2020 J. Lohr Gesture GSM Rhone Blend
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The 2020 J. Lohr Gesture GSM displays delicate strawberry and currant aromas from Grenache, balanced by black pepper, cola, and savory notes from Syrah and Mourvèdre in this traditional southern Rhône-inspired blend. On the palate, bing cherry and cranberry flavors transition to a long, old-world style, mineral-driven finish.
— Brenden Wood, red winemaker and Steve Peck, director of winemaking
Wine Details
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Composition Blend
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77%
Grenache
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21%
Syrah
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2%
Mourvèdre
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Origin
Paso Robles Adelaida District, San Luis Obispo County, CA
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Cellaring
Enjoy the most forward fruit expression within 4 years of vintage date; extended proper cellaring will develop further Old World charm for up to a decade from vintage date.
4 Years -
Food Pairings
Our J. Lohr Gesture GSM is a well-balanced red, versatile for pairing with a wide variety of dishes, from an onion tart to grilled lamb, spicy crab cakes, or a hearty vegetable stew.
Vineyard & Vintage
The J. Lohr Gesture GSM comes from plantings at our J. Lohr McCornack Vineyard located in Paso Robles’ Adelaida District. Slopes on this ranch can be as much as 50% to 75%. Hiking up the vine rows is a workout; only crawler tractors can be used to safely farm this site. This area of Paso Robles is an ancient uplifted seabed; fossilized sea shells are often found in the ground even though the vineyard is perched at 1,500 foot average elevation. Weather at McCornack is ideal for growing traditional Rhône varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.
Paso Robles experienced mostly clear skies throughout January and February of 2020. Thankfully a series of early spring storms in March and April saturated the soils just in time for bud break. Overall, precipitation for the 2020 season in Paso Robles was on par with its 25-year historical average. Spring time saw temperate daytime temperatures which allowed the vines to have good flower bloom, healthy canopy growth, and modest fruit set (after two previous years of above- average crop loads). Post-veraison, late August and September saw record heat waves; fortunately, the full canopies paired with the moderate fruit load allowed the grapevines to withstand the heat with little desiccation. The Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre fruit was hand-picked before being destemmed and whole-berry sorted into a small, 6-ton open top tank. The berries were cold soaked for three days then fermented on skins for 2 1/2 weeks prior to pressing. The blend was aged for 8 months on light lees in neutral 500-liter French oak puncheons.
