We tried back in July (7/19/20) some New TablasCreekWines:
1. TablasCreekVnyds Vermentino EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.0%; Rolle grape) 2019: Very pale yellow color;
strong Verm/floral/spicy/carnations light chalky quite fragrant nose; fairly tart/tangy bit austere/tight
rather Verm/floral/carnations light chalky flavor; long fairly floral/carnations/Verm light chalky finish;
a bit on the tight/austere side & not as rich & lush as previous but needs several yrs of age; a beautiful
expression of Vermentino at a great price. $18.75 (VIN)/$27.00
_______________________
2. TablasCreekVnyds PicpoulBlanc Estate/AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (13.2%; "lip stinger") PasoRobles 2018: Light
yellow color; fragrant floral/apple blossom light stony/chalky lovely aromatic nose; fairly tart/tangy pleasant
floral/apple blossom light chalky flavor; very long perfumed/floral/apple blossom light chalky finish; a
bit richer/lusher than the '19 and not as bright/fragrant; just a bit less interesting; not a lip-stinger
but a nice brisk acidity. $21.00 (VIN)
_______________________
3. TablasCreekVnyds PicpoulBlanc EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.0%) 2019: Light yellow color; much stronger
very fragrant floral/apple blossom/peach blossom/rather spicy slight chalky/mineral quite lovely nose; quite
tart/tangy strong floral/apple/peach blossom some chalky/mineral rather spicy lovely flavor; very long/lingering
very floral/apple blossom/peach blossom some chalky/mineral/bit steely finish; a brisk/bracing acidity and strong
aromatics w/o seeming lean or eviscerated; a beautiful Picpoul. $nc(JH)/$30.00
_______________________
4. TablasCreekVnyds Bourboulenc EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (12.8%) 2019: Med.gold color; very strong very floral/
gardenias/peach blossom slight metallic quite spicy light chalky/mineral beautiful nose; lightly tart/tangy
fairly rich very floral/gardenias/peach blossom/spicy light chalky very aromatic flavor; very long/lingering
quite floral/gardenias light chalky/mineral finish; quite a lovely fragrant/floral expression of Bourboulenc;
better than any French version I've had. $nc (JH)/$30.00
_______________________
5. TablasCreekVnyds Picardan Estate/AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (13.0%; 125 cs) 2018: Med.light yellow color; fairly
fragrant apple/pear/bit floral stronger chalky nose; lightly tart bit austere/lean bit floral/pineapple/mango
not as fragrant flavor; med.long lightly tart/tangy/metallic light pear/apple/floral finish; a fairly pleasant
lightly floral white but not as intense as the '19. $21.00 (VIN)
_______________________
6. TablasCreekVnyds Picardan EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (12.5%) 2019: Some bubbles very light yellow color;
much stronger floral/apple/pear/pear blossom quite lovely fragrant nose; more fragrant/floral/pineapple/pear/
peach fairly tart/tangy light chalky/mineral quite attractive aromatic flavor; very long some floral/pineapple/
pear/pear blossom brightly tart/tangy finish; much more fragrant & intense than the '18 but still a bit on
the undistinguished side. $24.00 (VIN)/$30.00
_______________________
7. TablasCreekVnyds ClairetteBlanche Estate/AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (13.2%; Frmtd: SS) PasoRobles 2018: Med.light
yellow color; fragrant almost CheninBlanc-like rather quiet/low-key bit simple fruity/pear/floral light
chalky/stony nose; fairly tart bit lean quiet/low-key floral/CheninBlanc-like/pear light chalky/stony flavor;
long light floral/pear/CB-like slight chalky finish; a quite pleasant CheninBlanc-like white at a fair price.
$21.00 (VIN)
_______________________
8. TablasCreekVnyds ClairetteBlanche EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (12.8%) 2019: Pale yellow color; much stronger
floral/pear/apple/apple blossom light chalky/mineral nose; quite tart much stronger floral/pear/apple/apple
blossom bit chalky/mineral quite attractive balanced flavor; very long strong floral/apple/apple blossom/pear
light chalky finish; much more perfumed & intense than the '18; quite a pretty easy-drinking white at a good
price. $24.00 (VIN)/$30.00
_______________________
9. TablasCreekVnyds Viognier EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.6%) 2018: Light yellow color; very fragrant Viog/
pear/peach subtle bit chalky/mineral/stony bit Condrieu-like lovely nose; fairly tart strong pear/peach/Viog
light mineral/stony bit complex lovely flavor; very long/lingering bright/subtle/Viog/pear/peach light mineral
finish; a subtle/balanced/elegant expression of Viog that stays far away from DollyParton territory; blows
away a recent Cuilleron Condrieu '16; great price at $24.25 (VIN)/$35.00
_______________________
10. TablasCreekVnyds Patelin de TablasBlanc PR (13.0%; 48% GrenacheBlanc/22% Viog/13% Rouss/12% Marsanne/
5% ClairetteBlanche; Vnyds: 27% Fralich/21% Derby/15% CoyoteMoon/14% CrestonRidge/10% DawsonCreek/
6% TablasCreek/5% MduR/1% Adelaide/1% Clautiere) 2018: Pale yellow color; beautiful very fragrant/floral/
honeysuckle/perfumed nose; bit soft very lush strong floral/honeysuckle/GB/gardenias slight chalky flavor;
very long soft/rich/lush strong GB/honeysuckle/floral/bit gardenias very light chalky finish; not particularly
