Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Paso Robles 2020
Product Story
The great Patelin de Tablas Rouge is made with a unique blend of 36% Syrah, 34% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre, 8% Tannat, and 3% Counoise. We have watched the makeup of this wine change through the years (this is our seventh vintage reviewed) from wines with over 50% Syrah to a blend with Grenache having near parity with Syrah. For the first time, the 2020 Patelin de Tablas includes Tannat. The grapes are sourced from multiple vineyard sources including Tablas Creek’s organic estate vineyard, four vineyards in the Templeton Gap, and vineyards in El Pomar and Geneseo District. The 2020 vintage began with a cool spring and continued below-normal temperatures through July. Come August the weather turned hot, accelerating ripening and concentrating flavors. The wine was fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and large, upright oak fermenters. After fermentation the wine was blended and then aged in large oak foudres (1500-gallon oak vats commonly used in France's Rhône Valley) for a period of six months prior to bottling. The resulting wine is meaty while ideally balanced and it’s our favorite Patelin de Tablas Rouge yet.
Brand Story
Tablas Creek is a unique animal on the California wine scene. They are unquestioned pioneers in the movement of Rhône-styled wines in California and many consider them to be the absolute best-in-class. While many wineries in California make wines with classic Rhône varietals, Tablas Creek makes wines with the heart and soul of the Rhône. They were founded in 1989 by a collaboration between two iconic wine families – the Perin family of Chateau de Beaucastel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands. Together they chose vineyard locations in Paso Robles, imported vine cuttings from the Rhône, and built vineyards and a winery from the dirt up. Their vineyard site in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles is a close match to climatic conditions and soils found at Chateau de Beaucastel. Their wines are not at all typically Californian in style. While they are not merely replicas of Rhône wines, they are rather a unique expression of Paso Robles fruit grown at elevation with the winemaking touch of an old Rhône master. I love how the Tablas Creek wines are always true to their respective vineyards and vintages. The wines convey a sense of being expertly managed rather than manipulated. Bravo!
Tasting Note
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of dense blackberry, dark soy, and five spice with supporting notes of black tea, forest floor, and tapenade. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of boysenberry, mulberry, cocoa, black plum, and graphite. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty texture.
How to Serve
Serve at cellar temperature, ideally decanted to allow the aromatics and flavors to fully bloom. Pair with braised beef short ribs, grilled meats, and pastas with rich meat sauces.
Price: $ 28
BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4204
