Jerry Lohr was raised on a farm in South Dakota and moved to California receiving an MS at Stanford and then a PhD in Civil Engineering. He was inspired by the landscape in Monterey and in the early 1970’s, at the age of 34, planted 280 acres in Arroyo Secco mostly to Chardonnay. Realizing the potential of growing red varietals in Paso Robles, Jerry planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in this region of diverse soils. Later he would also purchase some vineyards in Napa Valley for Cabernet Sauvignon.



This distinguished wine is part of the “Bordeaux-inspired” cuvee series from J. Lohr Vineyards. The majority of this deeply saturated blend is Merlot with the addition of some Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. After tasting this wine, I was awed by the textural quality and pedigree of this wine, reminding me of an esteemed property from the Bordeaux appellation of Pomerol. The silky entry leads you to an expansive core of opaque blueberry compote and black currant fruit woven together with graphite and dark espresso. The richness and complexity of this wine is compelling with sleek edges that lead you to a divine finish that lasts for days.