TN: 2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

Kenny_H · April 12, 2011, 4:54am

2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (4/11/2011)
Consumed over two days. As a very mineral driven wine, it is both reticent and difficult to judge at this time, quality is undoubtedly there. Was more open on day two. Nose of crushed rocks, mineral oil, with hints of honeysuckle and nuts. Again, on the palate this is a very mineral driven wine at this point with little fruit. At various points there are notes of crushed rocks, apricot, stone fruit pit, honeysuckle, and a sweet nuttiness. Medium acidity, full bodied, balanced with food. Finish is medium and closed. At various times there are several components showing here. There is quality in this bottle but it demands cellar time of 1-4 yrs as a guess. (89 pts.)

Kenny_H · April 12, 2011, 4:57am

As you can tell from my note, the balance of this wine away from fruit has left me guessing as I don’t have much experience with wines that show this much minerality. Could some folks chime in with experience on wines that show like this young?

rich_g_r_a_h_a_m · April 12, 2011, 5:42am

Whites can not be mineral driven enough for me almost so this sounds interesting. I have liked past vntages of this wine, but haven’t had this. Side note, I don’t believe its been released yet, but I had a barrel sample of the 2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge and thought it was a really good vintage to potentially almost rival the 2007.

Kenny_H · April 12, 2011, 6:24am

Just got this in club shipment so this was initial recon. I have 06 thru 08 vintage of this in my cellar and have tasted all of them. None have been so “rocky” as this one. CT notes on this one have several even complaining of lack of fruit, I see their point but think it requires a finer evaluation.

larry_schaffer · April 12, 2011, 6:40am

Interesting notes, Kenny, on a favorite wine of mine year in and year out from the Paso area. In reading the winemaking notes, it appears that they upped the percentage of Picpoul quite a bit in 2009 vs 2008, perhaps leading to a more ‘austere’ wine and one that does not have as much ‘apparent fruit’. To me, this wine is oftentimes more about ‘texture’ than fruit, and it really sings with a number of years of cellar time under its belt.

It’ll be interesting to compare this wine to the Patelin de Tablas Blanc that they started producing this year from purchased fruit rather than estate fruit - and a blend that ups the Grenache Blanc component as well as adding a good dollop of viognier. My guess is that this wine will be more approachable and fruit driven earlier than the estate one, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see . . .

TomHill · April 12, 2011, 1:24pm

Larry,
Tried the Patelin at RR. TC has been running out of wine for their distributors, so they’ve started making this Patelin, partly from purchased fruit.
This is primarily GrenacheBlanc based wine. Priced at $20. I like it better than the Viognier-based Cote de Tablas Blanc. A bit more structure, I think.
Very nice wine for a very attractive price.
Tom

Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m · April 12, 2011, 1:57pm

larry schaffer:

Interesting notes, Kenny, on a favorite wine of mine year in and year out from the Paso area. In reading the winemaking notes, it appears that they upped the percentage of Picpoul quite a bit in 2009 vs 2008, perhaps leading to a more ‘austere’ wine and one that does not have as much ‘apparent fruit’. To me, this wine is oftentimes more about ‘texture’ than fruit, and it really sings with a number of years of cellar time under its belt.
It’ll be interesting to compare this wine to the Patelin de Tablas Blanc that they started producing this year from purchased fruit rather than estate fruit - and a blend that ups the Grenache Blanc component as well as adding a good dollop of viognier. My guess is that this wine will be more approachable and fruit driven earlier than the estate one, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see . . .

I totally agree with this.