2021 Le Complice
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The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2021 Le Complice is the sixth vintage of our blend that celebrates the kinship between Syrah and one of our more obscure red varieties, Terret Noir. In French, Le Complice means, roughly, "partner in crime". Although Syrah is dark and Terret light, both share wild herby black spice, and Terret's high acids provide a nice counterpoint to Syrah's tendency toward density. The final note is provided by Grenache, which we add for juiciness and friendly, mouth-filling appeal.
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96 points; "silky and seamless ... dramatically long with a flowery concentration and a spicy herbal tinge": Vinous (July 2024)
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94 points; "grilled meat, incense and licorice all beautifully woven together": Purely Domestic Wine Report (May 2024)
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93 points; "racy and bright ... Lively and energetic with depth to the fruit": JamesSuckling.com (Oct. 2023)
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94-96 points; "dramatically long, spicy and with a slight herbal tinge and a tug of edgy tannins": Vinous (May 2023)
Tasting Notes
A gorgeous nose of sugarplum and gumdrop, sweet tobacco, pine forest, and dark chocolate. The mouth is vibrant, with flavors of cocoa powder, a tangy fruit note like red apple skin, an iron-like mineral note absolutely classic for Syrah, and a wild sage herbiness adding complexity. The finish goes back to sweeter notes of cola, baking spice, and rendered pork fat. An unusually approachable Le Complice at this stage, without sacrificing any of its complexity. Drink over the next two decades.
Technical Details
Appellation
- Adelaida District Paso Robles
Technical Notes
- 13.5% Alcohol by Volume
- 882 Cases Produced
Blend
- 59% Syrah
- 32% Grenache
- 8% Terret Noir
- 1% Muscardin
Certifications
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Grilled Steaks
- Cassoulet
- Spicy Sausages
- Lamb
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 Le Complice were grown on our Regenerative Organic Certified® estate vineyard.
The Le Complice is based on several parcels of Syrah that come from the far western section of our estate vineyard, each fermented with a different concentration of whole cluster. This whole-cluster Syrah is blended with two grapes that we were the first to plant in California: Terret Noir and Muscardin. Both these grapes have pale color, high acid and tannin, and a lovely herby, floral lift. The final touch is provided by Grenache, which brings juiciness and mouth-filling lushness to the blend. The wine was blended in June of 2022, aged in 1200-gallon French oak foudres before bottling in December 2023.