News & Press

San Francisco Chronicle: "Tablas Creek just planted a grape you’ve never heard of. But it’s a milestone for California Rhone wines"

In this great piece, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Editor Esther Mobley puts the arrival of Muscardin at Tablas Creek into context, and explores what this new grape and the others we will be debuting soon from other recent imports means for the California wine community. An excerpt:

"So what’s Muscardin like? Since no Muscardin-only wine exists, we don’t know yet. 'According to the Perrins, Muscardin is a large-berry, pale-colored red grape,' says Haas, 'a bit like a more floral Cinsault or a less tannic Terret Noir.'

That description sounds pretty great to me - and seems like it could be perfectly poised to meet the demand for the translucent reds that are on the rise in California right now. In fact, many of the minor Chateauneuf blending grapes seem to fit this profile."

With the grafting of Muscardin, Tablas Creek celebrates the arrival of the complete collection of 14 Chateauneuf-du-Pape grapes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2019

(Photo: One of the 250 new Muscardin grafts at Tablas Creek Vineyard)

(Paso Robles) - Château de Beaucastel is renowned for using all the permitted Châteauneuf du Pape varieties in their blends. Now, Tablas Creek Vineyard, the project co-founded by the Perrins of Château de Beaucastel and pioneering importer Robert Haas, has the complete collection of grapes to work with as well.

While historically the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation in France's Rhone Valley recognized thirteen different grapes, there are fourteen planted at Beaucastel, counting Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc separately. Tablas Creek Vineyard brought in high quality clones of six of these when they began their project in 1989. These were Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc (they also brought in Viognier and Marsanne, which are traditional Côtes du Rhone grapes though not permitted in Châteauneuf du Pape). In 1998, Tablas Creek imported Picpoul Blanc.

In 2003 Haas worked out an agreement with Deborah Golino, Director of Foundation Plant Services at U.C. Davis to bring in the remaining grapes (Cinsaut, Clairette Blanche, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Bourbelenc, and Picardan). [You can read our press release from that agreement.] These vines underwent a rigorous indexing process conducted at U.C. Davis, and have been released to Tablas Creek Vineyard one by one as they have been found to be virus-free. Three of the grapes (Clairette Blanche, Terret Noir, and Picardan) are currently in production at Tablas Creek. Three more (Bourboulenc, Vaccarese, and Cinsaut) were planted in 2017. Muscardin was released from quarantine last year and has been propagated at NovaVine Nursery in Sonoma, California since then. With the grafting of 250 buds onto rootstocks at Tablas Creek this week, the winery looks forward to having all fourteen in production within a few years.

"The prospect of having the complete collection of Châteauneuf du Pape clones is really exciting," says Tablas Creek Managing Partner Jason Haas. "It's also the culmination of my dad's dream, to have these grapes available not just for us to plant, but for the rest of the American Rhone community." Foundation Plant Services has made these new varieties available to grapevine nurseries around California, and NovaVine already has sold vine material to dozens of vineyards.

At Tablas Creek, four acres have been set aside as increase blocks for these new grape varieties. "We're not planting large quantities of any of these at the outset," says Jason Haas. "But we're excited enough with the wines we've made from our first few harvests to already be setting aside additional space in our vineyard. What comes next? We're not sure. But we're excited to find out, both from our own vineyard and by trying what our colleagues and neighbors do with this vine material."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ian Consoli, Marketing Coordinator
Tablas Creek Vineyard
Email: ian@tablascreek.com
Phone: 805-237-1231 x238

Issues & Ideas: A Central Coast Rhône anniversary

Marissa Waddel of KCBX FM recently sat down with Jason and Jean-Pierre to discuss the first 30 years of Tablas Creek. Among the topics: Jean-Pierre talks about the search for calcareous soil and the decision to be organic, which stemmed from his father doing the same at Beaucastel. Jason also answer the questions of Terroir and why Rhone wines are typically blends.

"The story of Tablas Creek is a story of friendship." - Jean-Pierre Perrin

Jason Haas (and others) are Interviewed by GuildSomm

In his interview with Kelli White Jason discusses the role of minor grapes in our blends. Picpoul Blanc, Counoise, and Picardan (to name a few) are minor grape varieties that play a major role in deepening the complexity of our blends.

From the Interview: when asked about minor grapes' role in a blend Jason replied, "The minor grapes bring freshness and lift, help mitigate the major grapes’ tendency toward excess weight and alcohol, and bring out minerality."

The Cork Dorks – 05/08/19 – Celebrating 30 Years at Tablas Creek

Adam and Jeremy of Liquid Lunch joined Jason Haas and Neil Collins during our 30 year anniversary celebration. Jason and Neil individually gave their unique perspectives on the growth of the Vineyard and Paso Robles while humorously guided along by Adam and Jeremy.

In the interview: "Jason reflects on his dad, the relationship with Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf , the four new variety’s they will be working with soon, and what’s on the horizon for Tablas Creek."

KCOY 12 Comes to Tablas Creek Vineyard

Local news station KCOY 12 stopped by Tablas Creek after our blending seminar on April 14th to interview Jason Haas on the celebration of 30 years since purchasing the property. Afterwards reporter Naja Hill spent time with patrons of the tasting room. Check out the article online and watch the report at the link below.

You can see the video of the interview here.

Paso Robles Press Covers Tablas Creek's 30th Anniversary

The Paso Robles stopped by during our 30th Anniversary party to interview attendees and get a feel for Tablas Creek's history. Author Camas Frank put together a good piece with interviews of founder Jean-Pierre Perrin, the owners of Paso Terra Seafood restaurant in Paso Robles, and concluding with the elusive and impressive interview with Barbara Haas who had as good a view as any of what it took to start Tablas Creek Vineyard 30 years ago.

Robert Haas always believed in the city of Paso Robles and its potential to grow. He would be proud to read this portion from the interview with one of the owners of Paso Terra Seafood : "Cristina Averseng credited the vineyard for their moving to Paso Robles several years ago, “for André I think it was instant that it was finding a slice of home,” she said."

The Underground Wine Letter: Review of the Spring 2019 Releases

The venerable Underground Wine Letter reviewed six new Spring 2019 releases, including the first reviews of our newly-bottled 2018 Vermentino and 2018 rosés, as well as our first post-bottling reviews of two 2017 red blends: Patelin de Tablas and Cotes de Tablas.

From John Tilson's introduction: "Now is its 30th year Tablas Creek Vineyard consistently produces really amazing and well-priced wines that few other California wineries can match. The specialty is, of course, Rhone varietals and their wines are beautifully crafted and very food friendly."