Winemaker Notes
The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2016 Esprit de Tablas is a blend of four estate-grown varietals, propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate. The wine is based on the dark red fruit, earth, spice and mid-palate richness of Mourvèdre, with additions of Grenache for forward fruit, approachability and lushness, Syrah for mineral, aromatics, and back-palate tannins, and Counoise for brambly spice and acidity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Violets, rose petals, fresh blueberries, crushed stones, oyster shell and dried spices. Full-bodied with a tangy core of berry fruit, firm and structured tannins and a spicy finish. Drink in 2020.
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Wine & Spirits
Robert Haas, founder of the wine-importing firm Vineyard Brands, established Tablas Creek in partnership with the Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1989. They planted a vineyard in western Paso Robles with cuttings from Château de Beaucastel, the Perrin’s Châteauneuf property. Those vines, farmed organically by Robert’s son, Jason, and winegrower Neil Collins, have produced some of California’s most elegant and evocative Rhône-variety wines, like this blend of mourvedre (46 percent), syrah, grenache and counoise. It has a rooty spice, like turmeric and ginger, and a gentle clarity to its pomegranate-bright fruit. Patrick J. Comiskey, an editor at W&S and the author of American Rhône, described the flavors as substantial but lifted: “It’s airy, in a positive sense.
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Wine Spectator
Combines structure with polish and substance, offering expressive raspberry, garrigue and smoked spice flavors that build richness toward refined tannins. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. Drink now through 2025.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Just bottled last week, the 2016 Esprit de Tablas is an age-worthy blend of 46% Mourvèdre, 31% Syrah, 18% Grenache, and the rest Counoise that was brought up all in foudre. It offers perfumed notes of raspberries, cherries, leafy herbs, and hints of violets. With medium to full body, a seamless texture, and beautiful purity of fruit, it has a forward, fresh, accessible style yet will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for a decade after that.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Esprit de Tablas is a blend of 46% Mourvèdre, 31% Syrah, 18% Grenache and 5% Counoise—winemaker Neil Collins says there's more Grenache than usual in the blend this vintage. Pale to medium ruby, it has a pretty nose of desiccated roses, fresh blueberries, black and red cherries, loamy earth, sage brush, tobacco leaves and charcuterie. It's light to medium-bodied with intense, earthy fruits, a firm frame and good juiciness on the long, spiced finish. 3,225 cases produced.
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.
