L'Aventure : Estate Cuvée 2016

The typicality of a Californian red wine by l’Aventure

The estate

Qualified in oenology, Stephan Asseo began his winemaking career in the 1980s in Burgundy and at family vineyards in Bordeaux. After having worked in Bordeaux viticulture for 17 years, he decided to venture into new horizons and found his personal paradise in the Paso Robles region (halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles) in California. L’Aventure was borne from these untapped lands in 1998, a winery which name is a reminder that its creation was a real adventure alongside this "instinctive" investment.

The vineyard

With his strong winemaking experience, Stephan Asseo chose, after a rigorous study of the region, the western slopes of the Paso Robles wine region. This steeply sloped vineyard offers a terroir with an exceptional quality, with a mosaic of soils and excellent drainage which provide the perfect conditions for the development and ripening of the grapes.

L’Aventure winery overlooks a 127-acre vineyard (around fifty hectares), near an ocean with an alternation between hot days and cool nights which contributes to the delicious complexity and balance of l’Aventure wines.

The rootstocks used are selected from grape varieties known for their slow ripening process and deep root system. Although the plant density is very high (more than 2000 plants per acre), the vineyard enjoys an irrigation system which contributes to a perfect balance between the quantity of water and exposure to the sun and soil.

L’Aventure winery is recognised for these high-quality wines, with a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity that is combined with an aromatic richness as well as a rare finesse and a beautiful elegance.

Winemaking and ageing

Yields were very low (between 1.5 and 2 tons per acre). Malolactic fermentation in barrels. Ageing for 15 months in French oak barrels (100% new oak).

Blend

The Estate Cuvée 2016 by L’Aventure is the fruit of a blend of Syrah (52%), Cabernet Sauvignon (32%), and Petit Verdot (16%).

Keeping

The Estate Cuvée 2016 by L’Aventure can wait in the cellar until 2031 to unveil its entire aromatic palette.