A California winery that has been synonymous with value, J. Lohr has a great history. Starting in the late 1960s, Jerry Lohr began searching for a great location plant his first vineyard. Originally raised on a South Dakota farm, Jerry had a background in agriculture and chose the Central Coast, which was an experimental region at the time. Jerry has created an amazing success story with his winery, J. Lohr. While J. Lohr has gained a nationwide reputation for rich red wines, their white wine portfolio is also has some outstanding values.
The red wines by J. Lohr were also excellent and displayed wonderful depth and concentration. An outstanding Petite Sirah release is their 2018 J. Lohr ‘Signature’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) which is a dense and burly effort that is nearly impossible to resist right now. Even better was the 2016 J. Lohr ‘Cuvee St. E’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which is muscular showing blue fruits and espresso bean notes. Learn more about this outstanding lineup at https://www.jlohr.com Here are the outstanding new wines by J. Lohr.
2019 J. Lohr Sauvignon Blanc- Bright lemon zest and gooseberry fill the nose. The palate is lithe with a boost of freshness with medium bodied green apple and lemon zest flavors. Drink 2020-2023- 88
2019 J. Lohr ‘Arroyo Seco Monterrey’ Chardonnay- Straightforward buttercream and pear flavors mingle with minerals and a soft texture. Enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2020-2023- 88
2018 J. Lohr ‘October Night’ Chardonnay- The 2018 J. Lohr ‘October Night’ shows toasty oak tones with buttered brioche and shades of lemon cream on the nose. The palate is both bright and plush with a seamless texture. The exceedingly long, lemon cream and mineral-driven finish lingers. Drink 2020-2028- 91
2018 J. Lohr ‘Arroyo Vista’ Chardonnay- Sourced from the ‘Arroyo Vista Vineyard’ which is set on gravelly soil in the Arroyo Seco AVA, this shows good freshness and a soft texture. Layers of Pink Lady apple, vanilla cream and kumquat zest all combine brilliantly on the palate. Drink 2020-2028- 91
2018 J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon- This offers generous sweetened red and dark fruit flavors with shades of coffee grounds and sage. Enjoy with BBQ in the short-term. Drink 2020-2023- 86
2018 J. Lohr Merlot- The 2018 J. Lohr Merlot shows medium bodied kirsch and smoky tones on the palate. Enjoy in the short-term. Drink 2020-2024- 88
2018 J. Lohr ‘Pure Paso’ Red Wine- The ‘Pure Paso’ shows good weight and depth with rich chocolate and black currants that mingle with minerals and smoky undertones on the palate. Full-throttle, this will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another five years. Drink 2020-2025- 89
2018 J. Lohr ‘Paso Robles’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Inky and brooding in the glass, this shows rich dark currents and black raspberry tones on the palate, with shades of coffee grounds. Well-structured, this has some stuffing to cellar well over the next eight years. Drink 2020-2028- 90
2017 J.Lohr ‘Signature’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Inky once in the glass, the ‘Signature’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows a downright opulent mouthfeel. Firm tannins hold in a massive core of dark fruits alongside tobacco leaf, graphite and espresso bean tones. Gorgeous in its youth, this dense and inky effort will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade or more. Drink 2021-2032- 92
2016 J. Lohr ‘Cuvee Pau’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘Cuvee Pau’ shows massive tar and anise tones on the nose with a deep core of dark fruits that all take shape in the glass. The palate is dense, showing a gorgeous combination of dark chocolate covered espresso bean, blackberry cobbler and bright minerals with a silky mouthfeel. A complete wine, the 2016 ‘Cuvee Pau’ will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2020-2030- 92
2016 J. Lorh ‘Cuvee St. E’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘Cuvee St. E’ opens with blueberry compote and Arabica coffee bean aromas with loganberry preserves rounding out this expressive nose. The palate is silky smooth, showing off a soft texture and good sense of elegance. Deep dark fruits collide with shades of tar and black licorice on this beautiful palate. The combination of weight and freshness is really good here. Drink 2020-2032- 93
2016 J. Lohr ‘Cuvee Pom’ Red Wine- The 2016 ‘Cuvee Pom’ is loaded with dark fruits on the nose with espresso bean and creosote tones rounding out this expressive bouquet. The palate is plush, showing off its silky mouthfeel. Layers of cassis, anise, blueberry pie and black licorice all come together beautifully on the palate. With great weight, length and acidity, enjoy this great new wine over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2020-2032- 93