Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/844641
july 2017 / the tasting panel / 65 july 2017 / the tasting panel / 65 THE PASO ROBLES CAB COLLECTIVE The Paso Robles CAB Collective is a grassroots organization founded by a group of local vintners, including J. Lohr, who felt it essential to get their message to market. As group spokesperson Linda Parker Sanpei explains, "The Paso Robles CAB Collective was conceived five years ago when founding members came together with a principle vision of promoting the full potential of Cabernet and red Bordeaux varietals from Paso Robles. As a result, critics now proclaim that Paso Robles rivals the best Bordeaux winegrowing regions in the world, and we've witnessed increased sales, distribution and esteem for our member wineries." "Paso is looking to produce superior quality, truly age-worthy Cabernet and Bordeaux varieties, and I think that the more you taste around and pull up some of those older vintages, you absolutely see that in the structure," says Cynthia Lohr. "The structure does not diminish regardless of age, and that's a truly powerful aspect of growing in Paso Robles." In addition to the region's growing recognition for quality, there's a tight-knit tapestry of respect and collaboration among vintners in this community. As Mike Mooney, owner and winemaker of Chateau Margene, points out, "I don't feel as though I'm in competition with any other winery." He agrees the area as a whole produces excellent Cabernets for every palate, adding in regard to his tastings, "If you like it, you buy it, and if you don't, you go down the road and buy someone else's wine. We're not competitive; we're very collective and we call it more of a comparative tasting." Peck points out that while their Cabernets go through primary fermen- tation in tank, their Vineyards Series wines, as well as 15 percent of J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks, go through malolactic fermentation in barrel. "Yes, we do it, and yes, it's harder," he smiles. We stop at the crush pad outside as Peck is thrilled to show us one of their latest tools: the Pellenc Extractiv'. This unique crusher is used for their finest, small-production wines, which tend to have tiny berries, adding an extra layer of quality. Since the Extractiv' basically causes the berries to burst, they are crushed in a more homogenous man- ner for better skin maceration, as the surface contact between the juice and the skin is increased. We also have the opportunity to sit down with Assistant Winemaker Brenden Wood to discuss J. Lohr's elaborate barrel program. Every year, the winery orders roughly 10,000 new oak barrels for their red wines. Most of these are American oak for the Seven Oaks Estates tier. Many of them are their "bread and butter" barrels and some are their "spice" barrels with a heavier toast, while others are experi- ments to see whether they can work in their program. After deciding on their favorites with each vintage, the samples are sent to a lab that deter- mines the flavor profile of that barrel. Endurance for Quality J. Lohr's success in producing quality Cabernet Sauvignon stems from its owner's never-ending drive and the commitment of his team. Despite turning 80 this year, Lohr is very active at J. Lohr—especially in the vineyards. I heard countless stories of Lohr's intense schedule, his involvement with various organizations and his ability to remember everything. This is obviously translating into the second generation of leadership: Steve, Cynthia and Lawrence Lohr. Every individual at J. Lohr shares the same sense of pride. This also shows in the longevity of its staff, most of whom have been there for well over a decade and have accumulated genera- tions of combined experience working with their estate properties. With each vintage, they've helped ensure even better quality than the last. Peck reminds me that with each noteworthy method or innovation that arose "as a group we tend to be early adopters and good practitioners. We're not smarter than anyone else." Well, we feel the jury is out on the latter. J. Lohr viticulturalist Anji Perry and Lohr's team of researchers use what they call a "pressure bomb" to measure the stem water potential in a vine. This tells them the stress level of the block during their post-irrigation "dry down" period and gives an accurate represen- tation of the water pressure. Since the goal is to produce more concentration and smaller berries for higher-end bottlings, the winery invested in the Pellenc Extractiv', an innovation in crushing that basically slingshots the berry into the side-wall.