2022 Benom Wines Les Deux Frères

Based on 65% Grenache, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Syrah, aged 18 months in mostly neutral oak (15% new French), the 2022 Les Deux Freres offers blackberries, peppery herbs, leather, and cured meats. Medium to full-bodied, spicy, savory, round, and complex, it has ripe tannins and outstanding length. It is best enjoyed over the coming decade. Drink 2025-2035. I always love these wines from the Fabre brothers Arnaud and Guillaume. Their Benom releases pull primarily from Paso Robles (Willow Creek and Adelaida) with additional fruit from the San Luis Obispo Coast and Edna Valley. The lineup includes one white, Contrast, a Chardonnay-based blend with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc raised in a mix of neutral and new French oak and concrete, and a range of reds: Origin is pure Cabernet Sauvignon, Les Deux Frères is Grenache-driven with Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Syrah, Lapsus is close to an even split of Graciano, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mourvèdre, Muze is Mourvèdre dominant with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, Hoc is led by Carignan with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and Reflet is nearly an even split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most spend about 18 months in French oak with varying percentages of new wood, and components for some wines see neutral oak or concrete. The wines are impeccably made and age-worthy.

The 2022 Les Deux Freres opens with a delicate bouquet of lavender and blackberries complemented by a whiff of baking spice. Silken textures wash across the palate, gaining tension through a saturation of tart red and black fruits as a hint of licorice evolves toward the close. Cheeks are left puckered, with edgy tannins mingling with a pleasantly bitter tinge of dark chocolate.