J. Lohr Vineyards and Wine, July 27, 2013

On my last trip to recycle corks at the J. Lohr tasting room near downtown San Jose, I learned that the new 2011 Seven Oaks Cabernet had been released.  While I didn’t have time to taste it that day, it piqued my curiosity until today I finally relented and stopped in.  (I believe two weeks had elapsed.)  I had just finished a tasty lunch at a nearby taqueria and decided to drop in to check out the new lineup.  The weather was perfect and I did not mind the short extra walk to the winery.  The big surprise today was how well the 2011 Seven Oaks Cabernet is performing.  The wine is very nicely balanced, smooth, and ripe.  This is one of the first 2011 California reds that I have tried that actually tastes like it was ripe when harvested.

I started my tasting lineup with the 2011 Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon to experience it with a clean palette.  Next I tried the 2010 Highlands Bench Pinot Noir, then the 2010 Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  I was going to move onto the Tower Road Petite Sirah, but the black-label cuvee wines caught my eye.  So, I opted to try the 2008 Cuvee Pom (a Merlot-based blend) and the 2005 Cuvee St. E (a Cab-Franc-based blend).  I have a couple of the 2005’s still in my cellar and was glad to get a progress report.  Of all the wines poured, my favorite was the 2010 Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet for its richness and depth.

A full review was written already about J. Lohr Vineyards during my visit on March 25^th, 2012.