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Copia Vineyards, owned by Varinder and Anita Sahi, is a dynamite operation on California’s Central Coast – putting forth a small but stunning variety of wines into a market ready to receive them. In the span of five years, Copia Vineyards has made a big name for itself and its wines have won innumerable awards. Their poetic approach to winemaking and their operation through the lens of gratitude is obvious, setting forth a clear path to success now and in the future. Anita and Varinder’s journey together began in 2015 so, if success has reached them so soon, there’s no telling what the future holds. I recently had the privilege to taste some of their offerings as was completely blown away with their product.
Copia established their Copia Estate Vineyard in 2019 but have been sourcing their grapes from some of the area’s top grape growing properties, 12 of them in fact. The varying microclimates and elevations of vineyards in the paso Robles area as well as Santa Barbara County create nuances that are unique to Copia wines. There’s something about Anita and Varinder’s selection, along with their hospitality manager, Sarah Boone, that have made this wine-making moment blossom for them. The Copia Estate Vineyard is planted with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvédre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Verdot. Their other vineyard partners offer grapes cultivated in unique growing conditions that add to the complexity of all Copia wines.
I received the following wines from Copia, and fell in love with every single one of them. Below are the wines and my thoughts on the product.
Copia 2017 “The Story”
The Story is a Grenache-dominated blend with grapes hailing from the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. In this wine, from the terroir, you will taste oceanic influences from the Pacific as well as juicy notes and minerality that make for an incredible flavor. The taste is sweet and spicy and incredibly smooth. The wine is full-bodied with ripe red fruit and tart berry. This wine is fabulous on its own or with food. The wine is typically rested for 20 months before release and is derived from grapes picked in September and October.
Copia 2017 “The Cure”
The Cure is Copia’s take on the Rhône’s classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The grape varietals, mainly Grenache and Syrah, are grown in the Central Coast’s Edna Valley, Willow Creek District and Santa Barbara County. Following traditional Rhônes, cassis will perfume the glass and flavors of chocolate, spice and slight wood might be noticed with a smooth finish. You might also taste elements of pepper, blackberry and deep red fruits as you sip this. I absolutely fell in love with this wine on its own without anything needing to be paired.
Copia 2017 “The Source”
An elegant wine composed of 90% Syrah, The Source comes to life from the area’s cool climate which brings out spice and earthiness, while still remaining very drinkable on its own. Wine lovers will notice notes of white pepper and incense, while tasting firmly, dark red fruit without a jammy flavor. This is the perfect wine for a fatty red meat like lamb or duck.
Copia 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon
I love Cab…and this one stunned me. Composed of grapes from the warmer Santa Ynez Valley’s “Happy Canyon”. This wine is incredibly drinkable and elegant, rich and silky – with notes of tobacco and blue fruits. What you might notice here is a full body, yet a soft and easy wine that is perfect on its own or with food. This is my favorite cab I have tried this year – hands down.
After experiencing Copia Vineyard’s offerings and seeing their true dedication and understanding of the art of winemaking, I am truly astounded by what they’ve done in such a short time and am excited for the future. The family and small team here are passionate about what they do and, it seems, were drawn to Paso Robles from the Midwest with a higher purpose in mind. Their wines are not just loved by me, but are rated incredibly high by publications like Wine Enthusiast and Connoisseur’s Guide.
Wine lovers can visit Copia Vineyards for a tasting or even a stay. They offer tastings in their tasting room and overnight stays in the Willow Creek District area of Paso Robles at their guesthouse. For TRUE red wine lovers – this is a vineyard and winemaking operation that must be on your 2020-2021 bucket list. Now is the time to go before the secret is out – the wines are just THAT good.
