J. Lohr, Paso Robles (Central Coast, California) Petite Sirah 2018

 This wine has – for many years on end – managed to combine remarkable size, weight and palate impact with equally remarkable textural softness.  There is no food challenge to which it would not prove equal (armadillo or wolverine included), and yet it is so uncanny in its softness that you could enjoyably sip an entire glass of it cocktail style.  The effect is not easy to describe, but maybe like being bumped by a very, very slow-moving blimp.  Everyone who loves big wine needs to try this at some point, as it is undeniably delicious and yet very distinctive and unusual.