TABLAS CREEK
I was recently in Paso Robles for a quick minute and revisited Tablas Creek. While I’ve been enjoying their wines for years, I hadn’t visited in like a decade. Back in college they were the winery that introduced me to Rhone varietals. The weight and value of the ownership didn’t really hit me until many years later until I tried my first Beaucastel… And I recently picked up an '89 but that’s a story for another time.
First off, absolutely phenomenal hospitality. I went for their $25 All Red Flight which includes 5 wines, culminating with a '19 Espirit. Somehow I ended up tasting 10 wines, 8 reds and 2 whites (and yes, I was spitting because I was driving).
Epic tastings like this are real special because of the “whole picture” view you can get of a winery in a way that’s not possible with just a couple tasters.
Long story short, they are still firing on all cylinders two decades later. It’s very impressive how they have maintained quality, a large diverse product list, extremely affordable pricing, longterm employees, and a gigantic member list. 12 bottle membership with a 25% discount on already affordable bottles is such a good deal.
1. 22 Cotes Rouge - Easy drinking light body fruit forward. A high quality porch pounder.
2. 22 Lignee Grenache, Santa Lucia Highlands - They just started doing this non-estate line of wines where they produce wine from other vineyards that have spliced their fruit. Super intriguing nose. Wet leather, leaves, green, mint. Some florals like bergamot and lavender on palate. This is a slightly weird one but works for my quirky palate.
3. 22 Estate Grenache - Bright bright red fruit. Cherry icee like. Give me this chilled on a hot day and let me sit on the porch… Then 20 minutes later… Oh wow, with air it really bulks up on the flavor and color goes dark. Still great but very different. Haven’t seen a transformation like this.
4. 22 Vacaresse - Very little known and almost never bottled as a single varietal. This is wild! Hot dirt, black cherries. The tannins are not sandpaper grit, but have they really wide reaching grip that is very unique. Lean body. So curious to see how this ages over 6 years. Maybe a little longer, worried if it loses fruit will be weird. So excited to see how this ages.
5. 21 Esprit Rouge - From 20 they started introducing Vacaresse into the Esprit blend and that grip just hangs on and gives this vintage a real hearty feel. Of the three today, this is easily the most complex, combining elements of 19 and 18. Drinks older then it is. Buy a couple cases now and drink one bottle a year until you run out. $70 a bottle, $56 for club members… This is serious wine at such fair prices.
6. 19 Esprit Rouge - Much more traditional in comparison to 21. Their preference for Mouvedre is lovely. Can definitely drink now, but happy to age.
7. 18 Esprit Rouge - Heartier. More dark stewed fruits. Some black pepper. A little leaner. Would hold for 4+. Gets slightly muscled out by 21 with the Vacaresse.
8. 22 En Gobelet - Dry farmed, head trained, goblet vines of GSM + Counoise + Tannat. Goodness me this is a particuarly great vintage. Tannic Grenache typical-ness plus minerality. Very good fruit and some late blooming oak wood elements. This has always been a favorite bottling of mine.
9. 22 Esprit Blanc - Firing on all cylinders. I love the acid and perkiness 8% Picpoul adds to the 33% Roussanne.
10. 13 Esprit Blanc - 
It’s kind of amazing how linear and predictable the development of the wine is. When tasting the '22 if you try to imagine what the '13 will be like, it is exactly that. Roussanne aging gracefully and with a bit more weight. Picpoul bringing some lively acidity even with a decade of age. I would even keep pushing this for another 5 years. They were selling these at the same price as new bottles which is, quite frankly, an obnoxious deal.