L'Aventure Optimus 2018

  • 94 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 94 James
    Suckling
  • 94 Decanter
  • 92 Robert
    Parker
4.5 Fantastic (23)
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L'Aventure Optimus 2018  Front Bottle Shot
L'Aventure Optimus 2018  Front Bottle Shot L'Aventure Optimus 2018  Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2018

Size
750ML

ABV
14.9%

Features
Green Wine

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Blend: 56% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot

Professional Ratings

  • 94
    A normal blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, and 10% Syrah, the 2018 Optimus reveals a deep purple color as well as beautiful notes of crème de cassis, black licorice, tobacco, chocolate, and a rocky, earthy minerality. It's rich and medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity and silky tannins. This is a terrific introduction into the wines of l'Aventure and will drink well for over a decade.
  • 94

    The spice and dark-chocolate character comes through on the nose. Full-bodied with ripe and creamy tannins and plenty of new wood. Vanilla and chocolate in the aftertaste. 56% syrah, 32% cabernet sauvignon and 12% petit verdot. This will be better in a two or three years.

  • 94
    A gorgeous counterbalance to the classic Cabernet-dominated Napa Cabs that you will find through the Place de Bordeaux this September. Here you get a beautifully exotic edge, with sage and raspberry notes coming from the Syrah on limestone soils filling out the chocolate, menthol and cassis of the Cabernet. Fine tannins but plenty of them, with a restrained but unmissable twist of smoked oak. Michel Rolland consultant. Another Bordeaux link here as owner Stephan Asseo used to own several châteaux, including La Fleur Cardinale. This 2018 is his 20th vintage in Willow Creek. Drinking Window 2022 - 2036
  • 92

    A blend of 56% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Petit Verdot aged in 60% new French oak, the 2018 Optimus is the 20th edition of the cuvée and contains a touch less Petit Verdot than usual. It has a deep ruby-purple color and opens perfumed with crushed red and black cherries, dried violet, salumi and bay leaves with bright touches of blood orange peel. The medium to full-bodied palate is layered and surprisingly light on its feet, with a finely defined tannic grain and good freshness, finishing long.

Other Vintages

2021
  • 95 James
    Suckling
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 93 Decanter
  • 93 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2020
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 James
    Suckling
  • 93 Decanter
  • 92 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2019
  • 96 James
    Suckling
  • 94 Decanter
  • 94 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 92 Robert
    Parker
2017
  • 94 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
2016
  • 95 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
2015
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
  • 92 Jeb
    Dunnuck
2014
  • 92 Robert
    Parker
2013
  • 93 Robert
    Parker
2012
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
2011
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
2008
  • 90 Robert
    Parker
2007
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
2005
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
2001
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
  • 92 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
L'Aventure

L'Aventure

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L'Aventure, California
L'Aventure Winery Video

L'Aventure was founded in 1998 by a French winemaker, Stephan Asseo. After Stephan graduated enology school in Burgundy, the Asseo family bought their first estate, Domaine de Courteillac, in the Bordeaux area in 1982. Later, the family purchased additional properties: Chateau Robin and Chateau Fleur-Cardinale in Saint-Emilion. Stephan raised these properties to a level of great quality, while managing some other well-established domaines such as Chateau Guillot-Clauzel in Pomerol and Chateau Corbin in St Emilion.

Stephan saw in the New World a unique opportunity to expand his experience, while gaining more freedom in viticulture and vinification. He began by looking all over California for land, including Napa/Sonoma and Santa Barbara counties, but it was the terroir and climate of Paso Robles that impressed him the most.

L'Aventure is located on the west side of Paso Robles in the Willow Creek District. The 127-acre property with 57 acres planted, is comprised of multiple hills of various elevation and complex soils. Because of its proximity to the ocean, the vineyard has clear warm days and drastic cool nighttime temperatures which increases the time of the grape’s maturation cycle providing fruit that creates a more complex and balanced wine. Stephan’s choice of this lean terroir provides him with the fruit necessary to create wine with a good balance between alcohol and acidity. The resulting wines are full and rich yet well balanced and elegant. 

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With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.

How to Serve Red Wine

A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.

How Long Does Red Wine Last?

Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.

Image for Willow Creek District Wine Paso Robles, California content section

Willow Creek District Wine

Paso Robles, California

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Growing on high elevation bedrock slopes, the vineyards of Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA sit at between 960 and 1,900 feet in elevation.

CHMLAV3001118_2018 Item# 677705

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