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f a l l 2 0 1 7 | 4 9 Paso Robles winegrowing pioneer Jerry Lohr, found- er and proprietor of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, just turned 80 years young. For his 80th, Lohr is cele- brating by fulfilling a lifelong dream—producing the J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that has the potential to become one of the New World's most coveted Cabernet Sauvignons. To ensure this, Lohr, along with Jeff Meier, President/COO/Direc- tor of Winemaking, and Steve Peck, Winemaker for Red Wines, sourced fruit from the steep slopes of Beck Vineyard in Paso Robles' Creston District AVA, Merlot from El Pomar District and Petit Verdot from Carol's Vineyard in Napa Valley. Aged 19 months in 100 percent new French oak, only 966 six-bottle cases of the inaugural 2013 vintage were produced for limited release this year. As extraordinary as the J. Lohr Signature Cab is, there are certainly other J. Lohr wines that are just as special. Take J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc for instance; it honors another great Lohr (Jerry's wife, Carol, lost to breast cancer) while benefiting the National Breast Cancer Foundation. There's also the J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvi- gnon, which may not honor the legacy of a Lohr, but it does serve as a tried-and-true mainstay Cab on many a restaurant wine list. It's these things that make J. Lohr's portfolio more than just a body of incredibly well-made wines offering incredible value. For many, not just the Lohr family, there's a sentimental worth too, and this is priceless. We recently interviewed a restaurateur in Paso Robles and a wine director in Seattle to hear their takes on pairing J. Lohr's wines with their dishes. PHOTO: JEREMY BALL The extraordinary J. Lohr Signature Cabernet Sauvignon released in honor of Jerry Lohr's 80th birthday. photos by Jeremy Ball Carole MacDonal, owner of Il Cortile, one of Paso Robles' most renowned res- taurants, seemed just a tiny bit distracted. "My husband isn't here yet, but he will be." MacDonal's husband is Santos MacDonal, Executive Chef of Il Cortile. I was more concerned with Carole at the moment anyway. "I grew up in Buffalo, New York. My dad owned a deli so I worked in the restaurant business from age 14 to 24. Then I went into the film business, eventually moving to L.A. But I learned from my dad at a very young age that when your guest walks into a restaurant, you treat them as if they are expected." "A Perec Mach:" J LOHR AT IL CORTILE RISTORANTE, PASO ROBLES Chef Santos MacDonal pre- pares octopus at Il Cortile, Paso Robles, CA.

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