Our Vineyards

Böen is an exploration in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – highlighting the unique attributes of California’s most sought-after winegrowing regions.

Sonoma County

Where coastal fog rolls in like a velvet curtain each morning, Sonoma County’s diverse terrain and microclimates create an ideal canvas for world-class winemaking. Home to 19 acclaimed AVAs—including the heavily coastal Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Carneros—this region yields rich and expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay brooding with character, depth and soul. The cool, foggy mornings and temperate afternoons drive vibrant acidity and layered complexity, resulting in wines that are both graceful and powerful.

Monterey County

Cradled by the cool currents of the Pacific and anchored by the Salinas Valley’s alluvial soils, Monterey County is a study in contrast and elegance. Its 9 AVAs—including Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco—are cooled by one of the longest growing seasons in California, allowing grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to develop immense structure with dark, earthy flavor. The marine influence preserves fresh acidity, delivering wines with weight, minerality and extreme intensity.

Santa Barbara County

With its unusual east-west mountain ranges funnelling ocean breezes inland, Santa Barbara County crafts wines kissed by the sea. From the celebrated Sta. Rita Hills to Santa Maria Valley, its 7 AVAs produce world class cool-climate varietals—especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These wines carry a fresh vibrancy laced with natural elegance. The region’s coastal winds and diurnal swings create offer a style focusing on purity, precision, and finesse.

BÖEN is a translation of ‘The Farm’ and I chose it as a reminder to myself that the wine I make is indivisible from the land it comes from and that first and foremost, I am a farmer.

Joseph Wagner, Owner and Winemaker

Our Winemaking Style

Extended Hang Time

Copper Cane Winery has redefined the modern winery with our unique approach to the winemaking process. When green grapevine canes begin to lignify, or turn to winter hardy wood they take a copper hue, this color shift signals that the green vegetal character and harsh tannins have been purged from the vine and that the grapes are physiologically ripe. Only then are the grapes ready for harvest. This is why Copper Cane only works with grapes. We never buy juice or bulk wine because we want to control all aspects from the vineyard to the bottle.

Cryo-extraction

We use freezing methods, such as dry ice, to initiate the winemaking process upon harvesting in the vineyard. Dry ice is layered as the grapes are picked and the process of cryo-extraction begins, freezing the grape skins and allowing the cell walls within the skins (which is where color and flavor compounds are found) to rupture, beginning the extraction of the phenolics. This makes the color compounds and flavors more accessible during fermentation.

Destemming the Grape Clusters

Destemming consists of separating grapes from the stems. The process of removing the grape berries from the stems begins once the grapes have been harvested and bought in to the winery. Grape stems contain high concentrations of tannin, leaving them in the “must” (berries, juice, pulp, and seed) during cold soak and fermentation would result in a wine with harsh, green tannin. Removing this element allows us to showcase the natural lush fruit flavours we like to taste in our wines.

Extended Cold Fermentation

Cold fermentation is a technique where, as soon as the grapes and juice are in the tank, we quickly reduce the temperature of the grapes using cryo-extraction methods to near freezing, 20-30 degrees cooler than most wineries maintain. We also extend this period of cold fermentation to three to four weeks, where other wineries typically complete this in one week. Extended cold fermentation results in more supple tannins, lush fruit notes, and deeper, richer color.

Barrel Stripping

Before the wine can be placed in barrels for maturation, we have to pep them. Sulphur Water Soak, or extended steam treatment is our technique for slowly leaching out tannins and leaving behind the subtle oak nuances – such as toasted, vanilla, and delicious spice characters that we do not want in our wines. This eliminates the coarseness that a new barrel can contribute and maintains the elements we desire. We do not add water to our must/juice (no amelioration). We do not add sugar to our grapes (no chaptalization). We do not add acid to our grapes (no acidification).