Winemaker Notes
Côte à Côte is an homage to the Southern Rhône while still respecting the style of Paso Robles. This wine is seductive, fruit forward, and has a lot of pleasure. It can be enjoyed now but can be easily aged 20+ years. The 2021 vintage is comprised of 37% Grenache, 32% Syrah, and 31% Mourvèdre. It has been aged for 16 months in 36% 1-year old French oak, 30% new French oak, 18% concrete, and 16% amphora.
Blend: 37% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 31% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Cote a Cote checks in as nearly equal thirds of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. It's a killer bottle of wine revealing full-bodied richness, an expansive, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a complex bouquet of blackberries, savory herbs, peppered meats, and hints of violets. This concentrated, powerful wine stays just about weightless, has ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. The élevage here was 14 months in 30% new French oak, with 16% in amphora and 18% in concrete, and the balance in once-used barrels.
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James Suckling
Refined nose with cherries, cassis, ripe plums, herbs and sweet spices. It's full-bodied with creamy tannins. An elegant development on the palate with a velvety texture. The fruit is obvious at the center with a discreet touch of spices and grilled herbs on the mid-palate. Slightly chewy with a focused, flavorful developing finish. 37% grenache, 32% syrah and 31% mourvedre.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Côte a Côte is a blend of 37% Grenache, 32% Syrah and 31% Mourvèdre that combines power and elegance, concentration and weightlessness. The glass reveals a deep well of aromas—maraschino cherry, blueberry, licorice, rooibos tea and autumn leaves emerge from the glass and are made even more complex by undertones of earth and spice. The full-bodied palate is plush, supple and generous, though its chocolaty, floral fruit is perfectly ripe. It has a foil of mouthwatering acidity, flinty accents and a long, very latent finish. Rating: 96+
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Vinous
Cool-toned and classic, the 2021 Côte a Côte opens with a lovely blend of crushed blackberries, dusty sage and a lifting hint of split pine. It's elegant and silky in feel, yet powerful all the same, with depths of ripe red and black fruits that wash across the palate with ease, all guided by brisk acidity. Gently tannic and more savory than anticipated, this leaves the mouth watering for more despite its youthful state and tension. Fantastic.
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Decanter
The flagship GSM blend from quality producer L’Aventure. This is the more 'delicate' offering in the producer's portfolio – a word not often used in Paso. Red and black fruits interplay on the nose. The palate is chewy and textured with flavours of red fruits, baking spices and faint floral notes. A lengthy finish rounds out this beauty.
L'Aventure was founded in 1998 by a French winemaker, Stephan Asseo. After Stephan graduated enology school in Burgundy, the Asseo family bought their first estate, Domaine de Courteillac, in the Bordeaux area in 1982. Later, the family purchased additional properties: Chateau Robin and Chateau Fleur-Cardinale in Saint-Emilion. Stephan raised these properties to a level of great quality, while managing some other well-established domaines such as Chateau Guillot-Clauzel in Pomerol and Chateau Corbin in St Emilion.
Stephan saw in the New World a unique opportunity to expand his experience, while gaining more freedom in viticulture and vinification. He began by looking all over California for land, including Napa/Sonoma and Santa Barbara counties, but it was the terroir and climate of Paso Robles that impressed him the most.
L'Aventure is located on the west side of Paso Robles in the Willow Creek District. The 127-acre property with 57 acres planted, is comprised of multiple hills of various elevation and complex soils. Because of its proximity to the ocean, the vineyard has clear warm days and drastic cool nighttime temperatures which increases the time of the grape’s maturation cycle providing fruit that creates a more complex and balanced wine. Stephan’s choice of this lean terroir provides him with the fruit necessary to create wine with a good balance between alcohol and acidity. The resulting wines are full and rich yet well balanced and elegant.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Growing on high elevation bedrock slopes, the vineyards of Paso Robles Willow Creek AVA sit at between 960 and 1,900 feet in elevation.