“Stephan Asseo, owner and winemaker at L’Aventure Winery, began making wine in 1982. In that same year, Stephan established Domaine de Courteillac in Bordeaux. He and his family later purchased Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion in Bordeaux. Over the next 15 years, Stephan developed into an artisan winemaker of fastidious craftsmanship and gained a “maverick” reputation. His true desire was to be more innovative than AOC law would allow. In 1996, this led him, his wife Beatrice and their 3 children, on a journey to pursue his ideal as a winemaker. In 1997, after one year of research, they fell in love with a unique terroir in the west side Paso Robles. And L’Aventure began in 1998!”
THE WINE
I have just one wine to present to you today from L’Aventure. Winery notes come from their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2017 L’Aventure OPTIMUS Red Blend, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles AVA, $ (#1724) 49% Syrah, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot
Image from the Tech Sheet
Winery Notes: “Optimus is the perfect introduction to our lineup. Also known as our “crazy” Paso blend, Optimus is beautifully balanced with a lot of freshness. This wine is approachable young but can be enjoyed for up to a decade.” 94 points – Jeb Dunnuck
My Review: We blind tasted this wine.The rich dark red/purple color had me declare it was a new world wine. The nose was reminiscent of a Rhone wine. I thought it was from Napa based on the smooth, rich and tasty palate. I guessed it was a Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Absolutely delicious. February 2026
“Discover personalized tastings on the Westside of Paso Robles. Open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. To ensure a dedicated experience for each party, reservations are required.”
As soon as we heard about the Brosseau Wine Studio in Marina, our AWS Scouting Party went to check it out – and quickly arranged for the American Wine Society Monterey Chapter to visit. Bill Brosseau was happy to host our group to tell his family vineyard story – from spending his childhood weekends there to making it his own – and now his efforts to improve how others manage their vineyards and make wine.
Bill Brosseau and his wines!
At this event, we tasted 7 of his wines plus appetizers provided by Pacific Coast Private Chefs! In addition, he offered us a special deal: If we bought 5 bottles, we received a 6th one for free. If we bought 9 bottles, we received 3 bottles for free! Over the top, man!
This is my first post all about Brosseau wines. I previously reviewed in a few wines made from Brosseau grapes. These include I Brand’s La Marea Grenache and Folktale’s Le Mistral Syrah. You can find these by typing “Brosseau” in the Decanting Monterey search bar!
AWS hosts share event information with members and guests
THE WINERY
Bill gave us a little background on his wines. They are made from organic grapes yet he still needs to make every process in his winery organic – down to the salt in the water softener – to get the USDA stamp of approval. His vineyard produced 46 tons of fruit this year. He considers his winemaking “more of an R&D lab.” He is currently playing with a sparking wine. He shared that wines are influenced by his mood. He considers his space at the wine studio as community. His wines are available in local restaurants and he only ships inside of California.
Moreover, we learned about the motivation for his wine studio “to unite iconic vineyard sites from our special wine region, with people who are passionate about attention to detail in farming and winemaking. The Studio offers an exploratory wine experience and more. A place to nurture and encourage personal connections and artistry in wine and beyond.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 7 Brosseau wines.Winery notes come from their website or the tasting sheet. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
My Review: Light golden in the glass with buttery aromatics. Delicious palate with just the tiniest bit of lime zest on the finish. My favorite wine of the tasting. March 2026
2018 Brosseau Old Vines Chardonnay, Chalone AVA Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $50 (#1718)
My Review: Golden in color. Musty caramel on the nose. A full-bodied palate with a slightly acidic finish. March 2026
My Review: Barely a hint of pink in the glass – I mean barely! Honeysuckle on the nose and a balanced palate. March 2026
2018 Brosseau Old Vines Pinot Noir, Chalone AVA, Monterey County, 14.1% ABV, $40 (#1720)
Winery Notes: “Deep red hue. Aromas of cherry, sage, boysenberry, pomegranate, and wild thyme leap readily out of the glass. With some air, notes of roasted strawberry and jasmine complete the aromatic experience. The flavor profile segues nicely from aromas and is met with minerality. Fine tannins, modest acidity, and dense concentration make this a full sensory experience. This wine finishes with intricacy and a playful youthfulness. Enjoy now through 2032.”
