The 2010 Estate Cuvee is an infant that still has a jammy, unevolved character. Showing every bit as good as when I tasted it on release, it offers up a stunning bouquet of blackberry, cassis, chocolate, graphite and liquid smoke that flows to a full-bodied, layered and decidedly pure profile on the palate. Shining as much for its elegance and purity as for its richness and depth, it possesses fine tannin, good acidity and a big finish. Give it 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy it through 2030. Tel. (805) 227-1588; www.aventurewine.com

L’Aventure’s flagship 2010 Estate Cuvee is strikingly beautiful. An exotic melange of dark cherries, plums, graphite and grilled herbs fleshes out in this deep, marvelously pliant wine. The 2010 impresses for its freshness, depth and fine overall balance, but the bouquet alone is compelling. Varietal Cabernet notes linger in the empty glass. This is a great showing. The Estate Cuvee is 42% Syrah, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Petit Verdot. I also tasted the Estate Cuvee back to 2002, and found in the best vintages the wine ages quite well. My favorites years are 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009, but the overall takeaway was really an impression that L’Aventure’s flagship is becoming more refined in its overall personality. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. Proprietor Stephan Asseo remarks that there were 35 wineries bonded in Paso Robles when he arrived in 1997. Today there are more then 250. That pretty much sums up the explosive growth Paso Robles has experienced over the last fifteen years. The L’Aventure wines are distinguished for their textural richness and their use of Bordeaux varieties, which are far less common than Rhone varieties in Paso. Asseo reported that bloom and set were both pretty regular in 2010 and that heat spikes were not an issue. The key to the vintage, according to Asseo, was limiting yields, which required quite a bit of green harvesting.Tel. (805) 227-1588; www.aventurewine.com

Dark, rich and layered, with black licorice, plum and blackberry flavors that are tight and focused, ending with a long, persistent finish. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2022. 1,350 cases made. –JL