Looking back at my domestic white rhone tasting notes, I’ve probably only had about 15-20 bottles. The ones I’ve liked have been consistently Tablas Creek and ESJ. The worst have been Alban. I am not a big drinker of white Rhone varietals but this was a nice bottle of wine that went well with our dinner.
2006 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc- USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (8/2/2009)
Upon opening honey / honeysuckle notes dominated. After warming a touch and sitting open an hour or two this shifts to slate and minerals, an herbal/grassy/minty twinge, melon and creamy lemon. Full bodied, quite viscous, but well balanced. Moderate length. This should improve for several more years but is plenty enjoyable now. I don’t drink a ton of domestic wine, much less domestic white Rhone wines, but this is regularly one of the best IMO. The fact that a “moderate” wine like this is one of the best says a lot about its competitors and how overblown so many Rhone Rangers are…
Josh, you’re looking at old school producers making wine for what’s it was always meant to be for…food!
Pick earlier yet still great color, flavor and balance. Lower alcohols have always been Tablas and ESJ’s MO. I like to drink alot, and guess what? I can drink alot of these wines for these reasons.
Haven’t had the Tablas Rose, but I’ve enjoyed the ESJ Bone Jolly Rose. Just as an aside, I do enjoy the Ridge Rhone wines and Zins more or less as much as these wines, though they occasionally have a bit more oak than I’d like when young.
It’s a real bummer that more CA Rhone wines aren’t satisfied with being good wine and instead use oak and ripeness to stand out and attract points until they’re lousy drinks, and often overpriced.
Before everyone jumps on me, I’m sure there are a ton of other wines out there I’d like, and I’ve only had a small fraction of what’s out there in the way of Rhone Rangers, of all colors. But that doesn’t change the fact that most of what I’ve drunk has been disappointing.
THanks for your note, Josh. Your note is basically a reflection of my own thoughts on that wine … now I’m off to CT to see if this is a coincidental happening or not.