2018 L'Aventure Inspiracion
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Tasting notes
Deep, brilliant violet. Highly perfumed red/blue fruit liqueur, candied licorice and exotic spice qualities on the nose; a suave floral nuance builds with aeration. Stains the palate with concentrated blackberry, cherry cola, lavender pastille and spice-cake flavors that show very good energy considering the wine's depth. Finishes very long and smooth, with velvety tannins framing resonating blue fruit and floral notes. Made with co-fermented grapes.
Critic scores
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Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
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The 2018 Inspiracíon, a Priorat-inspired blend, is made up of 47% Grenache, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah and 5% Grenache Blanc all co-fermented and aged in 33% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple, it begins with super spicy top notes over a core of red and black berry fruits plus loads of amaro with floral accents. The full-bodied palate has a serious, grainy frame with loads of uplift, and it finishes very long and very perfumed. 230 cases were made.
The 2018 Inspiracion is the estate’s take on Priorat and is 47% Grenache, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Syrah, and the rest Grenache Blanc. Another thrilling wine, it has a brooding bouquet of blueberries, crushed rocks, violets, and Asian spices that carries to a full-bodied red offering silky tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It’s the finest vintage for this cuvée to date and will evolve for 15+ years. As with all these 2018s from Stephan, give bottles a few years.
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.