Joyce and Bill Marshall, the winners for February
Janie Farnsworth
The Tuesday Tasters wish to thank Rick and Darlene Lamb for hosting us on February 16. A great time was had by all as we lingered to play with their wonderful yellow lab. I am afraid he found several members that kept him fed in crackers and cheese.
The winners of Tuesday Tasters Paso Robles area wines were Joyce and Bill Marshall. The Marshalls brought a very nice Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon. The bold, dark fruit flavors of this full-bodied artisan wine reveal why Paso Robles is an emerging region for producing delicious California Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine opens to deep crimson in color with intense dark fruit and mocha aromas, and on the palate dark cherry, currants and chocolate.
Other wines followed. Unfortunately I do not have the second, third and fourth place winners. However, I do have the wine names. Next is Seven Oaks J. Lohr Cabernet 2013. I have had this wine and have enjoyed it very much. The 2013 J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon is showing exceptionally dark color with a bright hue at release. Intense fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and blueberry are accented by a barrel bouquet of hazelnut, dark chocolate and toasted pastry. Sturdy tannins strike the palate and finish with the high-toned fruit signature that typifies the Paso Robles appellation. Pair with charbroiled beef tenderloin, grilled portabella mushrooms or your favorite bruschetta recipe.
The next wine, Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, also was very good. I had a very difficult time that night deciding between them. Clear with a dark ruby purple core lightening at the rim. Aromatic with ripe black cherry, black currant and berry fruit with vanilla, cinnamon and subtle dried fall leaf accents. Classic cabernet with moderate plus black currant and cherry fruit and baking spice flavors on the entry. Sweet tobacco and savory herbal notes arrive on the mid palate, along with beautifully balanced tannins that provide a structure that supports the wine through its perfectly balanced, clean finish. It would be hard to find a better go-to red wine to go with a wide range of red wine leaning foods like steak, lasagna or a wood-fired pizza.
And another Paso Robles Cabernet was Fountain Grove 2013. This seems to have been a very good year for Cabs. Aromas of red fruit, spice and toasted oak give hints to the flavors of cherries, vanilla, toast and cocoa that intermix with the wine’s resolved tannins. Medium bodied with a smooth profile, this Cabernet ends with a perfectly balanced finish.
We finish with a 2013 Sextant Zinfandel. A Central Coast black cherry and blackberry aromas meet with sensuous lilacs and wet asphalt on the nose. The palate’s cherry juice front quickly turns to tobacco, dried blueberry and a tarry, dried berry finish.