2018 L'Aventure Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
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Tasting notes
Inky ruby. A hugely perfumed, complex bouquet evokes cherry liqueur, cassis, fruitcake, vanilla and candied rose, and pipe tobacco and smoke oak nuances build in the glass. Deeply concentrated, palate-staining dark berry, bitter cherry, mocha and floral pastille flavors show superb definition, while a core of juicy acidity conveys an impressively lively character. Suave, velvety and alluringly sweet, finishing with powerful thrust, youthfully chewy tannins and fabulous persistence.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve contains 2% Petit Verdot and was aged in 100% new French oak. This hasn't been made since 2013 because, says winemaker Stephan Asseo, the Cabernet Sauvignon was cordon pruned and crop yields were very low. He spent the last several years switching over to cane pruning. Deep ruby, it has classic aromas of crushed blackcurrants, cedar, bay leaves and an undercurrent of graphite and aniseed. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed to the brim with finely grained tannins that support lush, youthfully flamboyant fruits, and it has great freshness to lift the long finish. Give it another 3-5 years in bottle. 440 cases produced.
The first vintage since 2013 where Stephan released a straight Cabernet, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve includes a splash of Petit Verdot and spent 14 months in new French oak. It's a beautiful wine in every sense and shows classic Paso Robles limestone character. (It actually reminds me of a great recent vintage of Pavie.) Lots of crème de cassis, crushed stone, lead pencil, and a touch of green tobacco all emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, concentrated, focused texture, building tannins, and a magical finish. It's going to take a decade to hit maturity, but it's a brilliant wine in every way.
The last time L'Aventure made a Cabernet Sauvignon was in 2013. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate includes 5% Petit Verdot and is aging in 98% new oak. Very deep ruby-purple in color, it explodes on the nose with scents of lilac, lavender and violet, crème de cassis, soy sauce, cedar, leather, roast coffee, chocolate mint, blueberry coulis and game meats. The palate is full-bodied, intense and pixelated with mind-blowing freshness, finishing very long and layered. I can't wait to taste this from bottle!
About the producer
L’Aventure is one of the leading wine estates in Paso Robles, California. It was founded by Stephan Asseo and his wife Beatrice who left their native France in 1997 in search of a place to make wine without the restrictions of France’s appellation system.