L'Aventure : Optimus 2016

Wine Advocate-Parker :
A blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot that checks in at 15.4% alcohol, the 2016 Optimus reveals a lavish bouquet of crunchy berries, anise and creamy new oak. On the palate, it's full-bodied, spicy and richly tannic, with generous, oak-influenced flavors and a crunchy core of fruit. The finish is long and youthfully chewy. Bottled barely one month before I tasted it, this is already quite expressive and should begin to drink well after just a few years. The Optimus is Asseo's longest-running cuvée, realizing an ambition to blend Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon he nurtured in his native Bordeaux.