Happy Hour Wine Tasting Featuring J Lohr Winery

"You haven't drunk too much wine if you can still lie on the floor without holding on."  ~ Dean Martin

What is too much wine?  I drink 2 bottles a day and have done so for the last 28 years.  I have not missed a day of work due to illness and never caught Covid 19, so naturally I’ll blame it on the wine.

We have an incredible line-up of wine drinking events coming up over the next few months and I also plan to add some last minute pop up tastings to the calendar that are FREE to our Wine Club members and I will also include the rest of our “Wine Drinking People” for a nominal fee as these pop up tastings will not feature any food but you can order from this week’s Wine Club menu.

I had not tasted the wines of J Lohr Winery for some time so when I tasted through the line-up, I said let me put together a tasting to showcase these GREAT wines and all of them punch above their price tag.  Join us as we taste through some current releases from this historic winery from Monterrey and Paso Robles.  The fee for non-members is $35 + tax, there will be no food served at this tasting, but the wine bar menu for this week will be available for those attending the event.  For reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. 

Happy Hour Wine Tasting J Lohr from Paso Robles and Monterrey

Thursday, October 1^st

5-7pm

2024 J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay Arroyo Secco Monterey

Price: $15.75                             Your Price: $13.39

Riverstone's enticing aromas are reminiscent of ripe citrus and apricot, white nectarine, and baking spices. The balanced acidity and texture on the palate from barrel aging sur lie frames flavors of Meyer lemon, ripe peach, citrus cream, hazelnut, and cocoa, with a hint of oak on the long finish.

2023 J Lohr Chardonnay Arroyo Vista Paso Robles

Price: $21.00                             Your Price: $17.85

Medium toasty vanilla bean crème brulee notes, peaches and cream style pineapple citrus. Texture of light cream on the tongue with a good hand of oak but matched by lots of ripe tropical fruit a good amount of spice and toasty oak on the finish. Finish 40+ EXCELLENT

2023 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, USA

Price: $36.00                             Your Price: $30.60

(92 Points) wine Enthusiast -Easily accessible aromas of black cherry, cola, vanilla, and star anise draw the nose deeply into this bottling. The palate is rich and very polished, offering minty black cherry, dense fudge, and lovely violet flavors that are sure to please most red-wine drinkers.

2023 J. Lohr Cuvee Pom Red Wine, Paso Robles

Price: $54.00                             Your Price: $43.20

J. Lohr Cuvee POM shows attractive aromas of black cherry, peppermint, and Japanese plum dusted with dark cocoa powder. On the palate, loads of concentrated fresh raspberry that finishes with accents of crushed violet, peppercorn, and flaky pie crust.

2023 J. Lohr Cuvee St. E Red Wine Paso Robles

Price: $54.00               Your Price: $43.20

Sophisticated blueberry and boysenberry compote aromas fold together with cacao nib, fresh brewed espresso, and thyme. On the palate, juicy black cherry flavors wrap around a dusty tannin core, leaving a long, pleasing finish.

A perfect pairing for filet mignon with a shallot-cream sauce or osso bucco over a bed of polenta.

Blend: 72% Cabernet Franc, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot

2023 J. Lohr Cuvee Pau Red Wine, Paso Robles

Price: $54.00                             Your Price: $43.20

The inspiration for this blend comes from the Grand Cru wines of France’s left bank Pauillac district, which are composed primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon, often with accents from the other four accepted Bordeaux red varietals. The J. Lohr winemaking team is given the freedom to emulate these great wines without the restrictions of varietal percentages, instead keenly focusing on the texture and complexity of the blend that nature delivers with each vintage.   A Blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.

2022 J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon Carol's Paso Robles

Price: $61.50                             Your Price: $52.28

Black cherry and cassis layer neatly with hazelnut and patisserie aromas; dark berry flavors saturate the palate, with fine tannins and notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cocoa.

Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot

2021 J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

Price: $130.00                                        Your Price: $110.50

(96 Points) This top-shelf bottling for this veteran producer always impresses. Dark in the glass, this vintage begins with aromas of cassis and violet on the lush, intensely ripe nose that achieves remarkable harmony. The mouthcoating palate is wrapped in thick tannins that frame the dark-chocolate fudge, chai spice and coffee-cream flavors. Drink now–2037.  Wine Enthusiast

This tasting is complimentary for Wine Club Members and costs $35 + tax for non-members, there will be no food served at this event, but you can order from the menu for this week.

