Esprit de Tablas is the winery’s flagship red, a Rhône-inspired blend that balances Mourvèdre and Grenache with a dose of Syrah and Counoise. Farming is biodynamic and organic. The grapes are fermented with ambient yeasts in a mix of containers: 1,500-gallon wood tank, open-top tank, and closed stainless steel. The lots went through malolactic in barrel. The wine was assembled in June 2020 and aged for a year in foudre prior to a July 2021 bottling.
It’s a shiny garnet red, very bright. The fragrance suggests cranberry and wintergreen with a hint of rosemary and juniper berry; it smells cool, or cooling. The palate picks up the thread, delivering a juicy swirl of red fruits and herbs. At this point in the wine’s evolution, it’s mostly about fruit and refreshment.
It’s elegant and uplifting red blend now, but time in the cellar will reward the patient.
2019 Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Rouge Paso Robles
14% ABV | $60 (sample)
