2014 Esprit de Tablas
It looks like there was a problem contacting the store. Please try reloading your browser. If the problem persists try contacting us at orders@tablascreek.com
The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2014 Esprit de Tablas is a blend of four estate-grown varietals, propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate. The wine is based on the dark red fruit, earth, spice and mid-palate richness of Mourvèdre, with additions of Grenache for forward fruit, approachability and lushness, Syrah for mineral, aromatics, and back-palate tannins, and Counoise for brambly spice and acidity.
-
94 points; "Seamless, elegant style.. cuts to the impressively long, youthfully tannic finish": Vinous (Nov 2017)
-
93 points; "Really hard to put this down": Purely Domestic Wine Report (Nov 2017)
-
98 points; "This wine will live for decades": BevX (May 2017)
-
Outstanding Plus; "a delicious wine to drink now and for many years": Underground Wine Letter (May 2017)
-
92-93 points; "Juicy and focused...finishes with impressive energy": Josh Raynolds, Vinous (Sep. 2016)
-
92-94 points; "excellent tenacity and smooth, harmonious tannins": Josh Raynolds, Vinous (Sep. 2015)
-
93-96 points; "a full-bodied, sexy and voluptuous beauty": Wine Advocate (Aug. 2015)
Tasting Notes
The 2014 Esprit de Tablas has a powerfully expressive, nose with deep aromas of licorice and cherry liqueur given lift by spicy notes of pink peppercorn and mint. The mouth is luscious but still very young, with flavors of chocolate-covered cherries, a briny sea spray note, and serious tannins. The finish shows more baker's chocolate and cherry cola notes, as well as a smoky berry element. We recommend that you drink either between 2017 and 2021 or 2024-2040.
Updated tasting notes from a June 2024 vertical tasting can be found on the Tablas Creek blog.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Adelaida District Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 14.5% Alcohol by Volume
- 3800 Cases Produced
Blend
- 40% Mourvedre
- 35% Grenache
- 20% Syrah
- 5% Counoise
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Game
- Dark Fowl (i.e., duck)
- Richly flavored stews
- Lamb
- Asian preparation of red meats (i.e., beef stir fry)
Production Notes
The 2014 vintage was our third consecutive drought year and saw our earliest-ever beginning to the growing season. The summer was warm but without serious heat spikes, and our coolest August in a decade slowed ripening at a critical period. When it warmed back up in September, the fruit tumbled in, and we finished in mid-October, about two weeks earlier than normal. The result was a vintage with excellent concentration balanced by good freshness, which should be vibrant and powerful young, but with the balance to age. We were harvesting all four red grapes simultaneously through September and early October: Mourvèdre between September 4th and October 2nd, Syrah between September 5th and October 2nd, Grenache between on September 10th and October 9th and Counoise between September 11th and October 1st.
The grapes for our Esprit de Tablas were grown on our certified organic estate vineyard.
The grapes were fermented using native yeasts in open and closed stainless steel fermenters. After pressing, the wines were moved into barrel, blended, and aged in 1200-gallon French oak foudres before being bottled in June 2016.