2020 J. Lohr Pure Paso® Proprietary Red Wine
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Wine Enthusiast, December 2022
Savory varietal notes of Cabernet Sauvignon are layered with the dark fruit character of Petite Sirah. The bouquet of cocoa powder, caramel, and anise works in harmony with the black cherry fruit signature of this wine. Bright and focused on the palate, with a firm and appetizing finish.
— Brenden Wood, red winemaker & Steve Peck, director of winemaking
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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64%
Cabernet Sauvignon
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28%
Petite Sirah
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5%
Petit Verdot
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2%
Malbec
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1%
Merlot
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Origin
Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California
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Cellaring
This Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine highlights J. Lohr’s house-style, which is acclaimed for its dense and focused fruit signature, coupled with a soft, approachable palate. Best from 2023 to 2027.
7 Years -
Maturation
Aged 18 months in American and French oak cooperage.
Barrel Type: 60-gallon oak barriques, 18% new
Coopers: Heinrich, Nadalie, Trust
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Food Pairings
Serve with Santa Maria-style grilled tri-tip seasoned with a simple garlic, salt, and pepper rub, along with grilled French bread, fresh salsa, and stewed pinquito beans for a classic coastal California feast.
An historic, artful blend of Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah wines – two J. Lohr benchmark varieties in the central coast.
Vineyards
For this vintage of our J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon component was sourced largely from our Shotwell Vineyard in the slightly cooler El Pomar District of Paso Robles; the climate here is strongly influenced by marine air drawn in from the Pacific Ocean just 17 miles away. This ranch is predominantly planted to ENTAV clone 169 Cabernet Sauvignon on calcareous Linne-Calodo soils with slopes reaching a challenging 25%. The Petite Sirah portion is from the warmer Estrella and San Miguel Districts. This area is ideal for heat-loving Petite Sirah. We have manicured our east-to-west oriented plantings to capture sunlight on the leaves’ surface; this practice allows the grape clusters to reach a luxurious level of maturity in the dappled sunlight below the vine canopy.
Vintage
Overall, precipitation for the 2020 season in Paso Robles was on par with its 25-year historical average. Springtime enjoyed temperate daytime temperatures which allowed vines to have good flower bloom and canopy growth. Fruit set was modest, after two previous years with above average crop loads. The healthy canopies allowed the vines to withstand late summer heatwaves with little desiccation. We started hand-harvesting Petite Sirah in the Paso Robles Estrella District on September 17th. The harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon from our J. Lohr Shotwell Vineyard, about 8 miles south, started shortly after on September 28th. We began assembly of the 2020 J. Lohr Pure Paso blend in June of 2021, choosing lots that best layered the vibrant, savory character of Cabernet Sauvignon with the spicy, dark, blackberry flavors of Petite Sirah.
