2017 L'Aventure "Côte a Côte Estate" Paso Robles Rhône Blend
SKU #1434705
98 points
Jeb Dunnuck
The only Grenache-dominated release is the 2017 Côte A Côte, a blend of 48% Grenache, 32% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah that spent 14 months in 30% new French oak. It's one sexy red that offers full-bodied richness and depth as well as brilliant notes of blackberries, black raspberries, ground pepper, potpourri, and flowery incense aromas and flavors. This smoking Grenache is elegant, with no hard edges, beautiful purity, and a great finish. It shows how successful Grenache was in 2017 and is a magical wine.
(10/2019)
97 points
James Suckling
This is an impressive red offering blackberry and blackcurrant aromas, together with chocolate, walnut, sweet-tobacco and mahogany notes. Black olives, too. Tar. Changes all the time. Tight and polished. It’s full-bodied, yet so fine-grained and caressing in tannins. Lots of alcohol, yet it remains fresh and really lasts for minutes. A glorious wine. Aged in wood, cement and amphora. A blend of 48% grenache, 32% mourvedre and 20% syrah. Better after 2021.
(12/2019)
92-95 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted from barrel, the 2017 Côte a Côte is a blend of 48% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 32% Mourvèdre. It's fruity and expressive, revealing aromas of juicy cherries and raspberries, followed by a full-bodied, supple and fruit-driven palate that's quite open-knit and generous already; there's just a touch of back-end stem tannin to resolve on the finish. (WK)
(5/2018)
94 points
Vinous
Glistening ruby-red. Intense red and blue fruit preserve and floral scents are complicated by suggestions of allspice, smoky minerals and licorice. Vibrant black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors show superb clarity and depth and pick up a suggestion of lavender pastille and a sweet vanilla nuance with aeration. Fine-grained tannins shape a strikingly long, juicy finish that leaves behind sweet floral pastille and red berry notes. (JR)
(2/2020)