Good Co-ops

K

Kevin Roberts

Kevin Roberts
Mark L. mentioned the Estezargues co-op in another thread, between that and Bert's nice picture report over on Wineterroirs had me was wondering what other co-ops in France (or elsewhere) are producing decent quality wine. I'm not asking for profundity, I'm asking for honest table wine.

Any recommendations? Produttori del Barbaresco springs to mind. Especially at the Langhe Nebbiolo range, as I have no experience with the higher end stuff.

Cheers,

Kevin
 
originally posted by Kevin Roberts:
Good Co-opsMark L. mentioned the Estezargues co-op in another thread, between that and Bert's nice picture report over on Wineterroirs had me was wondering what other co-ops in France (or elsewhere) are producing decent quality wine. I'm not asking for profundity, I'm asking for honest table wine.

Any recommendations? Produttori del Barbaresco springs to mind. Especially at the Langhe Nebbiolo range, as I have no experience with the higher end stuff.
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Produttori are the standout, for sure. The only other co-op I really have much affection for is the Chablis co-op that makes La Chablisienne. They don't compete with Dauvissat in my affections, but do make reasonably priced and decently made Chablis.

Mark Lipton
 
I was just about to mention the Austrians...Freie Weingrtner Wachau is now Domne Wachau. Winemakers Horvath and Frischengruber have a lot of growers to choose from and they're pretty selective as to what is bottled under the Domne Wachau label. Their wines are impressive at all price points, although not quite reaching to the level of Knoll, Pichler(s), Prager, et al...

-Eden (I also can't think of another producer sporting an umlaut over a letter other than 'u')
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
Cave de Tain l'HermitageSometimes a little uneven, but often pretty good, in my limited experience.

Link
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Cantina Produttori San Michele
Cantina Produttori Colterenzio

Good wines from the Alto Adige. There are some other good coops there too.
 
You'll hardly ever see them in the States, but many of the smaller cooperatives in Alsace are pretty solid. If you go for their site-designated and grand cru wines (which you'll definitely not see in the States), what you'll often get is something not as intense as from a top grower, but also much less likely to be laden with alcohol and sugar. The ones to avoid are Eguisheim (a/k/a Wolfberger and dozens of other brands) and Obernai. Ones to look for include Mosbach (essentially the Marlenheim cooperative) and Bennwihr, but there are many others. There's a lot of mediocre stuff, but the gems are indeed gem-like, and for a fraction of the cost of better producers. (And you'll want to avoid their late-harvest wines, which are rarely what you're looking for in a VT or SGN.)
 
Cantina La Vis in the Trentino

There are some smaller decent ones in Germany, mostly Baden (Britzingen, Achkarren, Affental, Durbach), but also Wuerttemberg (Untertuerkheim) and Franken.
 
The Alto Adige/Sud-Tyrol has a number of very good co-ops. i was looking for one at Vinitaly this year and was impressed by many of the wines I tasted, and I was only tasting producers that were not available in my market. I settled on Erste & Neue.
 
La Kiuva is a small one in the south of the valle d'aosta (arnad-montjovet). Like 8 contributing growers and a small production of wonderfully typical and affordable wines of altitude.
 
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
La Kiuva is a small one in the south of the valle d'aosta (arnad-montjovet). Like 8 contributing growers and a small production of wonderfully typical and affordable wines of altitude.
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I tasted with them too; a co-op with a total production of what, less than 10,000 cs? Fascinating world up there.
 
... what other co-ops in France (or elsewhere) are producing decent quality wine. I'm not asking for profundity, I'm asking for honest table wine.

Any recommendations?
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I very much like what I've had from the Producteurs Plaimont (http://www.plaimont.com/) I'll second La Chablisienne. I know I've had good honest wine from some other co-ops, but I don't have any way of searching my notes for such things. Speaking of Alto Adige, isn't Terlano a co-op? Some good stuff coming out of there.
 
originally posted by Oliver McCrum:
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
La Kiuva is a small one in the south of the valle d'aosta (arnad-montjovet). Like 8 contributing growers and a small production of wonderfully typical and affordable wines of altitude.
Click to expand...

I tasted with them too; a co-op with a total production of what, less than 10,000 cs? Fascinating world up there.
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I love the Valle d'Aoste.

Not a co-op per se, but- a regional agricultural school named, appropriately enough, Institut Agricole Regionale, makes wine worth seeking out. Their Cornalin especially, followed by the Premetta, Chanoines (Petite Rouge and Pinot Noir), et al.
 
originally posted by VS:
Celler de Capanes and Nekeas are the best ones in Spain.
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Isn't there some Basque co-op which was quite good. Nekeas not my style, but I haven't tasted any for some time.

By the way, congrats on banner 16. Fascinating game in which your compatriot did well.
 
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
La Kiuva is a small one in the south of the valle d'aosta (arnad-montjovet). Like 8 contributing growers and a small production of wonderfully typical and affordable wines of altitude.
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Just ran out and bought a bottle on your rec. I'll report back when it's turn comes up (maybe this weekend but most likely next week).
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Matteo Mollo:
La Kiuva is a small one in the south of the valle d'aosta (arnad-montjovet). Like 8 contributing growers and a small production of wonderfully typical and affordable wines of altitude.
Click to expand...
Just ran out and bought a bottle on your rec. I'll report back when it's turn comes up (maybe this weekend but most likely next week).
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La Kiuva is my type of wine. It holds its own with recent vintages of Voyat's Le Muraglie, which is pretty remarkable when you compare the respective $17 and $50 price tags.

Against an ancient bottle of Voyat the likes of which Neil Rosenthal says he'll consume on his deathbed? Dunno. But would be happy to compare (no malice to Neil meant).
 
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