WTN: 1998 Clavel La Copa Santa Languedoc

1998 Clavel La Copa Santa Languedoc: Dark red to rim. Medium intensity nose of sweet cherry, dark berries, tar and smoke, plus a hint of herbs. Full body, nice balance, ripe fruits, roasted meats on the palate, well integrated tannins, long finish tapering off to raisiny sweetness mixed with smoky tannins. Excellent.

I agree that this is drinking very well right now. I have had 3 bottles in the past year and they have all been great. Previous bottles have had a very pronounced beef jerky flavor with not much else showing. Now, this has a great mix on meat, spice and fruit. I bought this in '01 and it took many years to shed its tannins and come together, but it is certainly in a good place now.

[Jenise]

Clavel--now there's a name I haven't seen in a long time, either by tasting note or available at retail. Which is too bad, because they're such great wines for the money. Thanks for putting Clavel back on my radar.

Clavel--now there's a name I haven't seen in a long time, either by tasting note or available at retail. Which is too bad, because they're such great wines for the money. Thanks for putting Clavel back on my radar.

My reaction exactly. Is there some distributor issue here? I really liked the la Copa Santa (moreso than it's little brother "Le Mas") as a nice midmodern wine. I bought up until the 1999. It was a well-discussed wine on old WLDG. But I drank my last one (a '98) in 2006, and helped a friend drink his on NYE '06/07. But come to think of it, I can't remember hearing it discussed since, and don't remember last time I saw in a store.

[Jenise]

Clavel--now there's a name I haven't seen in a long time, either by tasting note or available at retail. Which is too bad, because they're such great wines for the money. Thanks for putting Clavel back on my radar.

My reaction exactly. Is there some distributor issue here? I really liked the la Copa Santa (moreso than it's little brother "Le Mas") as a nice midmodern wine. I bought up until the 1999. It was a well-discussed wine on old WLDG. But I drank my last one (a '98) in 2006, and helped a friend drink his on NYE '06/07. But come to think of it, I can't remember hearing it discussed since, and don't remember last time I saw in a store.

Hmmm...considering my moving north I always presume that any paucity I experience is the fault of distribution and a small marketplace, but it's unusual for you to have this problem in the New York market, isn't it? Last vintage I owned was also the last vintage I saw in a wine store, the '96.

My reaction exactly. Is there some distributor issue here?

According to the Clavel website, right now their only US importer is "ARBORWAY Imports INC" in Massachusetts.

Did they used to have different importers? I thought I remembered someone else's sticker on the back.

Both Copa Santa 2005, and Les Garrigues 2006 are available here in Quebec at the SAQ. The price of the Copa is $26.10CAD (approx. $22US) and the Garrigues is $18.45 ($15.50 US).
Do you suggest it is worth getting some at these prices? What kind of prices do you pay?

Simon

[Jenise]

Both Copa Santa 2005, and Les Garrigues 2006 are available here in Quebec at the SAQ. The price of the Copa is $26.10CAD (approx. $22US) and the Garrigues is $18.45 ($15.50 US).
Do you suggest it is worth getting some at these prices? What kind of prices do you pay?

Simon

Simon, those are pretty close to the prices I was paying in California ten years ago--BUY!

Simon, those are pretty close to the prices I was paying in California ten years ago--BUY!

Thanks Jenise, I will try to take your advice ASAP.
Simon

Interesting... Wine Searcher doesn't show anything for La Copa Santa in the US more recent than 2003, though there are a few places carrying some of Clavel's other wines.

My reaction exactly. Is there some distributor issue here?

According to the Clavel website, right now their only US importer is "ARBORWAY Imports INC" in Massachusetts.

Did they used to have different importers? I thought I remembered someone else's sticker on the back.

Yes, he did have a different importer in the past. My guess is Kacher, but I don't have a bottle handy to check.

Mark Lipton

According to the Clavel website, right now their only US importer is "ARBORWAY Imports INC" in Massachusetts.

The website for the Lexington, MA wine store of which Arborway is an arm lists 4 wines from Clavel, none of them Copa Santa.

http://www.bermansfinewines.com/Find-Wine.cfm

I still have a couple of bottles of the 1998, last tasted 9/07 and required a few hours of air then.
Charles

[David M. Bueker]

My local shop has the 2006 Garrigues for $11.99 as well as a rosé.

Yes, he did have a different importer in the past. My guess is Kacher, but I don't have a bottle handy to check.

Mark Lipton

Finally, a use for back issues of TWA!! Clavel's importer at the time of the '98 was Jeffrey Davies Selections of West Nyack, NY. Maybe subsequent vintages weren't pointy enough?

Mark Lipton