My Review: Garnet in the glass. Rich nose of dark fruit and cherry. Some tobacco on the slightly tannic finish. This is a delicious Pinot Noir. March 2026
My Review: Beautiful deep garnet in color. While I did not detect anything distinct on the nose, the palate was rich, balanced and tasty. I took one home! March 2026
My Review: This wine did not follow that big Syrah very well. As it was one of the most popular wines of the night, it deserves a retaste! That’s on me! March 2026
THE TASTING ROOM
Integrating Nature, Society, Science, and the Arts
“Brosseau Wine Studio was born out of Bill’s intrinsic motivation to unite iconic vineyard sites from our special wine region, with people who are passionate about attention to detail in farming and winemaking. The Studio offers an exploratory wine experience and more. A place to nurture and encourage personal connections and artistry in wine and beyond.
“We are located less than 1 mile from the Pacific Ocean in the cool and foggy town of Marina, CA. To reserve a tasting experience with the Brosseaus, please click the link below. We look forward to visiting with you and sharing a personalized, immersive, and unforgettable experience.”
I don’t have many Carol Shelton wines left, but we enjoyed this one in December. The vineyard story alone makes it an interesting one – which I found on Carol Shelton’s website:
“The 130-year-old Planchon Vineyard in Oakley is the source of this interesting “Italian blend” of Barbera with its companion vines of Zinfandel and Merlot. The Barbera rows are a veritable jungle of vegetation on the perimeter of the ancient Zin vines; they thrive on their own roots in this sandy soil because the phylloxera bug that kills vines from the roots up is adverse to the grit of the sand under its shell. The blend is similar in many ways to a “SuperPiedmont,” where Bordeaux varieties (here we used Merlot) add structure and elegance to the straightforward black cherry and blackberry fruit of the Barbera grape, and the Zin and Carignane chime in with their own bright raspberry and spice notes.”
We met Carol Shelton, the Queen of Zin, many years ago at a Zinfandel Advocates and Producers event in Washington DC and have been fans ever since.
THE WINERY
From her website: “Carol Shelton has been Mastering the Zen of Zin since 1978. Focusing mostly on her favorite varietal, Carol is a guru of single vineyard Zinfandel. California has been the home world class Zin for over a century, making it the benchmark varietal of American wine culture. Carol & Mitch Mackenzie, her husband and business partner, have sought out exceptional vineyards throughout California including Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Mendocino, and the Cucamonga Valley of Southern California. Many of her vineyard sources are organically grown and decades old. She develops close partnerships with each grower to ensure her wines maintain and express the unique terroir of the vineyard.”
THE WINE
Today I’m presenting just this 1 wine from Carol Shelton. Winery notes come from their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2021 Carol Shelton Barbera d’Oakley, Planchon Vineyard, Contra Costa AVA, 13.8% ABV, $30 (#1716)
Winery Notes: “Vibrant nose of tart black cherry and blackberry, with a kiss of green herbs and earth, black peppery spice and vanilla oak. Mouth shows some nice tart cherry and pomegranate, and mouthfeel is silky smooth, almost dangerous in how easy it is to drink. This wine would be delicious with tomato-sauced pastas, harder cheeses, and grilled things, especially portabello mushroom caps! Buon appétito!”
My Review: Garnet in color. A warm, mellow nose of red raspberry, plum, bubblegum, spice and a hint of red cherry. The palate is bursting with red, tart cherry and cranberry juiciness. This wine will wake you up! December 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
Carol Shelton has a relatively new tasting room in Santa Rosa, open for tastings 7 days a week from 11 – 4. Reserve tasting fee is $20 per person each tasting fee may be waived with purchase of one bottle. You can read more on their website!
“The Originals Syrah vines are not only our “Original” planting, but they are the oldest vines in Ballard Canyon AVA. The wine made from these vines in the mid 1990’s generated the Syrah-planting fervor which eventually led to the publication of Ballard Canyon AVA. Because we withhold irrigation for months on end during our arid growing season, these vines have rooted deeply into our limestone in search of moisture. They yield small crops of tiny, concentrated grapes.”
THE WINE
Today I’m bringing you just this one wine. Winery notes come from their website, unless otherwise indicated. Any errors are mine and mine alone.
2021 Stolpman Vineyards Originals Syrah, Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Barbara County, 14% ABV, $30 (#1715)
Winemaker’s Notes: “A spectrum of red, blue, and black fruit pack into an opaque, luxuriously sleek mid-palate before crunchy, youthful tannin. The big, rich, coating body beckons for the savory, dry finish. One of the densest Originals vintage in the fourteen year history of the cuvee. The hedonistic waves begin to envelope the pronounced tannin within minutes of breathing, giving a glimmer forward to maybe 2026 when this wine will hit its next level and fall into a beautiful 10 year stride thereafter.” 94 points – Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast
My Review: Translucent dark garnet in the glass. Menthol and earth on the nose. Earthy palate of dark fruits and cotton candy. We tasted this wine a couple of times in the Fall of 2025.
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