The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Fall Releases are here and true to form they are terrific and represent real value. Here is what I said in the introduction to my last Tablas Creek Vineyard article:

The Tablas Creek Vineyard wines are very distinctive with great appeal at very affordable prices. They should appeal to all wine lovers and I highly recommend that you give them a try. And, if, for some reason, you do not know Tablas Creek Vineyard you really need to get in the game and buy these wines to see what you are missing. Tablas Creek Vineyard makes wines that are easy to love. And, once you have experienced them you are likely to remain a fan eagerly waiting for the latest releases each year. Very simply, the wines are consistently great every year. The reason is experience and knowing how to do things the right way from the very beginning. And, that explains where they are today. (NOTE: Illustrative of this fact please take a look at the end of this article for a history of Tablas Creek Vineyard taken from my first Tablas Creek Vineyard article nearly 10 years ago). If the wine says Tablas Creek Vineyard on the label you know it is going to be really good. And, an easy way to make sure that you get a regular supply of their wines including special bottlings and save money at the same time you can join their Vinsider Wine Club by clicking here)

To read my last article which includes notes on the gorgeous 2019 rosés click here).  And, speaking of rosés, I purchased a case of the 2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Diathus Rosé and have now consumed several bottles. Along with it I have also consumed dozens of great 2019 rosés from France and a few from Austria, Germany, and Italy (notes to follow in a separate article). The 2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Diathus Rosé is not only the best California Rosé I have ever tasted but it compares favorably with the very best of the 2019 Rosés from Provence which are, for me, the gold standard for rosé! The 2019 Diathus Rosé is now sold out at the winery, but if you missed it would appear that some is still available at retail (to check go to www.winesearcher.com). Also at the end of this article is the history of Tablas Creek Vineyard taken from my first article some 10 years ago. Since that time the Tablas Creek Vineyard wines have not only been great but also very consistent and pricing has always been very reasonable. In fact, they are, dollar for dollar, some of the best wines you can buy.

These new fall releases include three white wines and three red wines. All the wines except the 2019 Patelin de Tablas Blanc (which is sourced from six Paso Robles Rhône-specialist vineyards) are entirely off Tablas Creek’s estate, which recently became the first in the world to receive the new Regenerative Organic Certification (for more, see http://regenorganic.org).

These are wines that you do not want to miss. I have placed my order and I encourage all of you to do the same. Again, like I said earlier, these wines are terrific and represent real value. That is a WIN/WIN!

 

Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Fall Release White Wines

  

   

2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Blanc Adelaida District Paso Robles Estate Bottled
Made with 66% Rousanne, 21% Grenache Blanc, 3% Picardan, and 2% Clairette Blanc this flagship Tablas Creek white wine is stunning. Light yellow gold in color it has a great floral perfume with faint exotic spice nuances and a tinge of citrus. On the palate there is a beautifully balanced intensity of fruit showing hints of green apple and citrus nuances and the wine has intensity and depth and a long lingering finish – Extraordinary.       $45         2315 cases produced

2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Blanc Adelaida District Paso Robles Estate Bottled
Made with 44% Viognier, 29 % Marsanne, 19% Grenache Blanc, and  8% Rousanne this wine has a very light yellow color with a faint golden tinge and a great perfume with faint exotic tinges. Bright and crisp but ever so elegant it shows hints of white peach with floral undertones and is beautifully balanced with a lingering finish. This is a great white wine by any standard and a great bargain – Extraordinary.        $30        Best Buy        1540 cases produced

2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc Adelaida District Paso Robles
Made from grapes purchased from some of Paso Roble’s Rhône style vineyards this is a really delicious wine and a real value. It is made with 35% Grenache Blanc, 25% Rousanne, 19% Viognier, 14% Marsanne, and 7% Clairette Blanche and shows a very light yellow color with very faint golden tinge. The perfume is stunning and the flavors show exotic undertones with faint citrus, herbal, and floral nuances. This is a really delicious value priced white wine that is not to be missed – Outstanding Plus.           $25       Best Buy          2380 cases produced.

 

 Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Fall Release Red Wines

 

 

 

2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Espirit de Tablas Adelaida District Paso Robles Estate Bottled
Tablas Creek’s flagship red wine is a real tour de force in 2018. Made with 49% Mourvèdre, 27% Syrah, 23% Grenache, and 1% Counoise it has a very deep purple red color and a stunning exotic tinged perfume with blackberry and plum overtones. With layers of plum/blackberry/cherry fruit the wine has great intensity and depth with impeccable balance and a long lingering finish. This is an absolutely great Rhône styled red wine that over time is destined to be a cellar treasure. Don’t miss it!    Extraordinary.        $60          4400 cases produced.

2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Grenache Adelaida District Paso Robles Estate Bottled
Very deep in color this wine has a gorgeous floral cherry perfume. With lots of bright red cherry fruit it is elegant and harmonious with great early appeal. It benefits greatly from decanting and really opens up. And while it has immense early charm, it will no doubt evolve and develop more complexity with several years additional bottle age – Outstanding Plus.          $35           1160 cases  produced.

2018 Tablas Creek Vineyard Mourvèdre Adelaida District Paso Robles Estate Bottled
Very simply this is the very best Mourvèdre that I can ever remember tasting. Dark in color the wine has a great plum tinged perfume with faint hints of chocolate. On the palate it has mouth filling intense black fruit flavors with faint chocolate and spice nuances and has great structure and balance. Long on the palate with a lingering finish this is a great wine that can be enjoyed now but will evolve for many, many years. It is without question a wine for the ages and a great value – Extraordinary.       $45      640 cases produced.

 

Tablas Creek Vineyard History

 Tablas Creek Vineyard is a partnership between the Perrin family, proprietors of Chateau Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape, and Robert Haas, founder of Vineyard Brands, as majority partners and French and American friends as minority partners. The search for a vineyard location to grow Rhone varietals began in 1987 and in 1989 they purchased a 120 acre parcel in West Paso Robles some 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Here the rock and limestone soils are of the same geologic origin as at Beaucastel and the climate is also similar. The result is grapes that mature fully, yet retain crisp acidity. The vine cuttings were imported from Beaucastel to replicate the clonal selection and assure the quality and genetic source. The vine cuttings arrived in 1990 and planting began several years later. The first wine was made in 1997. Production, both in terms of quantity and number of wines produced, has been increasing steadily since then. Today the planting is complete and consists of 2/3s red varieties – Mourvedre, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Tannat. and Counoise and 1/3 white varieties – Rousanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, and Grenache Blanc. The centuries old Chateauneuf du Pape tradition is followed with the varieties blended to produce wines of a unique style and complexity. The concept of blending different varietals to make wines is one that I have always believed would make better wines in California. There are only a few exceptions to this belief and those would include the Burgundian varietals, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.