Brutocao Cellars

The Brutocao family have extensive vineyard holdings in Mendocino County, and can draw on many lots and blocks while still making an estate wine. Winemaker Fred Nickel proved his intuitive understanding of the Coro program from the outset, making what I considered the finest Brutocao wine ever with his 2001 Coro, followed by one of the most intriguing, constantly evolving bottlings of the 2002 class. He varied the recipe in year two, and comes up with a new one again for 2003: on a base of 50% Zinfandel he blends in Syrah, Barbera and Dolcetto.

Upon release in late June of 2006, the wine was aromatically somewhat closed, though there were unmistakable hints of black and dark red cherries, some dusty cedar, and camphor. Wonderful to discover, then, that the wine was instantly juicy and sweet in the mouth, making a super first impression that made me almost entirely miss the wine’s deft structure, which keeps the sugar and acid in harmony all the way through the finish. The wine also had 19 months of new wood, though you can hardly taste or feel it after a few sips. This is not the biggest or weightiest 2003 Coro, but it’s one of the most pleasurable right now and unquestionably built to age into a supple beauty.

Reviewed July 4, 2006 by Thom Elkjer.