
The Buyer: How California’s Paso Robles region is closing the gap with Napa
We were happy to see ourselves included in Victor Smart’s deep dive into the evolution of Paso Robles, highlighting how the region’s unique soils, dramatic temperature swings, and bold winemaking compete on the world stage. The article profiles six boutique producers, Tablas Creek among them, who recently poured their wines at 67 Pall Mall in London for an audience of UK wine buyers.
Back in 1987 the Tablas Creek winery was created as a joint venture between Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its US importer. One of a group soon dubbed the Rhône Rangers, the winery imported vines from all 13 varietals from the famed French Rhône château… Neil Collins, Tablas’s director of winemaking, describes that initiative as ‘complete insanity’. They decided to comply with all the appropriate red tape, and the US agricultural authorities spent 13 long years approving the varietals’ establishment. Still, the bold move worked.