A bit about J Lohr Winery:

J Lohr had its beginnings in a partnership between two custom home builders, Jerry Lohr and Bernie Turgeon.  For years they had dreamed of owning a vineyard, and they finally made the plunge in 1972 by planting their first grapes in Greenfield in Monterey County.  Knowing that mastery of one business does not mean success in another, they worked in other wineries, other vineyards, and took every available course in winemaking and viticulture at UC Davis.  Those were heady times in the Monterey area, and many experts were advising newcomers to plant Bordeaux grapes - Monterey was going to be the Médoc of California!  The folly of that reasoning became evident within a few short years as Monterey, more often than not, proved disastrous for cabernet.  Turgeon & Lohr, like many others, T-budded most of their vineyards over to riesling and chardonnay - grapes much better suited to Monterey's cool climate.  A winery was built in 1974 and was bonded on the site of the former Falstaff and Fredricksburg breweries near downtown San Jose.  The first appearance of the J. Lohr label (produced by Turgeon & Lohr) came in 1975.  In the ensuing years the partners gradually expanded their holdings and purchased 180 acres of land in the Sacramento Delta region; that property was planted to Chenin Blanc and Petite Syrah.  All through the 1970's Turgeon & Lohr wines - though never distinguished - were undeniably good values.  Particular standouts were the winery's lovely, cranberry-scented Gamay and the delicious, fruity Johannisberg Riesling.

Bernie Turgeon and Jerry Lohr parted company in 1984, and Jerry Lohr was given a free hand to expand the winery's operation and implement his own ideas on improving the quality of J. Lohr wines.  J. Lohr expanded its grape acreage in the Sacramento Delta, acquired additional vineyards in the Paso Robles area of San Luis Obispo County, and purchased the 34 acre "Carol's Vineyard" in the Napa Valley neat St. Helena. (The latter vineyard, named after his wife, produced several superb wines in the mid 1980's; it was ravaged by Phylloxera and has been recently replanted.)  Several noteworthy wines in the Lohr lineup that followed the split were the Cabernets and the Gamays.  One of the first important wines under Jerry Lohr's solo stewardship was the winery's 1986 California Cabernet; it won a gold medal with an incredible (94) score at the 1988 American Wine Competition for Cabernet Sauvignon. It was entered in the exclusive company of some of the best and most expensive Cabernets in California.  Gamay, always a Lohr standout, continued its successful streak with numerous Gold Medals and several "Best of Show" awards at major California wine competitions.

