Winemaker Notes
The J. Lohr Estates Los Osos Merlot shows classic Merlot aromas and flavors of plum, currant, and violet, elevated by a light barrel signature of baking spices and toasted pastry. The addition of Malbec contributes notes of pomegranate and hibiscus; Cabernet Franc adds layers of cocoa and peppery spice. The wine’s mouthwatering palate transitions to a lingering black cherry finish.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Blended with 14% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, this palate-pleasing, meaty, and substantial red shows notes of ripe black cherry and dark roast coffee washed in mocha, violets, and toasted croissant.
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James Suckling
Tangy and lightly tannic, energized by fresh red-fruit flavors. Full-bodied yet well-balanced, offering raspberry, red-cherry and spearmint flavors with a lively, appetizing texture.
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Vinous
Cedary spice mixes with ripe blueberries as the 2023 Merlot Los Osos opens in the glass. It sweeps across the palate with a wave of ripe red berry fruits propelled by juicy acidity. A subtle citrus twang adds dimension toward the close. Pleasantly chewy and lightly structured, the 2023 tapers off surprisingly fresh. This is a solid, easy-drinking Merlot.
For more than fifty years and through two generations, the Lohr family and their team have been leaders in the California wine industry. Founder Jerry Lohr and his three children Steve, Cynthia, and Lawrence oversee one of the country's most successful and trusted fine wine labels. With first plantings in Monterey in 1972 and then in Paso Robles in 1986, the team helped write the book on sustainable winegrowing on the Central Coast.
Today, J. Lohr farms more than 4,000 acres of estate vineyards in Monterey's Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands appellations, Paso Robles, and St. Helena in the Napa Valley. They produce eight tiers of award-winning releases: J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, J. Lohr Cuvée Series, J. Lohr Vineyard Series, J. Lohr Gesture, J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine, J. Lohr Estates, J. Lohr Monterey Roots, and ARIEL Vineyards.
J. Lohr is a Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery and was honored with the 2020 Green Medal Leader Award in recognition of the company's decades-long commitment to sustainability.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.