Description

The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Esprit de Tablas Blanc is our flagship white blend, chosen from the top lots of six white Rhone varieties propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate. Roussanne provides the core richness, minerality, and flavors of honey and spice, while Grenache Blanc adds green apple and anise flavors, lush mouthfeel and bright acids. Picpoul Blanc adds pineapple brightness and saline minerality, Bourboulenc provides texture and nuttiness while Clairette Blanche and Picardan bring additional mineral and citrus notes. Blend: 46% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc, 14% Picpoul Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc, 4% Clairette Blanche and 3% Picardan.

Wine Profile

Food Pairing Notes:

Cooked shellfish (lobster, softshell crab, shrimp), Roasted or grilled vegetables (eggplant, asparagus, peppers), Foods cooked with garlic and olive oil. Rich fish dishes (i.e., salmon, swordfish), Asian stir fry

Production Notes:

The grapes for our Esprit de Tablas Blanc were grown on our certified organic and biodynamic estate vineyard. Roussanne (46%, fermented in a mix of oak of various sizes and ages) still takes pride of place, but the different higher-acid, more mineral varieties (28% Grenache Blanc, 14% Picpoul Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc, 4% Clairette Blanche and 3% Picardan) all add citrusy acidity and saline freshness. This marks the first time all six of the approved white varieties from Chateauneuf-du-Pape have appeared in the Esprit Blanc. As we have done since 2012, we returned the blend to foudre after it was assembled in April 2021 and aged it through the subsequent harvest before bottling it in December 2021 and letting it rest an additional 9 months in bottle before release. 1880 cases produced.

Tasting Notes:

Intensely expressive of Roussanne on the nose: beeswax and honeysuckle, lemon bar and graham cracker. The mouth is luscious and textured, with citrus blossom, honey, and vanilla bean notes. The brightness returns on the finish, with notes of honeycrisp apple and saline mineral. Delicious now, but should evolve for two decades, gaining hazelnut and caramel notes with time.

Vintage Notes:

The 2020 vintage began benignly, with a cool spring that delayed budbreak to a little after normal, and below-average temperatures continued through July. Beginning in August, the weather turned hot, accelerating ripening and producing intense flavors. The state's terrible fires stayed well north of us, and the harvest finished early, under a compressed timeline but good conditions. The vintage shows concentrated flavors, noteworthy lushness, and lovely spice.