2021 Cotes de Tablas Blanc
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The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2021 Côtes de Tablas Blanc is a blend of four estate-grown white Rhône varieties. The wine, following the model set by wines of the Southern Rhône, is a blend of grapes, led by the floral aromatics and stone fruit of Viognier and complemented by the crisp acids and rich mouthfeel of Grenache Blanc, the elegance and minerality of Marsanne, and the structure of Roussanne.
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93 points; "There’s a richness within, balanced by brisk acidity": Vinous (May 2023)
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95 points; "harmonious symphony of highly concentrated, savory flavor layers, mouthwatering acidity, an alluring, velvety texture": Robert Parker Wine Advocate (Dec. 2022)
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95 points; "perfectly balanced with a vibrant texture": BevX (Sep. 2022)
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92 points; "Nicely aromatic yet restrained": James Suckling (Oct. 2022)
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Outstanding Plus; "Lush, rounded, and supple with a myriad of flavors": Underground Wine Letter (Sep. 2022)
Tasting Notes
A lovely Rhonish nose, very aromatic, of jasmine, clementine pith, ripe peach, petrichor, and sweet green herbs. The mouth shows both richness and brightness, with flavors of nectarine and mint, rich texture, and a persistent wet stone minerality. The wine's acids come out on the long, clean finish, leaving flavors of mango and creamy minerality. Drink now and for at least the next five years.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Adelaida District Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 12.5% Alcohol by Volume
- 1215 Cases Produced
Blend
- 44% Viognier
- 32% Grenache Blanc
- 14% Marsanne
- 10% Roussanne
Certifications
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Mussels Marinière
- Green salads with avocado and citrus dressing
- Scallops
- Ceviche
- Light fish (halibut, sole) with tropical salsa
Production Notes
The grapes for our Côtes de Tablas Blanc were grown on our biodynamic and Regenerative Organic Certified™ estate vineyard.
The 2021 vintage came after a chilly, relatively dry winter, the exception being a single storm that dropped more than a foot of rain on us in late January. The cold, dry winter produced a fruit set with smaller clusters and smaller berries, and yields were down about 25% compared to our average. The growing season was ideal, with each hot stretch followed by a cool period that allowed the vines to recover, and that combined with the low yields to produce some of our most intense fruit ever and our highest average acids since the chilly 2011 vintage. We believe that 2021 has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster year.
All varietals for the Côtes de Tablas Blanc were whole cluster pressed, and fermented with native yeasts in a mix of stainless steel (for brightness and floral aromatics) and large, neutral foudres (for richness and texture). Viognier is always the lead grape in our Cotes Blanc, and we balance Viognier's lushness with the elegance of Marsanne and the brightness of Grenache Blanc, though the proportions vary depending on the character of the Viognier and the vintage. At our blending trials in April 2022, we realized that the lushness and relatively low acids of 2021 meant that Grenache Blanc's brightness was critical to the balance of the wine, and we ended up using 44% Viognier, 32% Grenache Blanc, and relatively less Marsanne (14%) and Roussanne (10%) than in many years. The wine was blended in May of 2022 and bottled in June.