Beverage of the Week (BOW)

Product Story

Côtes de Tablas is a blend of four, estate-grown Rhône Varietals: 66% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 8% Counoise, and 8% Mourvedre. Like many of the great wines of the Southern Rhône, the Côtes de Tablas is Grenache-forward, showcasing their extraordinary mastery of this varietal in the vineyard and the winery. The 2023 vintage began with their wettest ever winter. The growing season was the coolest in more than a decade, resulting in a harvest that came roughly a month later than recent vintages. All varieties were fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and large, upright oak fermenters, utilizing native yeasts. After fermentation, the wine was blended and then aged in large oak foudres (1,200-gallon oak vats commonly used in France's Rhône Valley) from June 2024 until it was bottled — unfined and unfiltered — in February 2025. The resulting wine is structured and complex with a rich, meaty texture and lush fruit — a great aging wine. While this wine is an annual hit at BevX, this 2023 vintage of the Côtes de Tablas is our favorite.

Brand Story

Tablas Creek is a unique player in the California wine scene. They are undisputed pioneers in the movement of Rhône-styled wines in California, and many consider them to be the absolute best in their class. While many wineries in California produce wines with classic Rhône varietals, Tablas Creek crafts wines that embody the heart and soul of the Rhône. Founded in 1989 through a partnership between two iconic wine families—the Perin family of Château de Beaucastel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands—they selected vineyard sites in Paso Robles, imported vine cuttings from the Rhône, and built vineyards and a winery from the ground up. Their vineyard in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles closely matches the climatic conditions and soils found at Château de Beaucastel. Their wines are distinctly different from typical Californian styles. While they are not merely copies of Rhône wines, they represent a unique expression of Paso Robles fruit grown at elevation, complemented by the winemaking expertise of an old Rhône master. I appreciate how Tablas Creek wines consistently reflect their respective vineyards and vintages. The wines convey a sense of expert management rather than manipulation. Bravo!