We tried tomorrow night (4/22/15) Mostly New Tablas Creeks:
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Ryme Vermentino “Hers” LasBrisasVnyd/Carneros/SonomaCnty (12.0%) 2014: Med.light gold color; very strong fragrant/
perfumed quite floral/spicy/peach blossom/perfumed talc/peachy quite lovely Vermentino nose; quite tart/tangy
very floral/peachy/peach blossom/bubble gum/spicy/melony lovely flavor; very long tart/tangy/mineral floral/
peach blossom/melony/spicy finish; a bit leaner/tighter and a bit more closed than the '13 right now and could
use 6 mo. of age probably; another successful Vermentino from Megan. $24.00
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TablasCreekVnyd Vermentino PasoRobles (EB; 13.3%; Frmtd in SS; 1000 cs) 2014: Med.light yellow color; strong
perfumed ripe/pineapple/floral/peachy light chalky/mineral/metallic nose; softer strong peach/pineapple/ripe/
floral slight chalky/mineral bit tangy/metallic lovely flavor; very long lightly tart ripe/peach/pineapple bit
tangy/metallic/chalky finish; another lovely Vermentino. $27.00/$21.60 (VIN)
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TablasCreekVnyd GrenacheBlanc PasoRobles (EB; 14.2%; Frmtd in SS & Foudre; 700 cs) 2013: Med.light yellow color;
very fragrant/perfumed honeysuckle/honeyed/GB/melony/pear slight valve oil/petrol/spicy light chalky/mineral
really beautiful nose; fairly tart strong honeysuckle/honeyed/melony/pear/ripe/GB some mineral/valve oil/petrol
light chalky flavor; med.long honeyed/floral/honeysuckle/GB/pear light chalky/mineral bit petrol/valve oil
lovely finish; more Rhonish than most Calif GB; a terrific GB at a great price. $27.00/$21.60 (VIN)
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TablasCreekVnyd Dianthus Rose PasoRobles (EB; 14.3%; 46% Mourv/41% Grenache/13% Counoise; 1600 cs) 2014: Light
salmon/watermelon color; quite spicy/watermelon/cranberry/juicy slight dusty/herbal/spicy/cinammon fragrant nose;
fairly tart/tangy very juicy/cranberry/watermelon/spicy/cinammon light chalky/herbal flavor w/ little tannins;
long juicy/cranberry/watermellon/strawberry slight mineral/herbal tart/tangy finish; a very juicy great-
drinking rose at a very good price. $27.00/$21.60 (VIN)
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casa dumetz Grenache 50% Thompson/TierraAlta vnyds/SantaYnezVlly (15.1%) 2013: Med.color; strong juicy/strawberry/
Grenache/bright/cherry bit alcoholic light earthy/dusty light oak slight bubble gum/spicy/cinammon attractive
nose; soft/ripe bit alcoholic juicy/ripe/strawberry/Grenache bit Fleer’s bubble gum slight earthy flavor w/ light
tannins; med.long bright/strawberry/Grenache/Fleer’s bubble gum bit alcoholic finish w/ light tannins; lots
of pretty strawberry/Grenache fruit; yet another pretty face in the Calif Grenache world. $34.00
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TablasCreekVnyd Grenache Estate/PasoRobles (14.4%; Drk: 2012-2022: JH; 1050 cs) 2012: Med.color; deeper more
spicy/strawberry/strawberry soda pop light smokey/oak bit earthy rather simple nose; soft quite spicy/strawberry/
strawberry soda pop bit candied light smokey/oak bit earthy/dusty flavor w/ light/gentle tannins; very long bright/
strawberry/candied/Grenache light smokey/oak bit earthy finish w/ light tannins; not the depth or structure I
was expecting; a very nice Grenache but expected more; maybe age will help. $40.00/$32.00 (VIN)
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TablasCreekVnyd EnGoblet Estate/PasoRobles (14.2%; 63% Grenache/12% Mourv/11% Syrah/8% Counoise/6% Tannat;
Head-trained/dry-farmed from ScruffyHill block planted in 2005-2006; 950 cs; Drk: 2012-2032: JH) 2012: Med.dark
color; strong blackberry/black cherry/strawberry/very spicy slight earthy/graphite/Rhonish/smoked meat light
toasty/oak quite aromatic nose; rich/lush strong blackberry/black cherry/very spicy bit earthy slight Rhonish/
roasted/smoked meats flavor w/ ample/plush tannins; very long/lingering ripe/lush/mouthfilling strong blackberry/
black cherry/strawberry/Grenache bit graphite/Rhonish light earthy light toasty/oak finish w/ ample/smooth/
round tannins; the Grenache seems to be underplayed but a beautiful rather Rhonish red at a very fair price.
