The 2018 Optimus reveals a deep purple color as well as beautiful notes of crème de cassis, black licorice, tobacco, chocolate, and a rocky, earthy minerality. It’s rich and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity and silky tannins.
Reviews:
- Jeb Dunnuck: The 2018 Optimus reveals a deep purple color as well as beautiful notes of crème de cassis, black licorice, tobacco, chocolate, and a rocky, earthy minerality. It’s rich and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity and silky tannins.
- James Suckling: The spice and dark-chocolate character comes through on the nose. Full-bodied with ripe and creamy tannins and plenty of new wood. Vanilla and chocolate in the aftertaste.
Producer Information
L’Aventure is a well-regarded Paso Robles winery with a small production and a dedicated following. It makes both Cabernet Sauvignon- and Syrah-driven red wines from vineyards along the Santa Lucia mountain range. The estate was founded by French winemaker Stephan Asseo when he arrived in Paso Robles in 1996 looking for suitable growing conditions for Rhône varieties. Asseo began making wine in the 1980s and had already established a winery in Bordeaux. L’Aventure has 51 hectares (127 acres) of land planted to Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc in the southwest of Paso Robles. The vineyards benefit from the cooling effects of the nearby Templeton Gap that allows breezes from the Pacific to pass through the mountains. These breezes mean the vineyards have dramatic temperature drops at night (high diurnal fluctuation), helping the fruit retain its acidity as it matures. The red grapes are all completely de-stemmed before fermentation. L’Aventure has 20 fermentation tanks, so that each vineyard block can be vinified separately. L’Aventure’s popularity has been driven by its small production – roughly 8000 cases annually – and positive critical reception.
