2019 NV Pentimento Red Wine Cuvée - Le Cuvier Winery

Blackberry mash, crushed star anise, warm kirsch. Dried blueberry, fragrant potpourri, spiced raspberry compote. Bay leaf and damp undergrowth, black pepper and intense paprika. An unbelievably evocative bouquet explodes effortlessly from the glass, beginning its attack with an unstoppable cornucopia of incredibly aromatic fruit. Dark cherry, red plum, cassis, fig, and raisin meet in a layered and almost lyrical medley, astonishingly showcasing fresh, cooked, and dried red, black, blue, and purple fruit simultaneously. Impressive floral notes contribute crushed violet, lavender concentrate, and wilted rose atop savory roasted pepper, jalapeño, and Earl Grey. Cuban cigar muddles with tree bark and forest floor to provide seductive earthy tones before cumin, curry, and exotic spice ruthlessly capture control. Hot rocks, parched earth, and graphite lie hidden amidst the symphony of flavors yet reveal themselves with mindful investigation. Completely overflowing with an impossible amount of precisely delineated and remarkably delicious nuance while showcasing expressive high-toned energy and inconceivable complexity. Full body; medium tannin; medium plus acid; flawless balance. This 2019 bottling of the NV Pentimento Red Wine Cuvée by Le Cuvier Winery is a categorically unique and completely outstanding blend from Paso Robles.

There are plenty of unconventional blends out there yet few avant-garde wines ever achieve the level of fascinating transcendence found here. This bottling, crafted by Le Cuvier Winery using Paso Robles fruit, is a blend as complex and multifaceted as the amazing flavors it contains. It is an interesting non-vintage concoction based around a unique solera system that Le Cuvier has been maintaining since the turn of the century. Around 36% of the wine in this bottle came from the aforementioned solera, with the remainder being filled out with various wines from the 2015 and 2016 vintages. The blending here is masterful as this wine exhibits both developed tertiary flavors along with fresh and juicy primary character wrapped up in alluring exotic spice. This is daring, well executed, and delicious.