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| Type of Wine | |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Region | |
| Appellation | |
| Winery | |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Grape | , , |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (15%) |
| Drink window | 2024 - 2035 |
In stock
22 items available
The L'Aventure Estate Optimus is a blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and pure aromas of red and black berries with earthy, autumnal accents and a hint of spice. The medium-bodied taste is grainy and fresh, with a beautiful floral perfume in the long aftertaste. French winemaker Stephan Asseo has a unique perspective on winemaking in Paso Robles, having made wine in Bordeaux for 17 years before moving to California. “I moved here to have more freedom. Not to make appellation wine, but to make my own interpretation of my own terroir,” he says. “In Bordeaux, an appellation means one wine style. I love the creativity here. In Paso we shoot in all directions"
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send this to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Collect' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
• Owner Stephan Asseo is one of the most influential winemakers in California
• Paso Robles is often called the “Rhône” of California
• L'Aventure is located west of Paso Robles and benefits from the freshness of the ocean
• A unique terroir made of pebbly and calcareous soils on rolling hills
• Estate Cuvee and Optimus have unique blends, with Syrah, Cabernet Sauv and Petit Verdot
• Very high ratings (a few 100 points in the last decade)
• Very scarce and the xxport represents 10% of the harvest
• Only 3 Négociants in Bordeaux are allowed to distribute wine worldwide
• There will be no 2021 release to extend the aging process
• Affordable price compared to Napa Cult wines
“PASO ROBLES' DOBLE: FRESH AND BALANCED”
Although Paso Robles wines often come with high alcohol, that doesn't stop producers from making fresh and balanced bottles. Leading producers such as L'Aventure […] found high-pitched balance with great intensity and phenolic ripeness that offset the heat, which is barely noticeable even with high alcohol levels. “To achieve the maturity of polyphenols, we need to keep the fruit longer on the vines because of the cool nights here” said Stephane Asseo of L'Aventure, in Paso's Willow Creek district. “You have to put everything into context. We are in Paso, so we make Paso wines.” Asseo also stressed the importance of phenolic ripeness, saying it would be a mistake to harvest too early just for the sake of lower alcohol. “It is crucial to look at the maturity of polyphenols, not just Brix levels,” he said, referring to the measurement of sugar levels in grapes and wine. L'Aventure's Paso Robles Willow Creek District Cote a Cote 2020, a blend of 45 percent grenache, 30 percent syrah and 25 percent mourvedre, was the standout among the wineries' many blended wines and cabernet sauvignons.”
| Packing information | Box |
|---|---|
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Winery | L'Aventure Winery |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah-Shiraz |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2035 |
| Alcohol % | 15 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 95 |
| James Suckling rating | 94 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Kruidig, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe |
The Wine Advocate
RP 95
A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied palate is light on its feet with juicy acidity and approachable grainy tannins, and it has a long, layered finish.
Published: Dec 30, 2022
Rating
96+
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2040
Reviewed by
Erin Brooks
Issue Date
15th Mar 2022
Source
March 2022 Week 2, The Wine Advocate
The 2019 Estate Cuvée, a blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, has a deep ruby-purple color and fragrant aromas of cassis, licorice, dried roses, leather and youthful new oak spice. The full-bodied palate is silky and uplifted, with fine, savory accents and a very long, mineral-driven finish. It deserves another 3-5 years in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.
The 2018 Estate Cuvee checks 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot brought up in 90% new French oak. Tasting like the straight Cab, yet with more sex appeal, it offers a huge nose of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed stone, graphite, and crushed flowers. This carries to a full-bodied, gorgeously textured red with incredible balance, no hard edges, a thrilling mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of two decades or more. Hats off to winemaker Stephan Asseo on another incredible wine, as well as, I suspect the wine of the vintage.
Rating
(94 - 96)+
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
NA
Reviewed by
Erin Brooks
Issue Date
6th Feb 2020
Source
February 2020 Week 1, The Wine Advocate
A barrel sample blended of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot aging in about 90% new oak, the 2018 Estate Cuvée has a very deep ruby-purple color and explodes to crème de cassis, black cherries, blueberry and boysenberry preserves with accents of violet, grilled lamb, dried thyme, coffee, soil and chocolate with exotic spices in the undercurrent. The full-bodied palate is incredibly pixelated and silky with very bold freshness and a long, layered finish. I can't wait to see taste this beauty from bottle.
