This time
I’ve got a robust, well aged, joy providing and beautiful priced red blend from
one of the most famous winemakers in Paso Robles – the French expatriate Stephan
Asseo. Today’s wine is his most reasonable, his wines can be pretty pricy,
and most basic one: Stephan
Ridge 1998.
It is a red
blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The cold maceration before
fermentation took up to 30 days and malolactic fermentation took place in 100%
in oak barrels. The aging period was 12 months in 80% new and 20% used French
oak. There wasn’t any fining or filtering. The last fact was very obvious after
I drank 3 quarters ;-)
