2023 Lignée de Tablas Fenaughty
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Lignée de Tablas is a new tier of wines from Tablas Creek featuring single-vineyard wines sourced from vineyards planted to Tablas Creek clones and made in small quantities. Lignée means lineage in French, and the wines celebrate the influence of the Tablas Creek nursery and the grapevines we brought in from Beaucastel starting in 1989. We share the full story of the Lignée de Tablas program on the Tablas Blog.
The Lignée de Tablas Fenaughty is the second red wine released in the Lignée de Tablas collection. The Fenaughty Vineyard is a former pear orchard in the El Dorado AVA of the Sierra Foothills, which the Mansfield family has farmed since the 1970s and where they have planted a wide selection of Tablas Creek clones. The grapes are farmed organically and harvested by hand.
Tasting Notes
This blend of 67% Grenache and 33% Mourvedre is one of two new entries into our Lignée de Tablas program. A savory, classically Sierra Foothills nose of dusty blackberry, juniper, and caramel. On the palate, flavors of sweet cream butter, elderberry, and a licorice note that dances between red and black. The finish becomes more savory again, with notes of flint, iron, and black raspberry.
Technical Details
Appellation
- El Dorado
Technical Notes
- 14.5% Alcohol by Volume
- 560 Cases Produced
Blend
- 67% Grenache
- 33% Mourvèdre
Recipes & Pairings
Recipe Suggestions
Food Pairings
- Grilled steaks
- Pastas with meat sauces
- Rich beef stews
- Spicy sausages
Production Notes
The 2023 vintage began with our wettest-ever winter, replenishing ground water and delaying budbreak. It continued with our coolest growing season in more than a decade, which combined with the late start to produce a harvest roughly a month later than most recent years, beginning in mid-September and not concluding until mid-November. Warm, sunny weather starting in October allowed the later-ripening varieties to reach full maturity. The exceptionally long hangtime and gradual ripening combined to produce fruit with deep colors, remarkable intensity, and noteworthy vibrancy. We believe 2023 has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster year.
All the grapes were grown at the Fenaughty Vineyard, at 2700+ feet in the El Dorado AVA of the Sierra Foothills. The soil is Aiken Clay Loam, made from thoroughly decomposed volcanic rock. The Mansfield family has farmed the property since the late 70's, with Tablas Creek vine material planted at every redevelopment opportunity. The vineyard is farmed organically.
The grapes were harvested on September 9th and brought to Tablas Creek, where they were whole-cluster pressed and fermented using native yeasts in neutral wood. After fermentation, the wines were racked and reassembled, then bottled in April 2024.