Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge (375ML half-bottle) 2006

"Well-balanced, intense yet elegant. Full-bodied, showing vivid blueberry and wild berry flavors, with hints of nutmeg, cedar and coconut. Ends with a long, complex finish that shows a pleasant loamy, earthy quality. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. Drink now through 2014. 3,500 cases made."

93 Points

Wine Spectator

"Deep red with a bright rim. Spicy red berries, potpourri and minerals on the nose; this smells awfully fresh. Bright, palate-staining raspberry and blackcurrant flavors possess excellent concentration and are leavened by zesty minerality. Finishes smooth and silky, with echoing raspberry and floral qualities. This is complex enough to enjoy right now."

93 Points

International Wine Cellar

"The brilliant 2006 Esprit de Beaucastel (45% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, and the rest Counoise) possesses abundant aromas of underbrush, blueberries, blackberries, coffee beans, and licorice. An elegant, long, pure, medium to full-bodied effort, it is a faithful representation of its Mediterranean blend. Consume it over the next decade. "

92 Points

The Wine Advocate

"45% Mourvedre ; 28% Grenache; 22% Syrah; 5% Counoise. If both a bit riper and a bit fatter than the classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape style evoked by its namesake, this dense, fairly full-bodied wine tastes of plums, pomegranate, sweet oak and a sprinkling of "herbes de Provence". Its slightly viscous start is contrasted by its moderately tannic finish, and, albeit a tasty wine now, it will be more enjoyable still after being allowed to knit together for several more years."

90 Points

Connoisseurs' Guide