Winemaker Notes
Blend: 40% Mourvedre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache and 10% Counoise
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the few times where there's almost as much Grenache in the blend as Mourvedre (Jason commented that the Grenache was just that good), the ruby colored 2014 Esprit de Tablas is made from 40% Mourvedre, 35% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Counoise, and was aged mostly in foudre. It reveals solid aromatics of garrigue, black raspberries, pepper and violets to go with a medium to full-bodied, bright, fresh style on the palate. Again, there's some chewy tannin present, yet I suspect they'll round into form once in bottle.Range: 91-93
-
Wine & Spirits
The 2014 vintage was the third drought year in a row at Tablas Creek, but this top selection of estate fruit doesn’t seem to suffer—quite the opposite. Based on mourvedre and grenache, with some syrah and a bit of counoise, it’s fresh and lively, with a strawberry-red fruit tone that’s immediately delicious. The wine’s structure feels as if it were made of balsa wood, the tannins firm yet light, dancing on the tongue with flower-petal spice. It wouldn’t be a stretch to connect this lightness of tone directly to the pale, fragile limestone bedrock underneath the vines that allowed them to access moisture through California’s long dry spell.
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.
RGL0314137_2014 Item# 165972