Tried these two older Cotes de Tablas last night:
1. TablasCreekVnyd Cotes de Tablas Blanc Estate/PasoRobles (34% Viog/30% Marsanne/30% GrenacheBlanc/6% Roussanne; 13.0%) PasoRobles 2012: Med.gold color; some nutty/toasted hazelnuts/bit oxidative fairly fragrant pear/peach/Viog/floral/apple/honeyed some complex lovely fragrant bit aged Viog nose; bit soft very rich/lush/textured fairly nutty/toasted hazelnuts/honey grahams/honeyed fairly strong floral/pear/peach/aged Viog slight stony/chalky rather complex lovely flavor; very long/lingering rather nutty/bit oxidative/honeyed/honeycomb rich/lush/soft some floral/honey grahams/pear/old Viog quite complex finish; probably as good as it's ever gonna be; a lovely mature Calif Rhone Blanc.
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2. TablasCreekVnyd Cotes de Tablas Rouge Estate/PasoRobles (60% Grenache/25% Syrah/10% Counoise/5% Mourv; 14.5%) PasoRobles 2012: Med.light color w/ some bricking fairly fragrant Grenache/strawberry some Rhonish/roasted/bit CdP-like/earthy light pencilly/oaksome complex pleasant/mature nose; soft slight metallic slight Grenache/strawberry rather earthy/Rhonish/dusty bit tired/over mature flavor w/ light drying tannins; med.long bit tired/mature slight strawberry/Grenache/earthy somewhat mature/pencilly/CdR-like finish w/ light drying tannins; lost most of its fruit & resembles a 10-15 yr old CdR more than anything; pretty much headed downhill & on the tired/dried-out side; still a bit of Grenache fruit hanging in there but doesn't offer up much pleasure.
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More werklebitz from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. The Blanc was in pretty good condition and a good example of a slightly oxidative/nutty older Rhone Blanc & should go another few yrs. The Rouge was clearly headed downhill.
The Cotes de Tablas wines are the TCV value-priced wines from their Estate fruit, whereas the Patelins are all made from purchased fruit and typically even better values.
Tom