Winemaker Notes
This wine pairs great with game, dark fowl, richly flavored stews, lamb and red meats prepared in an Asian style (i.e. beef stir fry)
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2011 Esprit de Tablas tempts the imagination with dark depths of crushed blackberry, grilled herbs, incense and exotic spice. It's elegant and velvety in feel. A dense wave of ripe red and black fruits envelops the palate, offset by a twang of citrus and a core of brisk acidity. Sweet tannins frame the wine as balsamic tones and hints of plum sauce linger through the long and impactful finish. The 2011 remains a remarkably pretty Esprit de Tablas, the result of a relatively cool season with well-timed rain throughout harvest.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.