2018 J. Lohr Cuvée St. E Red Blend
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J. Lohr Cuvée St. E captures the savory side of the Bordeaux varieties. The 2018 displays aromas of blackberry, red currant, roasted coffee bean, and mocha. The palate has an enticingly chewy structure with notes of dried herbs and plum and a long, complex finish.
— Winemakers Brenden Wood and Steve Peck
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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71%
Cabernet Franc
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27%
Cabernet Sauvignon
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6%
Merlot
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Origin
Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, California
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Food Pairings
A perfect pairing for filet mignon with a shallot-cream sauce or Osso Bucco (braised veal shanks) over a bed of polenta.
Paso Robles Cabernet Franc is the backbone of this wine, emulating many of the Right Bank wines of Saint-Émilion.
Vintage
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.