French winemaker Stephan Asseo has a unique perspective on winemaking in Paso Robles, having made wine in Bordeaux for 17 years before relocating to California. “I moved here to have more freedom. Not to make appellation wine, but to make my own interpretation of my own terroir,” he says. “In Bordeaux, an appellation will mean one style of wine. I love the creativity here. In Paso, we’re shooting in every direction.”
Asseo has done a great job applying knowledge accrued in Bordeaux to the more laissez-faire environment of Paso Robles. “If I kept anything from Bordeaux, it’s the blending philosophy,” he says. L’Aventure has 60 planted acres, which Asseo divided into 50 separate blocks. “When I was planting, I really took advantage of the diversity here, the soils, the hills and their different exposures, different rootstocks and clones. Each plot produces something different, like big California babies or more elegant styles with fresh fruits. In my mind, the blend starts in the vineyard from those different styles. At the end, you have a nice patchwork. For example, in Paso the Petit Verdot, even when it’s fully ripe, is austere. But in the context of the blending philosophy, this austerity brings some classiness and some additional elegance to my Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.”
It was fascinating to taste the unfinished 2018s from their respective vessels, including new oak, neutral oak, concrete and amphorae. “More and more, I love amphorae,” he says, “especially when it’s Rhône grapes and especially for Grenache.” The wines from amphorae were fresh, pure and defined, providing a foil to those in new oak, and it’s easy to see how these fresher components positively influence the final blends. “We have high alcohol in Paso, but that’s the terroir,” he says, explaining that despite the heat, regularly cool nights maintain good natural acidity in the wines. “When you have high alcohol, you have to have that acidity for balance.” The 2018s are lovely so far and I look forward to seeing Asseo’s final blends from bottle.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
94
Drinking Window
2025 - 2031
From: Paso Robles: Boundless Diversity (May 2023)
The darkly floral 2020 Optimus impresses with a spicy blend of crushed black raspberries, dusty florals and olive tapenade. This is texturally thrilling and creamy in feel. Zesty acidity adds impressive energy, with depths of dark red fruits and savory spice that swirl throughout. It finishes incredibly long, communicating power and a classic tannic structure that frames the experience without slowing its momentum.
- By Eric Guido on March 2023
Passionate, focused on terroir, willing to experiment, deep and open-minded, Stephan Asseo of L'Aventure continues to be a force to be reckoned with in Paso Robles. Asseo went on about each wine, discussing the passion that inspired him and how the processes have evolved over time. This is the first address to stop at for lovers of a more classical or almost Bordeaux style. One gets a sense of purity and prestige from every bottle, mixed with a dose of Paso Robles power. The 2020s here are flat-out stunning. If there was any smoke taint, I could not detect it. They are beautifully structured and concentrated wines, with perfectly integrated oak and racy acidity to balance. If you’re visiting Paso Robles, don’t forget to check out Les Petites Canailles, one of the best restaurants in the area, along with a wine list to match. Les Petites Canailles is owned and operated by Julien and Courtney Asseo, Stephan’s son and daughter-in-law.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Jeb Dunnuck - 94/100
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
Stephan Asseo, owner and winemaker at L'Aventure Winery, started making wine in 1982, after his education at L'Ecole Oenologique de Macon, Bourgogne, France. In the same year, Stephan founded Domaine de Courteillac in Bordeaux. He and his family later bought Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion, Bordeaux. Over the next 15 years, Stephan developed into an artisan winemaker with exacting craftsmanship and gained a reputation as a "maverick winemaker". However, his true desire was to be more innovative than AOC law would allow. This led him, his wife Beatrice and his three children, including his daughter Chloé, on a 1996 search for a great terroir, where he could pursue his ideal as a winemaker. After searching for over a year among the world's greatest wine fields, ranging from South Africa to Lebanon, from Argentina to Napa, they found Paso Robles. Stephan and Beatrice instantly "fell in love" with the unique terroir of west side Paso Robles. The rolling topography of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the deep calcareous soils and the maritime influences of the famous Templeton Gap combine to create a world-class wine country, with the potential to make some of the world's finest blends. Here, in Paso Robles, Stephan and his family started their adventure "L'Aventure" in 1998.
The spirit of L'Aventure is most apparent in Stephan's "Paso Blends", such as Optimus and Estate Cuvée. Both wines are blends of Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon / Petit Verdot. In these wines, as well as in our Rhône blend Côte à Côte, the blending of premium grape varieties increases the authenticity, complexity and balance of the wines. In this adventurous spirit we find the future of Paso Robles wines...great, well-balanced red blends.