complex but a beautiful rich WhiteRhone at a great price. $17.41 (VIN)/$25.00
_______________________
11. TablasCreekVnyds Cotes de TablasBlanc Estate/AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (39% Viog/36% GrenacheBlanc/
19% Marsanne/6% Rouss; 13.5%) 2018: Med.light yellow color; very fragrant/floral/Viog/peach/bit honeysuckle/GB
some earthy/chalky/perfumed talc quite fragrant nose; lightly tart/tangy rather perfumed/Viog/peach/pear/bit
honeysickle/GB some Rhonish bit earthy/chalky flavor; very long strong Viog/pear/peach/floral/honeysuckle
bit earthy/chalky/Rhonish finish; bit more complexity & evolution than the '19 but not the intensity or
depth; a lovely Rhonish white blend. $24.00 (VIN)
_______________________
12. TablasCreekVnyds Cotes du TablasBlanc EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.0%; 44% Viog/29% Marsanne/
19% GrenacheBlanc/8% Roussanne) 2019: Light yellow color; much stronger floral/peach/Viog/honeysuckle very
perfumed some Rhonish/earthy beautiful aromatic nose; more tart/tangy richer/lusher strong GB/honeysuckle/
Viog/peachy slight Rhonish/chalky bit complex flavor; very long/lingering very strong floral/Viog/peach/pear/
honeysuckle/GB some chalky/perfumed talc/Rhonish very perfumed finish; more depth & intensity than the '18
but not the complexity of an EspritBlanc; a lovely white Rhone blend; buy when it's a monthly special to
VINsiders. $nc (JH)/$30.00
_______________________
13. TablasCreekVnyds Counoise EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (12.5%) 2018: Light garnet color; very bright cherry/
Counoise/high toned some earthy/rustic very fragrant/perfumed nose; lightish very tart/bright cherry/Counoise/
earthy/dusty bit rough/rustic quite pretty bright flavor w/ light tangy/brisk tannins; very long lightish
lightly tart/bright cherry/Counoise/bit rustic/earthy finish w/ light tannins; a pretty classic expression of
bright cherry Counoise; a pretty red that can use a few yrs yet. $nc (JH)/$35.00
_______________________
14. TablasCreekVnyds Mourvedre EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.0%) 2018: Dark color; very strong plummy/Mourv/
black cherry/black cherry cola bit rustic/earthy/dusty fairly fragrant nose; lightly tart bit bitey/tannic
fairly strong plummy/Mourv/black cherry/bit licorice slight Rhonish flavor w/ modest rough tannins; very long
bit tart/tangy strong plummy/Mourv/black cherry slight earthy/Rhonish finish; a bit on the rough/rustic side
and needs 2-6 yrs yet to come together. $nc (JH)/$45.00
_______________________
15. TablasCreekVnyds PetiteManseng EstateGrown/AdelaidaDist/PR (13.8%; RS: ) 2018: Med.gold color; intense
passito/pineapple/mango fairly bright light earthy some honeyed lovely perfumed nose; bit soft rather sweet/
rich/lush strong passito/honeyed/pineapple/mango bit metallic/tangy/earthy fairly complex flavor; very long/
lingering rich/lush/rather sweet strong mango/passito/pineapple/honeyed slight tangy/earthy finish; a really
lovely dessert wine that's light on its feet & not as heavy/clumsey as many Jurancon late hrvst PMs; resembles
a lot some of the Colli Euganei passito Fior de Arancio Orange Muscats from the Veneto; quite a beautiful
dessert wine & very fairly priced. $nc (JH)/$50.00/500ml
____________________________________________________________________________________________
More scrapplesnort from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Some of these were from the last VINSider shipment, some from my archives, and some were sent to us to try
by Jason that are not yet released. He is very high on the TCV '19 vintage and I would tend to agree from what
we tasted. The '19's all had more intensity & perfume than the '18's.
The TCV VINSider club is one of the few wine clubs I continue with. Across the board, the wines are not
only good, but are very fairly priced. They typically offer 1-2 different wines as a monthly special that is
deeply discounted. And if you happen to catch something really good on one of their occasional free or $5
shipping months, my group usually backs up the truck.
_______________________
2. Picpoul/Picardin/ClairetteBlanche/Bourboulenc: Which to choose? TCV has brought in pretty much all the varieties
now of the RhoneVlly. They are all interesting varieties and fun to taste side-by-side. Of these minor varieties,
I've not found one that is particularly distinctive or blows me away. There's a reason that Viog/GB/Rouss/Marsanne
are regarded as the noble varieties of the Rhone and the others play a minor role. Still, I'm glad that TCV has
brought them in and until you try them, you'll never know how they will perform in Calif terroir. They probably
bring more to the table when used in the WhiteRhone blends, but the effect is probably to subtle for my
klutzy palate.
Of the TCV WhiteRhone blends, the Patelin/Cotes de Tablas/Esprit are all a notch above the lower ones. The
Esprit is their flagship Blanc and for a reason. It ages incredibly well. Still, the lower blends are quite good
and neither of them seems to be a kitchen-sink blend and they are well assembled. And very reasonably priced. TCV
certainly knows what they're doing and one of the best producers in Paso.
_______________________
3. The new TCV VINSider shipment has arrived and we'll taste a few more new ones in a week or so that was not
included in this tasting.
Tom