13 Dec Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Four Lanterns Winery 2018 Kharis, Paso Robles
A singer or an instrument on its own can be beautiful. But, when you blend different voices or instruments, you can create beautiful music with harmonies, melodies, with base notes, and treble notes. The same can be said with wine. So many grape varieties sing on their own, but sometimes when blended together, you get something more. This week I opened up a wine that is a blend of four grapes. Combined, it was harmonious. And that is why the Four Lanterns Winery 2018 Kharis from Paso Robles is the Please The Palate wine of the week.
ABOUT FOUR LANTERNS WINERY
Four Lanterns Winery in Paso Robles was started by Steve and Jackie Gleason in 2013. Steve worked in institutional money management, while Jackie worked as a Physical Therapist. They both wanted to leave the corporate world behind and start a business together. They moved to Paso Robles from Southern California with their four daughters and purchased a 35-acre property on the west side of Paso Robles in the Willow Creek District. The name Four Lanterns is inspired by their four daughters.
The 35-acre property, of which a portion is actually in the Templeton Gap AVA, is planted to Rhone varieties. Jackie’s Vineyard, located in the Templeton Gap District on their home property, is planted to Bordeaux varieties. The Gleason’s have a total of 38 acres planted and farm organically.
When it comes to blending, Steve Gleason told me, “I love blending. I love Grenache but it is also great in a blend.” And Steve likes to be creative with his blends. As he explained, “There are classic blends, but I love breaking the mold.” And he did that with this blend. The 2018 Kharis is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (a grape from the Right Bank of Bordeaux), Cabernet Franc (a grape from the Left Bank of Bordeaux), Syrah (a grape from the Rhone Valley), and Tempranillo (a grape from is Spain).
TASTING NOTES
A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Syrah, 10% Tempranillo, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine has beautiful rich aromas of black cherries, blackberries, blueberry, purple flowers, licorice, and chocolate. On the palate, this lush wine is full bodied with textured fruit tannins and a long finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Enjoy this wine with meat dishes, such as a NY Strip or Osso Bucco.
WHERE TO PURCHASE
The Four Lanterns Kharis retails for $68 and is available from the Four Lanterns Winery website.
MEET THE WINEMAKER
Listen to the interview I did with Steve Gleason on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.