2016 L'Aventure The Sibling
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Sibling checks in as 45% Grenache, 36% Syrah and the balance Monastrell that was brought up in a 60/40 split of barrel and concrete tanks. Plums, blueberries, incense and ample peppery spice all give way to a full-bodied, nicely concentrated 2016 that has a terrific sense of elegance. Located in the heart of the appellation, just off highway 46, Stephan Asseo’s l’Aventure Winery is unquestionably in the top 3-4 estates in Paso Robles. While he made just a handful of cuvees in the past, today he releases upwards of eight cuvees in each vintage. In addition, he’s just completed construction on a new cave/winery, and he continues to fine tune the style here, experimenting with amphora and larger barrels, with the goal of getting more elegance and purity into his wines. Looking at the wines reviewed here, the 2015s are certainly rock solid, and show tighter, elegant, and structured personalities. His 2016s are a step up over the 2015s and will be the first vintage completely made in the new cellar. They offer broad, sumptuous profiles, yet with no loss of purity or precision.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
About the producer
L’Aventure is one of the leading wine estates in Paso Robles, California. It was founded by Stephan Asseo and his wife Beatrice who left their native France in 1997 in search of a place to make wine without the restrictions of France’s appellation system.