2021 Esprit de Tablas
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The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2021 Esprit de Tablas is our flagship red blend, chosen from the best lots of six estate-grown varieties 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, Counoise for brambly spice and acidity, as well as the dark, herby Vaccarese and the juicy, spicy Cinsaut.
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94 points; "this is a spectacular exemplar of blending itself: it’s well built, composed and firm even as it exudes charm and inviting fruit, each component playing a role.": Wine & Spirits (Mar. 2024)
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93 points & Cellar Selection; "Elegant layers of black plum, purple flowers, crumpled thyme and warm spiced cookie": Wine Enthusiast (Mar. 2024)
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95 points; "the benchmark for this style in Paso": Decanter (Nov. 2023)
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94 points; "so much texture and volume ... full of flavor with plenty of spices and juicy fruit": JamesSuckling.com (Oct. 2023)
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96 points; "Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty yet nimble texture": BevX (Oct. 2023)
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95-97 points; "washes across the palate with juicy waves of ripe red and blue fruit": Vinous (May 2023)
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94-96 points; "chalky and fresh with a balance of concentrated fruits and pleasantly rustic nuances": Robert Parker Wine Advocate (Dec. 2022)
Tasting Notes
The nose is deep and inviting, clearly Esprit: new leather, sweet spice, currants and dark chocolate. On the palate, broad and rich, with notes of flourless chocolate cake, black plum, meat drippings, and a spicy, nutty mincemeat pie element. The finish is brambly blackberry, black fig, and milk chocolate, with chewy tannins that promise years of meaty development. Immensely appealing now, but also with the structure and intensity to reward time in the cellar. Enjoy any time in the next 25 years.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Adelaida District Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 13.5% Alcohol by Volume
- 2950 Cases Produced
Blend
- 35% Mourvedre
- 26% Grenache
- 23% Syrah
- 7% Vaccarese
- 5% Cinsaut
- 4% Counoise
Certifications
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 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.
The grapes for our Esprit de Tablas were grown on our certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyard.
The grapes were fermented using native yeasts in a mix of 1500-gallon wooden upright fermenters, open-top tanks and closed stainless steel fermenters. After pressing, the wines were moved into barrel and allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. The Esprit's components were then selected for Esprit, blended in June 2022 and aged in 1200-gallon foudre before bottling in July 2023.