Feeling French in Paso Robles – L’Aventure Côte a Côte 2019 and Modern Cassoulet

How can we embrace a part of the French lifestyle without leaving our home? With a glass of wine, of course! Spin a song sung by Edith Piaf, create a plate of French cheeses and pour a glass of your favorite wine (Cabernet Franc from Chinon? Chardonnay from Bourgogne? Champagne from, well, Champagne?). Like magic, we have a moment exuding the spirit and adventure of France that we’ve come to love.

But what if we can’t find a glass of authentically French wine that suits our needs? This month the French #Winophiles, a social media group that embraces all-things-French (and especially wine), has the answer. We’re focusing upon French grape varieties that are cultivated and made into wines from a region other than France. Voila!

Now that my husband and I are on the verge of being re-planted in Paso Robles wine country, it should be no surprise that I chose a wine from the region that embraces its adventurous spirit. But wait… Known for their stellar wines of Rhône and Bordeaux varietals (among others), Paso Robles is one of my go-to regions for red wines including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and white wines of Marsanne, Roussanne, Picpoul and Grenache Blanc.

Photo Credit: Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance

Located between San Francisco and Los Angeles and about 40 minutes east of the Pacific Ocean, Paso Robles is a bucolic town along Highway 101 with about 35,000 residents. Bordeaux, Rhône, and an ever-growing list of Italian and Spanish grape varieties (60+ as a matter of fact!) flourish at over 250 wineries in the 614,000-acre Paso Robles AVA established in 1983. 40K+ acres are under vine as of 2021, making Paso Robles the third largest wine region in California. There are 11 specific viticultural areas (sub-AVAs) boasting a variety of soils, diverse microclimates, a broad diurnal shift of 40-50 degrees, and a range of altitude from 700 to more than 2000 feet. In essence, no two vineyards are alike.

Many Rhône varietals have found a home amidst the unique sub-AVAs in Paso Robles. On the west side, breezes from the Pacific Ocean and hot temperatures stress vines that flourish in the calcareous shale soil. In fact, there is more calcareous and siliceous rock in Paso Robles than any other California AVA. The east side is warmer during the day and cool at night – its calcareous, grainy soil allows grapes to retain their natural acidity. The region’s long growing season and terroir work in harmony to achieve what Paso Robles wine country is known for: distinctive wines that reflect a sense of place.

Photo Credit: L’Aventure Winery

In April of this year, I participated in the Wine Writers Educational Tour (WWET) that was held in Paso Robles. Our enthusiastic group explored a plethora of impressive Rhône and Bordeaux varieties that are cultivated. At our first dinner together, I met Chloe Asseo-Fabre, General Manager of L’Aventure, an acclaimed winery that has limited production and a loyal following.

Chloe is the daughter of Stephan and Beatrice Asseo who founded L’Aventure in 1998. Stephan, also the winemaker, began making wine in France in 1982 after his studies at L’Ecole Oenologique de Macon in Burgundy, France. He established Domaine de Courteillac in Bourdeaux after which he and the family purchased Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion, Bordeaux. For 15 years, Stephan Asseo was considered a “maverick vigneron” and an “artisan winemaker of fastidious craftsmanship.”

Always the adventurer, Stephan felt that his ability for innovation was thwarted by French rules and regulations. In 1996, he and his wife with three children searched the globe from South Africa to Lebanon to find the optimal place so that his passion for the cultivation of Bordeaux and Rhone varieties could be fueled. When the couple found the west side of Paso Robles, they “fell in love with its unique terroir” in the Willow Creek District. And naturally, with his “going-rogue” mindset, he fit right in.

Photo Credit: L’Aventure Winery

L’Aventure, the family’s winery, is aptly named to reflect the family’s adventure. 127 acres are planted to French varietals Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Roussanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc. Grapes flourish thanks to the cooling effect of the Templeton Gap, a corridor for breezes from the Pacific Ocean to pass through the mountains, and the region’s significant diurnal temperature shift.

At the L’Aventure Winery tasting room

Almost a year ago, I visited L’Aventure’s new tasting room located next to the winery. The building emerges from the hill and connects with their underground cave that was completed in 2016. Elegance and simplicity of design blended as I gazed at a 180-degree view of vineyards and natural landscape while tasting an array of beautifully crafted wines.

Purchased at L’Aventure after my tasting was L’Aventure Côte a Côte 2019 ($98), a stunning blend of 34% Grenache, 34% Syrah and 32% Mourvedre cultivated on the estate. Stephan Asseo stated that the 2019 vintage “is probably one or the best vintage I have done since starting in Paso Robles. What makes it so special in my opinion is the purity of the fruit in each wine. I would say that this vintage is classic, with great structure and balance.” He’s correct, of course.

My notes from the on-site tasting at L’Aventure follow since the wine has ageing potential of more than 15 years and I’m doing my best to wait!. In the glass, the dark purple color was an alluring hint of the tasting adventure to come. Intense aromas of rich blue fruit, meat, lavender, dried flowers and cracked black pepper led to a rich, complex palate lifted with precise acidity and polished tannins. This structured wine was aged in 41% 1 year old French oak, 29% new French oak, 18% in concrete tank and 12% in amphora. L’Aventure Côte a Côte 2019 was not fined or filtered. A stunner.

All bets are off as to my ability to wait patiently for the optimal time to open the wine. For now, though, I’ll be practicing my skills at making Modern Cassoulet for pairing. Created by Chef Jeffery Scott at Vineyard Events in Paso Robles, I had this flavorful cassoulet at dinner one night during WWET. Truly, this was a taste sensation of duck confit, glazed pork belly, Toulouse sausage, cranberry beans, spiced carrot mousse and chive oil. (Find a similar recipe here.)

Modern Cassoulet

I’m positive that the rich and complex flavor profile of the L’Aventure Côte a Côte 2019 and the savory, gamey tastes of the cassoulet will be as rewarding as Stephan Asseo’s endeavors in Paso Robles.

Cheers! ~ Cindy

For more taste sensations, enjoy the following articles from my #Winophiles colleagues.