J. Lohr, Paso Robles (Central Coast, California) 2017

 This consistently excellent blend runs true to form in 2017, showing the richness and depth to be expected from a high-end blend from Paso Robles, yet with the textural softness hoped for from a wine styled as an homage to Bordeaux’s “Right Bank.”  The blend is 63% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 1% Malbec, and the integration of these varieties is quite impressive.  Notes of cedar, cocoa powder and a faint undertone of dried herbs all work well together, and the tannic backbone of the wine is likewise well measured in relation to the wine’s density and fruitiness.  A Platinum Award winner at the 2022 San Diego International Wine and Spirits Challenge.