Winemaker Notes
A plush nose equally balanced between Grenache Blanc and Viognier: apricot and ripe pear, oyster shell minerality, and a little pithy note. On the palate, white grapefruit and honeycrisp apple, anise, chamomile, orange oil, and a chalky mineral note on the finish. Lovely acids
Blend: 50% Grenache Blanc, 23% Viognier, 10% Roussanne, 8% Marsanne, 8% Vermentino, 1% Bourboulenc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The nose shows layers of citrus, orange blossoms, jasmine and biscuits. The palate is medium-bodied with focused acidity and notes of cantaloupe, nectarines and red apples. Generous and giving, with a mineral core. A blend of 50% grenache blanc, 23% viognier, 10% roussanne, 8% marsanne, 8% vermentino, 1% bourboulenc.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2023 Patelin de Tablas Blanc is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 23% Viognier, 10% Roussanne, 8% Marsanne, 8% Vermentino and 1% Bourboulenc. The nose is straightforward with aromas of yellow orchard fruits, white flowers and accents of struck flint wafting from the glass. The texture is direct and medium-bodied, with a clean, saline, crisp finish.
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Vinous
The 2023 Patelin de Tablas Blanc bursts from the glass with a flourish of sweet herbs and spring flowers. It displays a balanced inner sweetness and crisp white pit fruits, coming across juicy yet also full of zesty tension. It finishes refreshing and long, with a sensation of liquid stone that lingers on.
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Wine Spectator
Opens with citrus blossom and almond skin notes before revealing a sleekly framed mix of floral, apple and lemon details. Finishes with a burst of acidity around fresh herb and spice accents. Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino and Bourboulenc. Drink now. 4,300 cases made.
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.
Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, powerful, fruit-driven Central Coast wines. But with eleven smaller sub-AVAs, there is actually quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast.
Just east over the Santa Lucia Mountains from the chilly Pacific Ocean, lie the coolest in the region: Adelaida, Templeton Gap and (Paso Robles) Willow Creek Districts, as well as York Mountain AVA and Santa Margarita Ranch. These all experience more ocean fog, wind and precipitation compared to the rest of the Paso sub-appellations. The San Miguel, (Paso Robles) Estrella, (Paso Robles) Geneso, (Paso Robles) Highlands, El Pomar and Creston Districts, along with San Juan Creek, are the hotter, more western appellations of the greater Paso Robles AVA.
This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends, both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruit-driven, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.