L Aventure Cote a Cote, California, 2017

Jeb Dunnuck – 98 Points

The only Grenache-dominated release is the 2017 Côte A Côte, a blend of 48% Grenache, 32% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah that spent 14 months in 30% new French oak. It’s one sexy red that offers full-bodied richness and depth as well as brilliant notes of blackberries, black raspberries, ground pepper, potpourri, and flowery incense aromas and flavors. This smoking Grenache is elegant, with no hard edges, beautiful purity, and a great finish. It shows how successful Grenache was in 2017 and is a magical wine.

James Suckling – 97 Points

This is an impressive red offering blackberry and blackcurrant aromas, together with chocolate, walnut, sweet-tobacco and mahogany notes. Black olives, too. Tar. Changes all the time. Tight and polished. It’s full-bodied, yet so fine-grained and caressing in tannins. Lots of alcohol, yet it remains fresh and really lasts for minutes. A glorious wine. Aged in wood, cement and amphora. A blend of 48% grenache, 32% mourvedre and 20% syrah. Better after 2021.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – 96 Points

The 2017 Côte a Côte is a blend of 48% Grenache, 32% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah. Medium to deep ruby, it explodes with tricolored fruits: peach cobbler, apricot, marionberries, boysenberries and crushed blackberries with accents of dried leaves, saline, blood orange peel, pink peppercorn, cured meats, thyme and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied and silky, it slowly spreads its wings in the mouth, blossoming into lovely technicolor fruits with a floral vein. It has a pixelated frame and freshness that begs for another sip, finishing long, layered and lifted. This is stunning!