The L'Aventure Estate Optimus is a blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and pure aromas of red and black berries with earthy, autumnal accents and a hint of spice. The medium-bodied taste is grainy and fresh, with a beautiful floral perfume in the long aftertaste. French winemaker Stephan Asseo has a unique perspective on winemaking in Paso Robles, having made wine in Bordeaux for 17 years before moving to California. “I moved here to have more freedom. Not to make appellation wine, but to make my own interpretation of my own terroir,” he says. “In Bordeaux, an appellation means one wine style. I love the creativity here. In Paso we shoot in all directions"
FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send this to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Collect' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.
• Owner Stephan Asseo is one of the most influential winemakers in California
• Paso Robles is often called the “Rhône” of California
• L'Aventure is located west of Paso Robles and benefits from the freshness of the ocean
• A unique terroir made of pebbly and calcareous soils on rolling hills
• Estate Cuvee and Optimus have unique blends, with Syrah, Cabernet Sauv and Petit Verdot
• Very high ratings (a few 100 points in the last decade)
• Very scarce and the xxport represents 10% of the harvest
• Only 3 Négociants in Bordeaux are allowed to distribute wine worldwide
• There will be no 2021 release to extend the aging process
• Affordable price compared to Napa Cult wines
“PASO ROBLES' DOBLE: FRESH AND BALANCED”
Although Paso Robles wines often come with high alcohol, that doesn't stop producers from making fresh and balanced bottles. Leading producers such as L'Aventure […] found high-pitched balance with great intensity and phenolic ripeness that offset the heat, which is barely noticeable even with high alcohol levels. “To achieve the maturity of polyphenols, we need to keep the fruit longer on the vines because of the cool nights here” said Stephane Asseo of L'Aventure, in Paso's Willow Creek district. “You have to put everything into context. We are in Paso, so we make Paso wines.” Asseo also stressed the importance of phenolic ripeness, saying it would be a mistake to harvest too early just for the sake of lower alcohol. “It is crucial to look at the maturity of polyphenols, not just Brix levels,” he said, referring to the measurement of sugar levels in grapes and wine. L'Aventure's Paso Robles Willow Creek District Cote a Cote 2020, a blend of 45 percent grenache, 30 percent syrah and 25 percent mourvedre, was the standout among the wineries' many blended wines and cabernet sauvignons.”
| Packing information | Box |
|---|---|
| Type of Wine | Red |
| Country | USA |
| Region | Californie |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Winery | L'Aventure Winery |
| Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah-Shiraz |
| Biological certified | No |
| Natural wine | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Drinking as of | 2024 |
| Drinking till | 2035 |
| Alcohol % | 15 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 95 |
| James Suckling rating | 94 |
| Vinous rating | 94 |
| Tasting Profiles | Aards, Complex, Donker fruit, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Kruidig, Tannines, Vol |
| Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe |
The Wine Advocate
RP 95
A blend of 58% Syrah, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Optimus has a deep ruby color and a deep core of red and black cherries, chargrill, thyme, charcuterie and desiccated violet. The full-bodied palate is light on its feet with juicy acidity and approachable grainy tannins, and it has a long, layered finish.
Published: Dec 30, 2022
Rating
96+
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
2022 - 2040
Reviewed by
Erin Brooks
Issue Date
15th Mar 2022
Source
March 2022 Week 2, The Wine Advocate
The 2019 Estate Cuvée, a blend of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot, has a deep ruby-purple color and fragrant aromas of cassis, licorice, dried roses, leather and youthful new oak spice. The full-bodied palate is silky and uplifted, with fine, savory accents and a very long, mineral-driven finish. It deserves another 3-5 years in bottle and will be long lived in the cellar.
The 2018 Estate Cuvee checks 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot brought up in 90% new French oak. Tasting like the straight Cab, yet with more sex appeal, it offers a huge nose of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed stone, graphite, and crushed flowers. This carries to a full-bodied, gorgeously textured red with incredible balance, no hard edges, a thrilling mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of two decades or more. Hats off to winemaker Stephan Asseo on another incredible wine, as well as, I suspect the wine of the vintage.
Rating
(94 - 96)+
Release Price
NA
Drink Date
NA
Reviewed by
Erin Brooks
Issue Date
6th Feb 2020
Source
February 2020 Week 1, The Wine Advocate
A barrel sample blended of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot aging in about 90% new oak, the 2018 Estate Cuvée has a very deep ruby-purple color and explodes to crème de cassis, black cherries, blueberry and boysenberry preserves with accents of violet, grilled lamb, dried thyme, coffee, soil and chocolate with exotic spices in the undercurrent. The full-bodied palate is incredibly pixelated and silky with very bold freshness and a long, layered finish. I can't wait to see taste this beauty from bottle.
