J Lohr debuts exclusive, small-lot releases
New wines showcase J. Lohr’s Paso Robles Bordeaux-style varieties from select vineyard parcels
– J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines recently announced the introduction of five winery-exclusive wines showcasing Bordeaux varieties grown, produced and bottled from select parcels of J. Lohr’s sustainably farmed Paso Robles estate vineyards. Beginning with the 2017 vintage, J. Lohr’s vineyard and winemaking teams collaborated to identify special parcels that illustrate a site’s unique expression of a key varietal. Joining the established, highly regarded J. Lohr Vineyard Series tier, these wines marry selectively harvested fruit from these sites with J. Lohr’s small-lot, artisan winemaking techniques.
“Our vision is to create interesting, educational releases that offer members and collectors a close-up view of a single ranch or block,” said J. Lohr Director of Winemaking Steve Peck. “This focused examination of a particular variety’s expression results in named bottlings that reinforce J. Lohr’s experience and leadership in Paso Robles and Monterey County, appellations that we helped pioneer.”
Crafted in limited-release quantities of 18 to 750 cases, these wines are available to J. Lohr Wine Club members, online, and at J. Lohr’s two wine centers in Paso Robles and downtown San Jose. The five new releases are:
- 2017 J. Lohr Shotwell Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $45 SRP;
- 2017 J. Lohr Home Ranch Petit Verdot, $45 SRP;
- 2017 J. Lohr El Pomar Vineyards Malbec, $60 SRP;
- 2017 J. Lohr Home Ranch Cabernet Franc, $60 SRP; and,
- 2017 J. Lohr Buena Vista Road Vineyard Saint Macaire, $60 SRP, and is available exclusively to J. Lohr Vineyards Select Society Wine Club members.
“We have numerous firsts among this set and are thrilled to share them with our loyal club members and guests at our wine centers,” said J. Lohr Red Winemaker Brenden Wood. “Our debut varietal Petit Verdot shows a deep core of black fruit and spice balanced with sturdy tannins. Leveraging the warmer climate of the Region III Paso Robles Estrella District, we have produced our first-ever Cabernet Franc, also grown on our Home Ranch outside the J. Lohr Paso Robles Wine Center. Our Malbec, which we traditionally blend to add bright notes into our wines, now takes center stage in its own release from two adjacent vineyards in the El Pomar District. It’s a winemaker’s dream to collaborate with our teams to craft these small-lot gems.”
Furthering J. Lohr’s work on site-specific Cabernet Sauvignon, the J. Lohr Shotwell Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in the Region II climate of the El Pomar District and is the second crop ever to be harvested from J. Lohr’s high-elevation blocks 14 and 16, planted to ENTAV clone 412. The wine was aged for 18 months in 60-gallon French oak barrels, with 10% new oak. Rare Bordeaux grape variety Saint Macaire makes its own statement with dark blue fruit balanced by soft but dense tannins, attributable to the Nacimiento-Ayar soils of the Buena Vista Road Vineyard in the Paso Robles Estrella District.
These wines join two new winery-exclusive whites released in June 2019: the 2018 J. Lohr F&G Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and the 2018 J. Lohr F&G Vineyard Pinot Blanc, from estate vineyards in Monterey County’s cool-climate Arroyo Seco region. The 2018 J. Lohr Highlands Bench Pinot Noir from J. Lohr’s estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands also joins this exclusive tier, after formerly being available nationally. The addition of these wines to J. Lohr’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) portfolio signals the family winery’s focus on offering unique wines and tasting experiences tailored to appeal to J. Lohr’s wide-ranging online and in-person visitors.
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