Cooper - Red Mountain — Attraction in Washington

Very disappointed in the expensive and lackluster tasting experience. Made a reservation on the website. There was nothing on the page about a tasting fee. Nothing in the confirmation email. Nothing on the wine tasting list on the table. Expected something in the $10-$30 range, no problem Shocker at the end of the tasting - $45. And only waived with the purchase of three red wines. Needless to say, they think pretty highly of their red wines, and have priced them accordingly. My mistake for not asking up front. No one else is charging anywhere near that fee.

The young woman that was managing our tasting was not very knowledgeable. She didn't know what grape was in the Rose, she didn't know percentages in the blends (not on the bottle). She didn't know when the first grapes were planted on the vineyard. Those all seem like pretty softball questions. There were long periods (over ten minutes) where our glasses were empty and we were just sitting obviously waiting for the next pour.

The winemaker was present, but couldn't be bothered to even stop by our table and say hello and ask us if we had any questions. it wasn't busy - 3 to 4 tables of guests. His sister is the tasting room manager, and she seemed to be quite put out when I asked her as she was walking by what grape was in the rose. The whole experience felt like we should be grateful for them allowing us to visit their winery.

The wines. Very good. Thick, chewy, fruit forward. I was prepared to purchase one of the blends and the Nebbiolo until they told me how much the tasting fee was. Our friends wanted the rose and also the blend. But we were all so disgusted by the abysmal service received, we just paid the fee without a tip and left.

Good wines. Expensive wines. Lousy atmosphere. I...

Cooper Wine Company is quite special! Coming from California’s wine country I wasn’t sure what to expect from a Washington wine grower.

In today’s market of mass produced homogeneous manufacturing everyone is looking for something with a bit more soul. “Hand crafted small batch operation” seems to be the buzzwords but it’s a reality at Cooper Wine Company. The operation is small with only a few thousand bottles a year however the amount of work involved making small batches by hand is staggering. Nonetheless, the wine that’s produced is amazing. Of the varietals I tried I must say the Estate Cabernet Franc was spectacular as was the Cabernet Sauvignon. What can I say, I like my cabs!

Regardless, wine tastes are a subjective matter. I believe it’s the people that can make or break a winery. Neil Cooper is the man behind the name. His passion for wine is out of this world but his passion for life is what I found really compelling. Neil is not a behind the scenes kind of guy, the day of my tasting he was deep in the processing stage with his employees. He greeted us in shorts and muck boots and gave us a very thorough tour of the process from vine to bottle. He explained every step and answered all my questions. He even let us taste a wine in the different steps of fermentation. Neil is very easy to talk to as well was Stephen his wine maker. I felt so fortunate to “go behind the sceens” but think because they believe so much in what they do they treat every customer this way.

Overall, my stop at Cooper Wine Company was unforgettable. I will reminisce about my visit with every sip of the Cab’s I brought home in the...

Cooper is the best winery in the area, hands down. The wine is incredible! My husband and I came across Cooper on our relocation drive from PA to WA. When we walked into the rustic, yet chic, tasting barn, we were greeted by the owner, Neil Cooper. He sat with us, poured us 8 samples of his wine, and chatted with us casually. He's such a great guy, humble, and hilarious. We had an amazing time. At the end of the tasting, he gave us a bottle of his favorite Cabernet "to open on our first night in Seattle" (after our 8-day-long drive across the country to relocate). How generous!! In all honesty, my husband and I loved every wine Neil poured (and we are avid wine drinkers, who know what we like!) After an hour of tasting, and trying to rank each wine unsuccessfully, because they were all impressive, we joined the wine club. It's not often that we find a winery that: (1) we both love, (2) that donates proceeds from its tastings to charity, and (3) is run by a genuine individual who enjoys tasting the wines WITH you!.. not just pouring them and rambling facts like other wineries do. Neil is passionate about his wine, so are we, and...