Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/552044
{ SOMMjournal.com } 59 JUSTIN, Le Cuvier, Parrish Family Vineyard, Sextant Wines and Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery. "The phenolic measurements analyzed by WineXRay of the 2013 vintage undoubtedly show that Paso Robles has a terroir that rivals the best terroirs in the world in producing Bordeaux varieties," Wine Business.com announced. "We don't often get a year like 2013," said Mooney, who founded Chateau Margene and has been producing respected Bordeaux- style wines since the '97 vintage. "The weather was as perfect as you could hope for : no freezes in the spring, no late temperature spikes in the fall, no unexpected rain but just enough precipitation." Even in less unusual years, Paso Robles Bordeaux-style wines compare favorably to their counterparts from France and Napa. In a tasting held before the seminar, two 2010 vintage Paso Robles Bordeaux-style icons, JUSTIN Isosceles Reserve and DAOU Soul of a Lion, performed excellently against names such as Saint Julien's Château Léoville Barton and Château Ducru Beaucaillou and Napa's Dominus and Joseph Phelps Insignia. "Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons have a distinct expression in the canon of Cabernet Sauvignons grown throughout the world," said Mike Madrigale, Head Sommelier of New York City's Bar Boulud, who moderated the tasting panel. "The velvety texture, richness and freshness are what set it apart from other Cabs." My Tasting Experiences My tasting experiences confirmed the winemakers' rosy reports (see sidebar). Mooney's 2013 reds were beautifully balanced and structured, and his intelligent use of new technologies and practices with oak barrels has added intriguing subtlety to his wines. J. Lohr's extensive Cabernet Sauvignon line-up is similarly strong for the '13 vintage, and Daou said he expected his 2013s to deliver strongly as well. All the winemakers on the panel agreed there's a huge amount of punch to the vintage, though some added that great phenolic numbers don't automatically translate into great wine. "It's up to us as winemakers to make the most of that potential," Mooney said. A strong and unrelenting message underscored the Paso Robles CAB Collective's presentation: Paso is superb Cabernet and Bordeaux country—among the world's great regions. True, it's not a surprising message to come from the Central Coast's principal promoter of Bordeaux blends. But wine industry professionals who have tasted recent vintages are generally in agreement: Among Paso's best, the flavor profile is superior, with less assertive tannins, more luscious fruit and greater complex - ity than many Napa Cabs with bigger price tags. In terms of soil, climate, meteorological consistency, hang time and diurnal swing, parts of Paso are very well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and other Bordeaux varietals. To those who know the history of Paso Robles, this isn't much of a revelation. It was the area's potential for Bordeaux varietals that attracted Dr. Stanley Hoffman and other winemaking pioneers back in the 1960s and '70s, long before the Zinfandel and Rhône crazes swept through. STAND-OUT BORDEAUX REDS FROM THE PASO ROBLES CAB COLLECTIVE Chateau Margene 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) Winemaker Michael Mooney's Cabernets are sophisticated, elegant and balanced. His 2012 Cabernet is suffused with blueberries, blackcur - rant and a hint of red cedar on the nose. The long finish is marked by pleasant, soft-shouldered tannins that suggest age-worthiness. This wine is a blend of five different vineyards and benefits from Mooney's deep knowledge of Paso's soils and microclimates. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. DAOU 2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) A full-bodied yet balanced Cabernet with moderate tannins and notes of earthy coffee, tobacco, black currants and blackberry. An excellent expression of Paso Robles Bordeaux, its notably dark color is the result of a generous portion of Petit Verdot in the blend. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. Halter Ranch 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($35) In addition to the expected notes of cas - sis and blackcurrant, the 2012 vintage captures the unique terroir of this beautiful, rolling Westside property with a lingering, underlying minerality and an elegant finish with supple tannins. 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. J. Lohr 2011 Cuvée PAU ($50) Steve Peck, J. Lohr's red winemaker, says this blend was inspired by the Grand Cru wines of the Pauillac district of Bordeaux. You'll get hazelnuts with blue and red fruit accents in the nose and a slightly floral overlay redolent of violets. The finish is silky and balanced. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 8% Malbec. JUSTIN 2012 Isosceles ($72) The nose delivers pungent cherry and blackcurrant, supported by tobacco, cocoa, mint, coffee and baking spice. On the palate, you'll notice black cherry, cassis and jammy notes giving way to cinnamon, licorice, dark coffee and chocolate. The tannins are assertive but nicely rounded. Chateau Margene 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)