In 1989 Jerry Lohr began the most significant segment of his drive to take his winery to a new level of quality.  He launched the debut wine in the J. Lohr Estates line - the 1987 "Riverstone" Chardonnay.  The J. Lohr Estates wines were intended to be upscale in quality and brand appearance while still offering what many regarded as outstanding quality/value relationship; all wines under this label would be sourced entirely from Jerry Lohr's vineyards.  Reaction to the 1987 "Riverstone" Chardonnay was swift and impressive.  We selected it as the #1 "Best Buy Chardonnay of the Year" for 1989 in The Wine News, and practically every vintage following the 1987 has been included in our "Top Ten Best Buys of the Year" in The Wine News.  In 1991 J. Lohr introduced the second wine in the J. Lohr Estates line - the 1987 "Seven Oaks" Cabernet made from its vineyard in Paso Robles.  J. Lohr has made a heavy commitment to the Paso Robles area and completed a separate winery there in 1988 adjacent to its "Seven Oaks" Vineyard.  Several of the J. Lohr "Seven Oaks" Cabernets have received excellent reviews - particularly noteworthy was the 1991.  Heads turned when the 1996 "Seven Oaks" topped an impressive flight of 1996 Cabernets (the Pine Ridge, Stag’s Leap District, Folie à Deux, “Reserve”, Napa, & Clos Pegase) in a 1999 tasting conducted by the well-respected panel of The California Grapevine.  The original winery now produces only white wine, and the new facility in Paso Robles is dedicated exclusively to the J. Lohr reds.  This 1996 "Seven Oaks" Cabernet is possibly the best yet we have tasted.  The winery bottles its Gamay under the "Wildflower" J. Lohr Estates label (Beginning with the 1996 vintage J. Lohr renamed its Gamay; it now is called Valdigué to accurately reflect the correct clone used for this wine).  The Johannisberg Riesling is bottled under the "Bay Mist" J. Lohr Estates label.  In 1996 the winery expanded its J. Lohr Estates line with an "October Night" Pinot Blanc (1994 was the debut release) and a "South Ridge" Paso Robles Syrah (1993 was the inaugural vintage).  The Pinot Blanc was excellent and one of the best Pinot Blancs we tasted in 1996; the Syrah demonstrated potential and was a fine first effort.  In 1991 J. Lohr also introduced a very affordable line of wines known as "Cypress" - these are produced by blending wines from the winery's estate vineyards with those from other vineyards along California's Central Coast.  Particularly good have been the "Cypress" reds.  In 1994 J. Lohr introduced its first VS (for "Very Special") wine.  The debut release was a 1990 Cabernet from the best portions of the "Seven Oaks" Vineyard; the wine was picked as one of 1994's Top Ten for Cabernets in our annual selections for "Best California Wines of the Year" in The Wine News.  J. Lohr released the equally good 1991 Cabernet VS in late 1995; it scored very well in our annual Cabernet tastings and made our list of 1995's Top Twenty Cabernets in The Wine News.  The winery released its first VS Chardonnay from the 1994 vintage to positive critical acclaim.  Lohr has future plans for other super premium wines in its VS series; but they will be produced in only the best of years.  This series has been renamed as of 1998 to vineyard-designated wines.  The Chardonnay is now known as the “Arroyo Vista” Vineyard and the Cabernet Sauvignon is “Hilltop” referring to the area where the grapes come from.  The winemaker from 1981 to 1990 was Barry Gnekow, who laid the foundation for a great deal of the current J. Lohr success.  With the 1990 vintage, Jeff Runquist became the winemaker.  Runquist has taken J. Lohr to a new level of quality and has proved that he is an even more talented winemaker than his predecessor.  – This J Lohr profile was written by the late great Jim Turner

Wine Club Menu Week of September 28th

Menu

BUILD YOUR BOARD Select your pairing — $10 per ounce -All boards include Crostini, Assorted Olives, Toasted Nuts, and Jam

• Step 1: Choose Your Cheeses
  • Firm & Aged: Parmesan Reggiano | Beemster Gouda | Manchego | Sharp Canadian | Aged Truffle
  • Soft & Creamy: French Brie | Chevre | Fox Glove Double Cream | Camembert | Epoisses
  • Blue & Wine-Cured: Stilton | Danish Blue | Gorgonzola | Drunken Goat
• Step 2: Choose Your Meats
• Prosciutto di Parma | Fennel Salumi | Truffle Salumi | Soppressata | Bresaola | Chorizo | Chupacabra | Bacon Bourbon Salumi | Nduja
• Pata Negra Jamón Ibérico — $20/oz
• Featured Reserve:

Ceasar Salad with Bacon Fat Polenta Croutons, Crispy Prosciutto and Reggiano Parmesan

$20

Grilled Watermelon & Goat Cheese Salad with Balsamic Glaze, EVOO, Hot Honey & Almonds

$20

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Cheese and Croutons

$18

Shoestring Fries/ Parmesan & White Truffle Oil

$20

Buttermilk Ranch Dip, Grilled Veggies with Fresh Dill and Olive Oil

$28

Baltimore Crab Cakes/Charred Lemon Vinaigrette/Arugula

$35/3

Beef Filet Bulgolgi Lettuce Wraps/Scallion Rice/Kimchee/Romaine

$35

Beef Sliders with Truffle Mushroom Aioli & Gruyere Cheese on Brioche Bun

$28/3

Pizza of the Day $28

Crispy Bacon, Onion, Mushroom

Mozzarella cheese

Braised Short Rib Empanadas with Mole

$36/(4 Empanadas)

Duck & Smoked Mozzarella Ravioli with Sundried Tomato-Basil Brown Butter & Reggiano Parmigiano

$40/(5 Ravioli)

Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine Gravy & Crème Fraiche Mash

$50/(2 Lamb Shanks)

Dessert Selection Changes Daily - $15

Evian (750ml)               $10

Pellegrino (1 Liter)      $10