Neil Cooper of Cooper Wine and Gatekeeper - Red Mountain
Neil Cooper is first and foremost a farmer, 3rd generation. He grew up on a family farm that grew just about everything but wine grapes. After nearly two decades of being a grass seed farmer, the thought of farming something he could control from plant to final product seemed more and more appealing. He had grown up around wine because his mother had a nightly glass of Franzia, but it was the Red Mountain wine region that finally lured him in. He purchased vineyard property on the corner of Sunset Road in 2009, and has been a gatekeeper of the prestigious wine region ever since. The vineyard has grown from 8 to 46 acres, the grape varieties have greatly diversified, and the business model for Cooper Wine Company has evolved into something quite special. What has not changed is a level of intentionality about everything Cooper that is truly remarkable, as you will see in this interview.
The original vineyard is dedicated to Bordeaux varieties, as is the Cooper wine label. And all 6 Bordeaux varieties, because Carménère is a key variety at Cooper, whether in a single varietal wine or a blend. Either way, it is divine at Cooper Wine. Some people believe that Red Mountain is the best place in the world to grow Carménère. With the purchase of an older vineyard in 2014, Cooper winery had many new varieties to work with, including Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Syrah. They eventually created a new label, Gatekeeper, to highlight these varieties, mostly in unique blends grounded in story. Speaking of story, Neil’s is a unique and fascinating one, 14 years in the making, and told here in this interview.
Listen to the Interview: