What We Are Drinking - Carol's Vineyard J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard
St Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2014

One of the advantages of being a vineyard or winery wine club member is that we receive wines that we otherwise either would not or could not buy on the retail market. The club allows us to enjoy some higher end wines while also diversifying our tastes and wine experience.

The J. Lohr Wine Club is no exception. Chris and I have been members since we were fortunate to have visited their Paso Robles, California, tasting room a couple years ago and enjoyed a beautiful day learning about the J. Lohr process and experiencing their wines first hand. 

The other evening, Chris and I decided to enjoy a special wine and it was one of those higher end wines that I chose. It was the J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard St. Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 that I pulled. It is more expensive, as wines go, that the wines we usually drink. I paid $54 for it through the wine club and I noted that through the website the 2016 vintage retails for $60. The drinkability period for the wine is from 2020-2025, so it was right in the drinkability zone according to Cellar Tracker. The 2014 vintage received ratings of 91-92 from most of the rating agencies and a 88.5 average from the two people who tasted the wine--both during 2020. My personal rating, made before reading the reviews, was 91.

The winemakers notes are as follows: The 2014 vintage of J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon expresses this classic valley floor site in an approachable way. Savory fruit elements wrapped in a barrel signature of hazelnut and cocoa powder. Firm and angular in structure with red and blue fruits on the finish. Excellent with grilled entrecôte and shallots, or a roasted pork loin with porcini mushrooms and fennel.

I highly recommend the Carol's Vineyard series of J. Lohr wines for a special occasion or just because you want something really nice to enjoy.

One of the problems that we have, well it is not really a problem, is deciding when to drink some of the higher priced wines that we accumulate from the wine clubs that we have joined. We enjoy having them in the cellar, but sometimes we have to just decide that tonight is the night! And that is exactly how we decided to enjoy the Carol's Vineyard 2014. And we were not disappointed. 

Sometimes it is just fun to pull out a special bottle of wine and enjoy it--just between the two of us. On the up side that means we get a second glass because we are not sharing it with friends!

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD