VINTAGE
The 2018 growing season was characterized by a cool spring in the Arroyo Seco. Cool, foggy mornings and evenings, with daytime highs in the 80s through the summer, provided optimum weather for ripening Chardonnay. The warm weather in September, along with the recurring afternoon winds, provided the slow ripening needed to maximize flavors and textures. The Chardonnay harvest began on October 4th, which was later than recent vintages. Our Riverstone Chardonnay is now comprised of nine Chardonnay clones - 4, 5, 17, 76, 95, 96, 548, 809 and Hyde-Wente, each bringing one component to the complexity of flavors, textures and acidities in the final blend.

VINEYARDS
The vines for our J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay are grown primarily on Elder loam soils underlain by “riverstones” deposited over thousands of years by the Arroyo Seco River. These stones limit soil depth from one to four feet, although roots are found at greater depths. This unique combination of sandy loam and cobblestone soil keeps the vines’ vegetative growth and fruit in balance, while the cool climate and winds of the Salinas Valley extend the growing season - retaining the natural grape acids and intense varietal character of Chardonnay.

"The 2018 Riverstone Chardonnay exhibits youthful hues of light straw. The enticing aromas are reminiscent of white peach, apricot, ripe orange, and cocoa, and complemented by the palate flavors of citrus cream and nectarine. The rich texture and balance on the palate from aging sur lie gives way to flavors of vanilla, crème brûlée, and a touch of oak can be found on the long finish."

— Kristen Barnhisel, winemaker, white wine

A classic wine icon for thirty vintages – one of America’s favorite Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons.

VINEYARDS

The predominant source for our J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon program is our vineyard located directly opposite our J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center, plus two newer sites just to the north (J. Lohr Sinclair and J. Lohr Jones ranches). The original Seven Oaks vineyard was planted on its own rootstock, utilizing some of the indigenous Estrella clones widely planted in Paso Robles. The soils in our vineyards vary from gravelly clay loam to limestone-based, over a relatively small parcel of land; various rootstock and clonal combinations have been used to maximize the expression of each individual site and the eventual wine’s layered complexity.

VINIFICATION

Maturation: 12 months aging in 60-gallon American oak barrels, 18% new

Barrel type: Predominantly medium-plus toasted Missouri and Minnesota oak, with toasted heads

CELLARING

Balanced and fruit forward upon release, with adequate structure to age seven years or longer.

Our 2017 J. Lohr Cuvée PAU leads with aromas of red currant and cherry, enveloped in oak-inspired notes of cedar, cigar box, and toasted coconut. The flavorful red fruit entry delivers dense cherry, plum, and chalk with a bright and lasting age-worthy finish. Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, in the manner of classic Left Bank wines from Pauillac.

VINTAGE

Generous rains fell prior to the 2017 vintage, ending an unprecedented 5-year throughout California. Budbreak occurred a few days later than normal in 2017, which is typical for wet years. Crop set was light, with yields on this Cabernet block in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles reaching just 2.3 tons per acre. This late-ripening block of Cabernet Sauvignon was more than eight weeks away from harvest during a September heat wave, so it came through the heat spike unharmed. In this vintage, we saw a higher level of tannin structure and flavor ripeness, echoing the string of great vintages from ‘12 to ‘14.

CUVÉE PAU

The inspiration for this blend comes from the Grand Cru wines of the Pauillac district of Bordeaux, which are traditionally composed from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with occasional acccents from Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Our J. Lohr winemaking team is given the freedom to emulate these great Bordeaux wines through the prism of our world-class Paso Robles fruit.

Maker Notes

VINEYARDS
Our Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir is produced from cool climate grapes grown in the Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands regions of central Monterey County. This area has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing world-class Pinot Noir. Over the past two decades, the introduction of Dijon clones of Pinot Noir, along with the old standby Pommard clone, has dramatically increased the quality of the varietal here. These newer clones are the backbone of this release of Falcon’s Perch. The wine was named for the bird which had made its home in the lone pine tree among the vines, safeguarding the grapes from vertebrate pests while preserving the ecosystem’s natural balance.

VINTAGE
Monterey County underwent an especially dry winter and spring in 2021. Although dry, spring and summer temperatures were mild, with daytime temperatures between flower bloom and veraison well below average. Pinot Noir crop yields were modest in 2021 and the cool but dry weather allowed for slow ripening and retention of the delicate, expressive aromatics found in this noble grape. We began harvesting Pinot Noir on the morning of September 25th in the Santa Lucia Highlands and moved to our vineyards in the Arroyo Seco four days later. Approximately 15% of the fruit was fermented whole cluster, with stems, to accentuate the spicy strawberry notes that Monterey Pinot Noir is prized for. About 20% of the blend was aged in 2nd and 3rd-fill French oak barrels, while the remainder was aged in tank, on light lees with batonnage - to preserve freshness and retain the vintage’s nuanced varietal character.

J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Vineyard Chardonnay is a quintessential Monterey Chardonnay, showcasing the perfect balance of tropical fruit flavors and bright acidity. Grown in J. Lohr’s pioneering vineyards in the cool, windswept Arroyo Seco AVA, this wine reflects the unique terroir of loamy sand and gravelly soils. The vines thrive in this environment, producing a Chardonnay with rich, layered flavors and exceptional food versatility.

This wine is aged in French oak barrels for 14 months, with 45% new oak, and undergoes sur lie aging to enhance its texture and complexity. The result is a wine with a vibrant, tropical fruit profile complemented by a touch of vanilla and a subtle hint of oak.

Wine Details:

Cellaring: Delicious now and can be cellared for up to 5 years.
Composition: A blend of handpicked Chardonnay grapes from Arroyo Seco.
Barrel Type: Aged in French oak barrels (45% new).
Food Pairings: Perfect with triple crème brie cheese, mussels in lemon wine sauce, chicken with Dijon mustard sauce, or lobster and crab with lemon butter.

For a refined, food-friendly Chardonnay with a distinct Monterey character, J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Vineyard Chardonnay is a standout. Available now at Royal Batch!

The 2017 J. Lohr Cuvée POM is effusive with aromas of blueberry, marionberry, lilac, and cocoa powder. Vibrant acidity and persistent fresh berry notes resonate on the palate, leaving an angular structure sure to have lengthy cellar potential. With Paso Robles Merlot at its core, this lush wine recalls many of the best wines of Pomerol.

VINTAGE

Our J. Lohr Paso Robles vineyards emerged from a 5-year drought with remarkable quality in the 2017 vintage. The restorative rainfall exceeded the 20-year average by more than 25% in the appellation. Budbreak occurred in our Merlot block 5 at the Creston Vineyard during the first week of April. Bloom was also slightly delayed as we flowered at the end of the third week of May. An extreme heat event occurred in early September, which brought temperatures as high as 115 degrees along the California’s coast. Our Merlot crop was several weeks away from harvest and came through the heat spike unharmed. In this vintage we saw the highest level of flavor ripeness since the string of three great vintages from ‘12 to ‘14.

CUVÉE POM

Inspiration for J. Lohr Cuvée POM comes from the Grand Cru wines of Pomerol on Bordeaux’s famed Right Bank. These legendary wines are traditionally composed of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with sparse additions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. At J. Lohr, our winemaking team is given the freedom to emulate these great wines through the prism of our world-class Paso Robles fruit.