critic reviews
A delicious, juicy, fruit-driven wine with a ton of chocolate and liquorice alongside the supple tannins. Lower alcohol than past few years, despite this being a heatwave vintage, but this is still a Californian hug. Small yields, around 30% down, 32ha of land in Paso Robles (up from 25ha), Chloe Asseo director, Stephan Asseo owner and winemaker, from the Willow Creek district of Paso Robles.
The 2022 Optimus is 66% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Petit Verdot aged in 19% new French oak. The nose displays a combination of ripe, seductive dark fruits with a pointed, menthol-like sharpness, giving off aromas of pine sap, green peppercorns and incense. The palate is medium-bodied but quite sappy and concentrated, transitioning to a hard finish that calls back the astringent notes found in the nose.
A deep purple hue, the 2022 Optimus opens in the glass with a whiff of savory herbs, licorice and cocoa powder accentuating dried black cherries. This is luscious and round with fleshy wild berry fruits and sweet spices that swirl throughout. Zesty acidity enlivens the experience, as a subtle note of fine tannins adds form, tapering off with length yet only lightly structured. I love the energy here.