News & Press

Reverse Wine Snob: Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Rosé 3L Box Wine Review

We were pleased to see our 2024 Patelin de Tablas Rosé 3L Box featured in a glowing review on Reverse Wine Snob. The article praises both the wine and the format, noting that too often box wine has been associated with lower quality, but Tablas Creek sets a higher standard. Reviewer Jon Thorsen highlights the rosé’s “rich, layered, deep and delicious” character, the transparency of sourcing across six Paso Robles sub-appellations, and the convenience and freshness of the 3L box. From the article:

A perfect wine for a box, it’s not possible to have too much of this one. It’ll stay fresh for 6 weeks too but good luck making it last that long! This is definitely a winner!

Académie du Vin Library: The Spirit of the Rhône in Paso Robles

We were delighted to be featured in Andrew James’ latest piece, which explores the Franco-American partnership behind Tablas Creek and the decades-long collaboration that brought Rhône varieties and regenerative practices to Paso Robles. The article traces the connection between Château de Beaucastel and the Haas family, and how that alliance helped make rhone varieties part of the identity of Paso Robles. From the article:

Along with Bandol’s Domaine Tempier, Esprit de Tablas is one of the finest expressions of Mourvèdre I have encountered… Clearly, the wines from Tablas Creek can never be reproductions of Beaucastel blends. As the current name of the top wine suggests, the winery has developed its own spirit.

The piece also features a three-vintage comparison of Esprit de Tablas (2006, 2014, and 2021), and highlights how Tablas Creek’s regenerative farming practices have influenced even Beaucastel’s approach to viticulture in the Rhône.

Vinous: “Beyond Expectations: Twenty-Three Years of Tablas Creek’s Esprit de Tablas”

We were thrilled to be featured in Vinous this week in an expansive retrospective by Eric Guido, who shared notes on eighteen vintages of our flagship red blend, Esprit de Tablas. The article traces the wine’s evolution since its 2000 debut, and leads Eric to conclude, "The Esprit de Tablas proves time and time again that it can mature positively for two decades or more." Along the way, Eric shares the history of Tablas Creek, highlights key vintage milestones, and celebrates the ongoing influence of the Haas and Perrin families’ original vision. From his conclusion:

“If there’s one U.S. Rhône blend that unfailingly embodies purity, complexity and age-worthiness, it’s the Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas.”

In total, he reviewed 18 vintages of Esprit de Tablas, with scores ranging from 91 to 96+ points. Among the top-rated wines:

• 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel – 96 points: “Pure elegance … beautifully balanced and well-constructed.”

• 2015 Esprit de Tablas – 96 points: “keeps the mouth watering for more.”

• 2019 Esprit de Tablas – 96 points: “seamlessly silky in feel ... built for the cellar”

• 2021 Esprit de Tablas – 96+ points: “Dramatically long and structured … There’s so much potential here.”

It was great also to see Eric highlight something that we have long believed: that Esprit is a great value among category-leading wines:

In the broader context of fine wine, the Esprit de Tablas remains a remarkable value in the market. Even older vintages remain available to wine club members at fair prices for wines with age.

"Tablas Creek Vineyard: A Legacy of Tradition, Innovation, and Exceptional Wines": Ian D'Agata Wine Review

In a lovely feature article for the Ian D'Agata Wine Review, Writer Michele Gargani profiles Tablas Creek and reviews 20 new and library wines. From his introduction:

Nestled in the rolling hills of Paso Robles, California, Tablas Creek Vineyard stands as a beacon of excellence in the world of wine. With a rich history rooted in Franco-American collaboration and a steadfast commitment to sustainable farming, this pioneering winery has carved out a unique place in the American wine landscape. Visiting Tablas Creek is not just a tasting—it’s a super exciting and academic experience, offering a deep dive into the art and science of winemaking. The world of wine is undeniably lucky to have Tablas Creek, a winery that not only crafts wonderful wines but also preserves rare grape varieties that might otherwise have vanished forever.

Financial Review: California’s best-kept wine secrets: 5 bottles to discover

We were excited to see Australia's Financial Review Drinks Columnist Max Allen mention our 2020 Esprit de Tablas Blanc as one of five bottles to discover in California. He mentioned that the wine "the wine pulls focus on the tongue, finishing with a fine, savoury, elegance". He went on to detail our history, mention our Regenerative Organic Certified status, and finished with a lovely quote:

Add the fact that the wines are deliciously different and it sounds like a compelling argument for why more Australians should think about trying Californian.

Press Release: Tablas Creek Vineyard Becomes First U.S. Winery to Bottle All 14 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grapes as Single-Varietal Wines

Tablas Creek Vineyard has announced the completion of a decades-long project: bottling all 14 traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape grape varieties from the Château de Beaucastel collection as single-varietal wines. The final piece came this year with the debut of a varietal Muscardin, an extremely limited 25-case bottling that marks a first for any American winery.

This is an important milestone in the journey that began with the founding of Tablas Creek in 1989 as a partnership between the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and American importer Robert Haas. Over the next three decades, Tablas Creek imported, propagated, and planted the grapes grown at Beaucastel, including nine new to the United States. The grapes, and the year in which they were first planted, are: Mourvedre (1994), Grenache (1994), Syrah (1994), Counoise (1994), Grenache Blanc (1994), Roussanne (1994), Picpoul Blanc (2000), Terret Noir (2010), Clairette Blanche (2010), Picardan (2013), Vaccarese (2016), Cinsaut (2016), Bourboulenc (2016) and Muscardin (2019).

In celebration of the community that made this achievement possible, Tablas Creek will debut the Muscardin at an industry event for wine and hospitality professionals from across San Luis Obispo County. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste all 14 single-varietal wines side by side in a first-of-its-kind experience designed to highlight the diversity and potential of Rhône varieties in California.

Tablas Creek's second-generation Proprietor, Jason Haas, had this to say about the accomplishment, "I can feel my dad smiling down at this landmark. People so often think of the Rhone grape varieties as ‘just blending grapes.’ But tasting them on their own, it’s clear that they’re more than that. Each one has its own distinctive personality. We are proud to have introduced so many of them to California viticulture, and to see millions of cuttings from those original mother vines in hundreds of vineyards up and down the West Coast."

Wine Enthusiast: Six New Tablas Creek Releases 91 to 95 Points

We were excited to see six new reviews from the Wine Enthusiast of new Tablas Creek releases, which scored from 91 to 95 points. These included the 2022 Esprit de Tablas (95 points), the 2022 Syrah which was given Editor's Choice and 93 points, the 2023 Patelin de Tablas, 2023 Cotes de Tablas Blanc, and 2022 Mourvedre (all 93 points), and the 2023 Patelin de Tablas Blanc (91 points). Each of these wines are currently available in our online shop.

Piedmont Press: Tablas Creek Vineyard on The Wine Corner

Wine Columnist Pierre DuMont did a full feature on Tablas Creek in the wine section of the Piedmont Press! He gave lovely reviews of our current releases, including calling our 2023 Dianthus "lively and energetic", and our 2022 Esprit de Tablas "full-bodied, dense and deep". In the article, Pierre wrote one of the nicest things we have seen said about us:

Over the years, wineries have risen and fallen in quality. However, one constant remains: Tablas Creek, America’s finest producer of Rhone wines, stands above the competition.