ZagLeft

Last November Joanie and I traveled to Paso Robles to explore wineries and enjoy the Central California region.  The first winery we visited in Paso Robles was J. Lohr Winery since we were familiar with their wines, especially the J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay which is a wonderful wine for a great price.   A friend of mine from the Paso Robles area said we need to explore the great Granache, Syrah, Morvedre (GSM) blends that the region of know for.  The climate and soil (terroir - term I learn from watching Oz and James’s Big Wine Adventure which is a must see) in the Paso Robles region is similar to France’s Rhone Valley. The local wine makers have taken cues from Rhone Valley blends without the creative restrictions of France’s Appellation d’origine contrôlée.  As part of the tasting at the J. Lohr Winery we had their 2009 Gesture GSM wine and loved it.  The Gesture GSM has great body, depth and flavor complexity starting with wild berry nose that is a prelude to the layers of dark fruit flavors that are highlighted with a touch of pepper.  Having spent the past few years focused on Sonoma County red wines that tend to be big and bold, Paso Robles wines are typically are more subtle letting the complexity of the wine come through over time.  I have become of fan of Paso Robles wines and have several more I plan to share.

I would recommend this wine as a compliment to lighter dinner fare (see Caramelized Onion & Brie Tart with Chicken and Basil) or by itself where you can let the wine linger so you can enjoy everything this wine has to offer.