Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Rouge is a premium wine that epitomizes the excellence of Rhone-style blends made in the USA. The wine is characterized by its stunning ruby color, and it features rich aromas of dark berries, black tea, and cedar on the nose. The initial sip unveils a full-bodied texture with a complex blend of flavors, including black cherry, raspberry, and plum, with notes of leather and spice. The tannins are well-structured and smooth, adding depth and character to the unique blend. A perfect pairing with roasted meat dishes or with a hearty pasta, the Esprit de Tablas Rouge is a must-try wine that provides unbeatable flavor, elegance, and class.

Tasting Notes

A cool wintergreen minty note sets off deeper smoked meat, redcurrant, mocha, and juniper aromas. The mouth shows Grenache's sweet fruit and licorice on that attack, then deepens into notes of black cherry, chocolate, and a chorizo-like meatiness, all with tremendous mouth-coating texture. The long finish, with lingering flavors of wood smoke, roasted meat, plum skin and crushed rock, hints at more rewards to come with cellar aging. We recommend that you drink either between now and 2024 or again starting in 2027 any time over the subsequent two decades.

About the Winery

Established in 1989, Tablas Creek Vineyard is a wine label created as a result of the friendship between two prominent winemaking families – Perin Family (with its origins in France’s Chateau de Beaucastel) and the Hass Family of Vineyard Brands. The family members searched all over California for the right wine-producing region, before they finalised a small plot in Paso Robles. The soil and terroir conditions of this place were similar to France’s Rhone Valley, which is why they decided to set up Tablas Creek Vineyard here.

Dry farming is practiced at the Tablas Creek’s Regenerative Organic Certified vineyard. The biodynamic winemaking practices followed here include maximum retention of winter moisture on the soils, using mobile herds of sheep for grazing, controlling weed growth and minimal use of fertilisers. The vineyard is located on the hills found towards the northern and western side of Paso Robles, in the district of Adelaida. In 2003, this vineyard was certified as organic.

Initially, during het years of setting up the vineyard, the winemaking team planted some of the best Rhone Valley varietals here. These included Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, Counoise, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Picpoul. After a few years, the team imported seven more varieties that were popular in Chateauneuf du Pape region. These included Clairette, Bourboulenc, Vaccarese, Cinsaut, Picardan, Muscardin and Terret Noir.

The grapes are hand-harvested in separate batches. After they are cluster-pressed, the grapes are fermented in small batches in authentic French and oak barrels. The winemaking principles followed here are almost similar to what you would find at the Chateauneuf du Pape appellations. The red and white varietals are blended during the spring season that follows the harvest season. The whites are transferred to stainless steel tanks, while the reds are aged in French oak foudres for further ageing.

https://tablascreek.com

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