Cuvée St. E

The 2018 growing season in Paso Robles will be remembered as starting with a “Miracle March,” with over 70% of the rainfall being accumulated in just a 3-week period after a dry winter. That kicked off a rare vintage of exceptional quality and yield. A nice stretch of warm weather in May assured a good bloom and fruit set on the developing clusters. An unprecedented 46-day heat spell, beginning after the 4th of July, had the effect of extending the growing season as vines shuttered their stomates and slowed photosynthesis as a defense against the high temperatures. Cabernet Franc grown on Block 60 of our J. Lohr Home Ranch was meticulously farmed with the Cuvée St. E program in mind. This block consistently provides fruit of deep color, polished tannins, and the complex savory elements that are cherished by Cabernet Franc aficionados worldwide. Clusters were hand-picked on October 24th, 2018 and sorted using our Pellenc Selectiv’ system.

CUVÉE ST. E

The inspiration for our J. Lohr Cuvée St. E comes from the Grand Cru wines of St. Émilion from the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These memorable wines are composed primarily from Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with accenting touches of the other Bordeaux red varietals. We are given the freedom to emulate these great wines without the restrictions of varietal percentages, instead keenly focusing on the texture and complexity of the blend that nature delivers with each vintage.