Today we share one of the outstanding producers in Paso Robles. It is so sad that Hospice du Rhone will be delayed once again due to COVID-19. And today we pay homage by sharing an outstanding new brand,. Benom Wines, founded by two Frenchmen, Arnaud and Guillaume Fabre. Benom is named after the phonetic translation of the French word binôme, which translates to "a project together." They are brothers, they are French, and for them making wine is a heritage. Guillaume, moved to California to pursue a career as a winemaker, and began making wine for one of the great brands of Paso Robles, L’Aventure. He then started Clos Selene which was met with serious critical acclaim. it was his love of winemaking and farming without limit(s) that brought him to Paso Robles. Arnaud, on the other hand, moved to California to follow his beloved Chloe.
Their wines are even named after each other, two brothers -‘Les Deux Freres,’ which is an intense blend made from Grenache, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Fabre family originates from both the Languedoc-Roussillon and Bordeaux regions in France, as the brothers have a longstanding family history in the wine industry. I was totally captivated by the new wines by Benom. Their new 2020 Benom ‘L’Essor’ Rose (OB, 93) is sensational and silky with incredible weight. I adored the 2018 Benom ‘Les Deux Freres’ Red Wine (OB, 94) which is dense, chewy and has incredible mouthfeel. The Granache profile here is really pretty. Learn more about this great new winery project at https://www.benomwines.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Benom.
2020 Benom ‘L’Essor’ Rose- Made from a combination of Grenache (65%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) grapes, the ‘L’Essor’ shows really good freshness and finesse mid-palate. Green apple, kiwi and orange blossom tones fill the palate, with lighter red fruits and stony undertones making this highly irresistible. The weight here is fantastic, as is the bright senses of minerality. Drink 2021-2026- 93
2020 Benom ‘Contrast’ White Wine- A silky blend of mainly Chardonnay (69%) with the remainder Sauvignon Blanc, the 2020 ‘Contrast’ shows a round and generous sense of mouthfeel. Layers of banana and papaya mingle with wet stone, starfruit and gooseberry undertones. The freshness and finish here provides a wonderful drinking experience. Drink 2021-2028- 93
2018 Benom ‘Les Deux Freres’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Les Deux Freres’ combines mainly Grenache (59%) with smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. The bright red fruit aromas create plenty of allure, as red rose petals, sandalwood and smoky tones all captivate aromatically. The palate is dense and plush with a soft sense of mouthfeel. Very pretty with its red rose water and red fruit profile, with chocolate, wet stone and garrigue undertones, this beautiful, harmonious blend will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 94
2018 Benom ‘Lapsus’ Red Wine- The truly unique striking ‘Lapsus’ combines Graciano (30%) with Mourvedre (30%) as well as Grenache (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) which nearly makes this a new world style Priorat. The core is massively inky with a deep wall of dark fruits and chocolate tones alongside garrigue, and creme de violette flavors that all sing in unison on the palate. The combination of weight and structure is outstanding. This is a wine that is quite simply all its own. With great length this beautiful wine will cellar well for the next ten plus years. Drink 2021-2033- 95
2018 Benom ‘Origin’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon bottling shows rich blueberry compote, mocha, tar and leather aromatic tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is dense and refined, yet shows some herbal and red bell pepper tones no doubt from a slightly earlier picking decision. This has a killer combination of finesse, weight and viscosity. Great to enjoy right now, the 2018 Benom ‘Origin’ Cabernet Sauvignon will provide drinking enjoyment for another fifteen years. Drink 2021-2033- 94