$45.00/$36.00 (VIN)
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WindGap Grenache Old-Vine ScealesVnyd/SonomaCoast (1 concrete egg/408 cs; #4141; 13 1/4%) 2013: Med. slight murky
color; strong strawberry/Grenache/Rhonish some peppery/whole-cluster/smokey/dusty complex nose; bit tart strong
strawberry/Grenache rather dusty/OV peppery/w-c/Rhonish flavor w/ light slightly bitey tannins; very long Rhonish/
peppery/w-c/dusty strong Grenache/strawberry finish w/ some hard tannins; needs several yrs; lots of Grenache
fruit and w-c/Rhonish character; quite an interesting Grenache. $36.00
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TablasCreekVnyd Tannat PasoRobles (EB; 14.1%; 9% CabSauv; 1000 cs) 2012: Very dark color; some earthy/graphite
deep blackberry/plummy/ripe/licorice some smokey/toasty/oak/pungent complex lovely nose; lightly tart deep/
black cherry/plummy/licorice some pungent/toasty/oak RCCola/spicy flavor w/ big/hard tannins; very long tart
plummy/licorice/black cherry cola/RCCola light toasty/oak complex finish w/ ample/hard tannins; quite a big
red for TCV; needs 4-8 yrs of age; a terrific Tannat. $40.00/$32.00 (VIN)
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Dom.Ameztia AOC: Irouleguy (13.5%; www.deMaisonSelections.com; Tannat + 10% CabFranc) Jean-Louis Costera/
Etxaldean Botoilatua/France 2010: Dark color; rather pungent/ozone dusty/loamy/earthy strong licorice/plummy
bit herbal/root beer some sharp/metallic/burning metal complex nose; rather tart/pungent/ozone/metallic/tangy/
peppery fairly earthy/dusty/loamy/root cellar licorice/chocolaty/RCCola/spicy fairly comlex flavor w/ ample
hard/rustic tannins; very long tangy/metallic/burning metal quite earthy/loamy some chocolaty/RCCola/spicy/
licorice finish w/ some hard tannins; rather on the rustic/rough side but an interesting rendition of Tannat.
$35.00 (BWM)
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TablasCreekVnyd Cotes de Tablas PasoRobles (EB; 14.5%; 55% Grenache/30% Syrah/10% Counoise/5% Mourv;
1580 cs) 2013: Med.color; strong blackberry/strawberry/black cherry very spicy/cinammon light chalky slight
smokey lovely nose; strong blackberry/black cherry/strawberry spicy/cinammon slight chalky/earthy flavor w/
light supple/smooth tannins; very long lush/bit tart blackberry/black cherry/strawberry quite spicy finish
w/ light/smooth tannins; a very balanced great-drinking red that should age a few yrs. $35.00/$28.00 (VIN)
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TablasCreekVnyd Esprit de Tablas Estate/PasoRobles (14.5%; 40% Mourv/30% Syrah/21% Grenache/9% Counoise;
Drk: 2015-2017-2020-2040: JH) 2012: Med.color; lovely quite perfumed blackberry/black cherry/plummy/Mourv
quite spicy/cinammon light toasty/oak nose; bit more intense more smoother/polished strong black cherry/
blackberry/plummy/Mourv very balanced light oak flavor w/ some smooth/gentle tannins; lightly tart strong
black cherry/blackberry/plummy/Mourv light oak polished/elegant bit complex finish w/ some gentle tannins;
a bit more intense, a bit more polished/balanced but not dramatically better; should evolve into something
great w/ age. $55.00/$44.00 (VIN)
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TablasCreekVnyd Panoplie PasoRobles (EB; 14.5%; 70% Mourv/20% Grenache/10% Syrah; 650 cs) 2012: Med.dark color;
strong plummy/Mourv/ripe/licorice/blackberry very spicy light oak bit more complex beautiful nose; bit tart
smooth/polished bigger/plummy/Mourv/boysenberry/blackberry light toasty/oak balanced/big flavor w/ ample/plush/
ripe tannins; very long/lingering big/Mourv/plummy/blackberry/boysenberry/ripe light toasty/oak balanced finish
w/ ample ripe/smooth tannins; not dramatically better than the EdT. $95.00/$76.00 (VIN)
More pseudo-intellectual musings from TheBloodyPulpit:
- The TCV prices are my VINSider 25% discounted price.
- Vermentino: Two really/really good Calif Vermentinos. The Ryme was mostly about up-front perfumed fruit.
The TCV had a bit more subtlitity and interesting things, maybe even a bit of Sardinia-like rusticity.
- TCV: They’re probably making the best wines that they ever have. This release was particularly impressive
I thought. The wines are not dramatic statements aboutRhone-style wines. The blends are not particularly
big & extracted. They are all about balance…much like the EdMundsStJohn & Qupe Rhones. This balance is what
allows them to age so well. One can only wonder when TCV will be exiled to the WoodShed by Parker/Dunnuck
where they sent Steve & Bob.
It was interesting to taste the Grenache/CdT, EdT, and Panoplie together. They all tasted very similar
in style, all spoke of TCV winemaking. Maybe even that terroir-thing. The blends are definitely different
when tasted side-by-side…but not dramatically different. The one hallmark of the TCV blends is their
balance and tannin management. The tannins are never hard or rough…just very smooth & polished. As you
go up the ladder in price, it is not at all obvious that the Panoplie is dramatically better than the EdT
is dramatically better than the CdT. Sometimes you just gotta put your trust that TCV knows what they’re
doing and the prices reflect a better more superior wine down the road. You just gotta believe!!
Tom