2010 Rose
The Tablas Creek Vineyard Rosé 2010 is a blend of three estate-grown varietals, propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate. The blend is traditional of the southern Rhône, though the blend of grapes is predominantly Mourvèdre, and therefore more like the solid, dry rosés of Bandol than the lighter Grenache-based Tavel.
Tasting Notes
The 2010 Rosé is cranberry in color, with an explosive nose of red chile jam, watermelon, plum, mineral and spice. The mouth is bright with flavors of watermelon and tart cherry. The sweetness of the fruit is chased quickly by bright acids and a long, deep finish with echoes of lime and tangerine. Pair it with Mediterranean cuisine, Spanish tapas, preparations with garlic and olive oil... or just enjoy it outside on a sunny day.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 14.5% alcohol by volume
- 1460 cases produced
Blend
- 59% Mourvèdre
- 30% Grenache
- 11% Counoise
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Salmon
- Sushi
- Anchovies
- Sausages
- Fried chicken
- Mediterranean tapas
Production Notes
Each year, we take the grapes for our Rosé from the oldest section of French-source vines at Tablas Creek. In 1994, two years after our French vines had been released from their USDA-mandated quarantine, we had propagated just enough to plant a few rows of each varietal on a hill overlooking our vine nursery. Over the next few years, we used cuttings from these plants to plant the rest of our 120-acre vineyard.
These few rows of high-quality vines ripen later than the rest of the vineyard, so we harvest the Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Counoise together and co-ferment them (on their skins) in a single stainless steel fermenter. After 48 hours, we draw about 800 gallons of juice off the blend, and ferment it dry away from the skins. These lots are then supplemented with saignées (bleedings) from other Mourvèdre and Grenache lots in the cellar.
The grapes for our Rosé were grown on our 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard.
The 2010 vintage was marked by ample winter rainfall and a notably cool summer, with very long hangtimes producing good intensity and bright acids at lower than normal alcohol levels. These characteristics are great for rosé!