Four years after the sale of Meiomi to Constellation Brands, Joseph Wagner has brought back the everyday luxury version of his signature style with Böen. Wagner’s Copper Cane Wines & Provisions portfolio also boasts Belle Glos, Elouan, and Napa Valley Quilt.
Wagner’s unique vision and style for what a California Pinot Noir could and should be made him famous and brought California Pinot Noir to the mainstream. Böen offers five different wines: Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay made from a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara counties (SRP: $24.99 each), as well as appellation-specific editions of Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, and Russian River Valley (SRP: $34.99 each).
The name of Wagner’s company, Copper Cane Wines & Provisions, is a perfect illustration of his innovative approach to the winemaking process. “When grapevine canes begin to lignify, or turn to winter hardy wood, they take on a copper hue.
This color shift signals that the green character and harsh tannins have been purged from the vine (and therefore the wine). Only then are the grapes ready for harvest,” Wagner says. While most growers pick their grapes as sugar content hits a certain mark, Wagner waits for physiological maturity to ensure consistency year to year. The result is a wine full of rich, ripe fruit flavors—a style Wagner has always loved.