2014 J. Lohr Vineyard Series Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon
Library Selection. Please contact wineclubs@jlohr.com to order.
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Robert Whitley, Wine Review Online, Creators.com
- “J. Lohr's 2014 Hilltop Cabernet is of the sort that made Paso Robles Cab famous. It's ripe and juicy, spicy and racy, and priced modestly. With loads of blackberry and blueberry fruit and supple tannins, it's a crowd-pleaser that is primed for stardom during the upcoming grilling season. A platinum award-winner at the 2017 Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition.”
The 2014 J. Lohr Hilltop is a great example of our house style of “dense but soft” Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberry and currant varietal aromas are supported by a touch of hazelnut and cocoa powder from the French oak barrel signature. Bright, brambly acidity on the mid-palate is followed by intense and vibrant red fruit on the finish.
— Steve Peck, winemaker
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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90%
Cabernet Sauvignon
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6%
Petit Verdot
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4%
Cabernet Franc
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Origin
Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California
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Cellaring
Rich in fruit upon release, with structure to age comfortably for 7 to 10 years.
10 Years -
Food Pairings
Delicious with rosemary-seasoned ribeye served with garlic roasted potatoes with parsnips and fennel.
Vintage
The third in a trio of strong vintages for Paso Robles, the wines of 2014 are showing dense and aromatically expressive, and are reminiscent of 2004. With less than half the usual winter rainfall in the ground, spring growth rocketed as degree days racked up at a faster pace than we’ve seen in a decade. A somewhat warm veraison period at the end of July pushed tannin levels upward and led to the earliest picking dates on record for most of our vineyard blocks. Achieving sugar ripeness was never in question in this warm vintage, but we certainly benefitted from the J. Lohr “early water deficit” farming practices that hasten seed ripeness and achieve early phenolic maturity. 2014 Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon is showing brambly fruit aromas, a dense texture and bright acidity on the finish.
Vineyards
Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on a handful of select vineyard sites in the Paso Robles AVA. Blessed with long summer days of intense sunshine, our near 100°F daytime temperatures are followed with chilly, ocean-cooled nights in the 50s. These Cabernet vines are naturally stressed in the dry, often very gravelly, and sometimes lime shale-laden soils. Water is at a premium in these vineyards, enabling the viticulturist to fine-tune irrigation, producing the darkest fruit with resolved tannins year after year.