French winemaker Stephan Asseo has a unique perspective on winemaking in Paso Robles, having made wine in Bordeaux for 17 years before relocating to California. “I moved here to have more freedom. Not to make appellation wine, but to make my own interpretation of my own terroir,” he says. “In Bordeaux, an appellation will mean one style of wine. I love the creativity here. In Paso, we’re shooting in every direction.”
Asseo has done a great job applying knowledge accrued in Bordeaux to the more laissez-faire environment of Paso Robles. “If I kept anything from Bordeaux, it’s the blending philosophy,” he says. L’Aventure has 60 planted acres, which Asseo divided into 50 separate blocks. “When I was planting, I really took advantage of the diversity here, the soils, the hills and their different exposures, different rootstocks and clones. Each plot produces something different, like big California babies or more elegant styles with fresh fruits. In my mind, the blend starts in the vineyard from those different styles. At the end, you have a nice patchwork. For example, in Paso the Petit Verdot, even when it’s fully ripe, is austere. But in the context of the blending philosophy, this austerity brings some classiness and some additional elegance to my Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.”
It was fascinating to taste the unfinished 2018s from their respective vessels, including new oak, neutral oak, concrete and amphorae. “More and more, I love amphorae,” he says, “especially when it’s Rhône grapes and especially for Grenache.” The wines from amphorae were fresh, pure and defined, providing a foil to those in new oak, and it’s easy to see how these fresher components positively influence the final blends. “We have high alcohol in Paso, but that’s the terroir,” he says, explaining that despite the heat, regularly cool nights maintain good natural acidity in the wines. “When you have high alcohol, you have to have that acidity for balance.” The 2018s are lovely so far and I look forward to seeing Asseo’s final blends from bottle.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
94
Drinking Window
2025 - 2031
From: Paso Robles: Boundless Diversity (May 2023)
The darkly floral 2020 Optimus impresses with a spicy blend of crushed black raspberries, dusty florals and olive tapenade. This is texturally thrilling and creamy in feel. Zesty acidity adds impressive energy, with depths of dark red fruits and savory spice that swirl throughout. It finishes incredibly long, communicating power and a classic tannic structure that frames the experience without slowing its momentum.
- By Eric Guido on March 2023
Passionate, focused on terroir, willing to experiment, deep and open-minded, Stephan Asseo of L'Aventure continues to be a force to be reckoned with in Paso Robles. Asseo went on about each wine, discussing the passion that inspired him and how the processes have evolved over time. This is the first address to stop at for lovers of a more classical or almost Bordeaux style. One gets a sense of purity and prestige from every bottle, mixed with a dose of Paso Robles power. The 2020s here are flat-out stunning. If there was any smoke taint, I could not detect it. They are beautifully structured and concentrated wines, with perfectly integrated oak and racy acidity to balance. If you’re visiting Paso Robles, don’t forget to check out Les Petites Canailles, one of the best restaurants in the area, along with a wine list to match. Les Petites Canailles is owned and operated by Julien and Courtney Asseo, Stephan’s son and daughter-in-law.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Jeb Dunnuck - 94/100
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
Stephan Asseo, owner and winemaker at L'Aventure Winery, started making wine in 1982, after his education at L'Ecole Oenologique de Macon, Bourgogne, France. In the same year, Stephan founded Domaine de Courteillac in Bordeaux. He and his family later bought Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion, Bordeaux. Over the next 15 years, Stephan developed into an artisan winemaker with exacting craftsmanship and gained a reputation as a "maverick winemaker". However, his true desire was to be more innovative than AOC law would allow. This led him, his wife Beatrice and his three children, including his daughter Chloé, on a 1996 search for a great terroir, where he could pursue his ideal as a winemaker. After searching for over a year among the world's greatest wine fields, ranging from South Africa to Lebanon, from Argentina to Napa, they found Paso Robles. Stephan and Beatrice instantly "fell in love" with the unique terroir of west side Paso Robles. The rolling topography of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the deep calcareous soils and the maritime influences of the famous Templeton Gap combine to create a world-class wine country, with the potential to make some of the world's finest blends. Here, in Paso Robles, Stephan and his family started their adventure "L'Aventure" in 1998.
The spirit of L'Aventure is most apparent in Stephan's "Paso Blends", such as Optimus and Estate Cuvée. Both wines are blends of Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon / Petit Verdot. In these wines, as well as in our Rhône blend Côte à Côte, the blending of premium grape varieties increases the authenticity, complexity and balance of the wines. In this adventurous spirit we find the future of Paso Robles wines...great, well-balanced red blends.
