L'Aventure 2021 Estate Cuvee

This is a masterclass in balance: powerful yet elegantly poised, with dark fruit, graphite-earth, and violet perfume riding atop fine-grained tannins. A rare synergy of depth and subtlety.

Origins & Craftsmanship

• From L’Aventure Winery in Paso Robles—steered by Stephan Asseo and celebrated for “Bordeaux meets Rhône in Paso Robles” blends.
  

• A special 20th-anniversary release of their signature Estate Cuvée, crafted entirely from estate-grown fruit (1.5–2 tons per acre).
  

• The blend: 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Verdot. Aged for 19 months in oak (84% new French oak, 16% one-year-old), with malolactic fermentation in barrel. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Rated for 20+ years of aging potential.
  

Tasting Profile

• Aroma: Deeply perfumed—creme de cassis, crushed blueberries, violets, graphite, crème de violette, and subtle tobacco lash of thyme and sage. A thrilling aromatic component.
  

• Palate: Full-bodied yet seamless—notes of dark cherries, blackberries, cassis, cedar spice, and that rare precision of energy and elegance wrapped in velvety texture.
  

• Structure & Finish: Powdery tannins, bright acidity, and an expansive finish layered with spice, floral perfume, and graphite-mineral edges. Unbelievably long and refined.
  

Critics agree:

• 100 points – Jeb Dunnuck: “Pure perfection … ultrafine tannins … power and elegance.”
  

• 98 points – Wine Advocate: “Highly complex and pure aromatics … full-bodied, polished, long.”
  

• 97 points – James Suckling: “Seductive, perfumed, velvety, spicy and vibrant.”
  

Quick Overview

"The 2021 Estate Cuvée (a 20th-anniversary edition) is composed of 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot. Its aromas are highly complex and pure! "Pure perfection from this talented team, the 2021 Estate Cuvee checks in as 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Petit Verdot that was raised in 80% new French oak. Absolutely incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, ground pepper, and graphite give way to a full-bodied red with a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and that rare mix of power and elegance that's so hard to come by. It shows the pure, layered, elegant style of the vintage, and this beauty offers pleasure today yet will ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and it will evolve for two decades at a minimum." Jeb Dunnuck 100 Points

Chocolate-covered cherry and crushed blueberry scents are complemented by wafts of thyme, sage, vanilla, dark spices and savory tones, plus soaring violet perfume. The full-bodied palate is polished and effortlessly balanced, offering powdery tannins, a bright spine of acidity and a tremendously long finish laced with spice and floral perfume. This elegant, expressive blend will be long lived in the cellar." Robert Parker 98 Points