WTN: 2000 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel

[David M. Bueker]

I had been planning to open this since the very day I bought it two years ago. Last nigth I had the chance. There's good fruit density, some barn/gamy aspects that I like very much, but the acids are disjointed and stick out on the finish. It seems like this had a poorly judged acidification (or it's just somewhat unbalanced). Other than the acid problem I think it's a good wine, though since it tastes a lot like Gigondas, and I can get Gigondas for $15 less I'm not sure it's worth buying. The ESJ R&G is also to me a much better wine and better value.

Any other thoughts out there?

[Jenise]

Very much appreciate the note, David; I have two bottles of this wine and just last night wondered if it might be a good one to take to lunch with the gang in Vancouver. Juding by your note, it's not, or at least not right now. I'll wait a few more years on them. IIRC, it's Perrin's first vintage of the wine they meant to be the American Beaucastel.

I had been planning to open this since the very day I bought it two years ago. Last nigth I had the chance. There's good fruit density, some barn/gamy aspects that I like very much, but the acids are disjointed and stick out on the finish. It seems like this had a poorly judged acidification (or it's just somewhat unbalanced). Other than the acid problem I think it's a good wine, though since it tastes a lot like Gigondas, and I can get Gigondas for $15 less I'm not sure it's worth buying. The ESJ R&G is also to me a much better wine and better value.

Any other thoughts out there?

David,
Like you, we bought some of this at the winery nearly three years ago. At the time, here's what I had to say about it:

"Inky, dark red-purple in color, with a nose of herbs and cassis; in the
mouth, flavors of meats, herbs, deeply fruited, balanced acidity and
somewhat tannic finish. Excellent wine."

It is certainly possible, even likely, that the acids now are far more pronounced than they were then. It seems to me that it's equally possible that it's going through an awkward phase right now. FWIW, I've earmarked mine for opening from 2008-2015. Jason Haas has also stated recently that he recommends splash decanting it if opening it over the next few years (a number of people have noticed petillance).

Mark Lipton

David--I think Jenise is right that the 2000 was the first bottling. I tried it recently from a .375 and found it an interesting Rhone blend that is starting to come into its drinking window (although I'd wait a few years before opening a full bottle). I didn't have your acid problem and I have high hopes for the later vintages.

FWIW I find that Beaucastel CnDP also often has a troubling middle stage where the balance goes out of whack.

I remember the 2000, several years ago, as being bigger than I thought made sense, but beginning to show some of the promise that the site seems to portend. I made a West-Side Paso blend for the first time that same year, that was very Chateauneuf-like, and much more feminine and elegant than the Tablas, and I wondered whether they were trying too hard to make something Beaucastel-like. But I also trust my sense that they are passionate, and devoted at TC, and that they'd eventually figure out how to make it all work.
Last Fall, when I visited during harvest (I was there to sample some Roussanne I was buying) Bob Haas showed me through the '04 reds they's just blended, from foudre, and I was astounded by how good the wines were. The 2000, by comparison, is drawing-board stuff, good as it may eventually be. Make sure you check out the '04s, when they hit the market; they're truly impressive.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Steve!

p.s. Still checking my local options for your stuff.