The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Paso Robles

Varietal   Grenache Blanc

Retail Price   $30

ABV   13.5%

Score   4.5 Stars/94 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, medium green/gold color.

The aromatics are very intense offering scents of green apple and fresh herbs with supporting notes of lemon curd, honeysuckle, and wet river stones.

The palate confirms the nose delivering a citrus-driven core with flavors of white peach, lemon drops, apricot stone, and tea biscuits. The finish is long and lingering with bright citrus accents.

Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced with a vibrant texture.

Cool Factor

Tablas Creek is a unique winery in California seamlessly marrying Old World and New World winemaking. Varietal bottlings of Grenache Blanc are a rare and special treat,

Value Grade

Selling at $30 a bottle it won't make anyone's bargain list but when you consider the quality and the rarity (fewer than 900 cases made) of this wine we find it to be a value.

Analysis

Incredibly, this is Tablas Creek’s seventeenth bottling of its 100% Grenache Blanc and it's our favorite to date. This wine was among a trio of 2019 whites from Tablas Creek that we tasted in the fall of 2020. Immediately we were remarking how these wines were the best ever among the winery's white varietals/blends — a very high standard. This versatile and great varietal is most often used in white blends and rarely offered as a single varietal wines. 2019 saw below average yields of Grenache Blanc with small berries and exceptional quality. The Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc wine is fermented in stainless steel to retain freshness and then aged in large, neutral wooden vats to add texture and roundness. The wine was blended in May 2020 and bottled in June 2020.

How to Enjoy

This gorgeous wine needs nothing but a glass but it is perfect with sushi or steamed mussels.