it is
Cabernet Sauvignon is normally the dominant grape in a claret blend
and Cabernet definitely leads the way in Coppola’s ’20 Black Diamond version.
It’s 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and Segalin
making up the difference.
Thus, if you’re a fan of the typical vanilla, oak and plum flavors prevalent
in Cabernet Sauvignon, you’ll find this Claret to be an easy drink.
The body is full, the tannins are solid and the finish is long.
While it’s quite quaffable now, this wine will improve with time.
Lay it down in a cool, dark place and check back on it in 2025-26.
Where to buy it
Costco sells the Coppola Claret for $13.79. It’s at Total Wine for $13.97.
The price at Fred Meyer is $13.99. Walmart has it for $15 even.
It’s on the shelf at Vons for $15.54.
Both Target and Safeway have it for $15.99.
It’s at Albertsons for $17.99 and Ralphs for $19.99.
You can order it from B-21 for $12.98
ABC Fine Wine has it for $14.49
Empire Wine’s price is $14.95