Winemaker Notes
An immediately appealing nose of poached pear, crystallized pineapple, honeysuckle and a touch of sweet oak. On the palate, luscious and textured, with honey, green apple, and graham cracker flavors, solid acidity, and a little dancing mango-like tropicality from the Picpoul. Fresh and lifted, but long and textured. A charming Esprit Blanc that will be hard to resist young but which should also do beautifully with time in the cellar. Drink now and over the next two decades.
Blend: 70% Roussanne, 17% Picpoul Blanc, 10% Grenache Blanc, 2% Bourboulenc, 1% Clairette Blanche
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Still in barrel, the 2021 Esprit de Tablas Blanc is a blend of 70% Roussanne, 17% Picpoul, 10% Grenache Blanc, 2% Bourboulenc and 1% Clairette Blanche. "Normally the blend includes about 20% Grenache Blanc," winemaker Jason Haas says. "This vintage, the Picpoul and Roussanne were so good that the Esprit ended up with higher percentages of those grapes. It didn't need that much more blending." The nose opens slowly, blossoming to baked apples, lemon peel, white pepper and coriander seed, with youthful streaks of sweet spice from a small percentage of Roussanne aging in new oak. The medium-bodied palate balances concentrated yet detailed flavors, mouthwatering acidity and a touch of textural bitterness that anchors its youthful energy and extends the finish.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
Decanter
One of America's great wine blends from the first name in Rhône varietals Tablas Creek. This blend of Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, Grenache Blanc and a dash of a few others is a seriously contemplative wine. Aromatics of candied ginger, honeycomb and ripe apricot mingle with a dash of petrichor and wet stone. The wine's texture and honeyed notes are balanced by savory Mediterranean scrub, crushed chalk and lime leaf. Serious and seriously delicious.
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Wine Enthusiast
As the importer of so many Rhône varieties, it's no surprise that Tablas Creek manages blends like few other domestic producers. This combination of 70% Roussanne, 17% Picpoul Blanc, 10% Grenache, 2% Bourboulenc and 1% Clairette Blanche shows clean nectarine and apricot aromas on the nose, with a light nuttiness. The palate's chalky texture offers creamy flavors of cashew milk and apple blossoms.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.