Cuvée St. E

Every vintage has its own personality; a unique history of climatic experience that shapes the flavor of the wine we taste in the glass. 2014 was the third in a trio of strong vintages for Paso Robles. The wines are dense and aromatically expressive, and are reminiscent of 2004. With less than half of the usual winter rainfall in the ground, spring growth rocketed as degree days racked up at a faster pace than we’ve seen in a decade. A somewhat warm veraison period at the end of July pushed tannin levels upward, and led to the earliest picking dates on record for Cuvée St. E. Achieving sugar ripeness was never in question during this warm vintage, but we certainly benefited from the J. Lohr “early water deficit” farming practices that hasten seed ripeness and achieve early phenolic maturity.

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 rare touches of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. 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.