We tasted last week at Pig+Fig these new TablasCreek releases:
1. TablasCreek Grenache AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (14.0%; 1122 cs) 2020: Med.light color; quite pretty very fragrant intense strawberry/Grenache/spicy/bright slight pencilly/oak light earthy/dusty/OV lovely perfumed nose; quite tart/tangy bit alcoholic very strong bright/strawberry/Grenache/spicy bit dusty/OV very perfumed flavor w/ light brisk tannins; very long bright/strawberry/Grenache/spicy bit dust/OV quite perfumed finish w/ light tannins; a very pretty bright Grenache that could use a few yrs of age. $40.00/$32.00 (VIN)
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2. TablasCreek Patelin de Tablas Rouge PasoRobles (14.2%; 51% Syrah/31% Grenache/14% Mourv/4% Counoise;
34% EstrellaFarms/28% Hollyhock/10% SelfFamily/8% StarRanch/5% Paso de Record/4% Clautiere/
3% DoceRobles/3% Velo/2% Derby/2% TabblasCreek/1% Frahlich) 2015: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking; rather strawberry/blackberry/Syrah some pencilly/oak quite spicy slight Rhonish/roasted cedary fairly complex nose; lightly tart light pencilly/oak some roasted/Rhonish some blackberry/Syrah/strawberry/cherry slight earthy rather complex flavor w/ light gentle tannins; very long strong blackberry/strawberry/cherry/Syrah/spicy light cedary/pencilly/oak some complex finish w/ light smooth tannins; a lovely pencilly/strawberry complex Rhone blend and probably fully mature; a terrific blend.
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3. TablasCreek Esprit de Tablas AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (13.5%; 40% Mourv/30% Grenache/21% Syrah/
5% Counoise/3% Vaccarese/1% Cinsault; 3480 cs) 2020: Med.dark color; very strong plummy/Mourv/blackberry light pencilly/oak slight earthy/dusty/OV fairly complex slight Rhonish/w-c beautiful nose; somewhat tart/tangy very strong blackberry/strawberry/Grenache bit plummy light pencilly/oak very polished/balanced slight Rhonish rather complex flavor w/ modest brisk tannins; very long/lingering strong strawberry/blackberry/Grenache light pencilly/oak slight Rhonish balanced/structured fairly complex finish w/ modest tannins; unusually forward for a young EDTR at release; not a big extracted wine but the balance will take it out at least 10 yrs. $65.00/$52.00 (VIN)
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4. TablasCreek EnGoblet AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (14.0%; 37% Grenache/25% Mourv/22% Syrah/11% Counoise/
5% Tannat; 906 cs) 2020: Dark color; very strong blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah-like ripe light pencilly/oak/toasty fairly intense beautiful nose; lightly tart very strong blackberry/strawberry/ripe/Syrah-like bit toasty/pencilly/oak quite structured bit complex flavor w/ ample chewey tannins; very long/lingering intense blackberry/boysenberry/Syrah/some Grenache/strawberry slight toasty/oak some complex finish w ample tannins; a big extracted red that veers towards an Alban in style but not nearly the excesses of John's wines; should go out at least 10 yrs. $55.00/$44.00 (VIN)
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5. TablasCreek EnGoblet AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles EB (14.2%; 39% Mourv/30% Grenache/20% Syrah/
8% Counoise/3% Tannat 2016: Med.dark color w/ slight bricking some aged/Rhonish strong plummy/blackberry/boysenberry/Mourv/ripe rather complex nose showing a bit of maturity; lightly tart/tangy some pencilly/toasty/oak very strong blackberry/plummy/boysenberry/Mourv slight Rhonish/earthy flavor w/ modest chewey tannins; very long/lingering fairly intense blackberry/boysenberry/ripe/slight licorice slight Rhonish fairly complex finish w/ modest chewey tannins; starting to some evolution & Rhonish character but still has plenty of life & needs another 4-8 yrs yet; terrific Rhone red blend.
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6. TablasCreek Tannat AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles EB (13.5%) 2018: Very dark/near black color; very intense boysenberry/ripe/licorice/bit jammy/chocolaty slight earthy/dusty rather complex bit rustic lovely nose; slightly tart/tangy very rich/extracted boysenberry/licorice/chocolaty/blackberry quite structured complex flavor w/ ample chewey tannins; very long/lingering structured/tannic intense boysenberry/ripe/bit jammy/licorice slight pencilly/oak bit complex finish w/ ample tannins; a huge rugged red for TCV that needs another 3-8 yrs; my favorite of these TCV reds.
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More isterwringer from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. Patelin Rouge: I was quite taken to how well this Rhone blend has evolved. It reminded me quite a lot of those early Eberle/EstrellaRiver Syrahs, the first Syrah to indicate the potential the grape had in Calif, after they had a few yrs under their belt.
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2. Another outstanding release from TCV. The EnGoblet is always one of my favorite TCV wines. The Goblet is a block in the TC vnyd that is trained by the Goblet system as used in CdP. Also called, as best I can tell, head-trained in Calif. It and the Tannat are typically two of the bigger reds they make at TCV and usually my favorites; yet they are not overripe/jammy and show the typical restraint you usually find in TCV reds.
Of this tableau, the Esprit Rouge and the Tannat were my slight favorites.
Tom