Saturday, April 14th
4:30 - 7:00
This week our Saturday Tasting will focus on one of our favorite wineries from California's Central Coast - Tablas Creek Vineyard. Tablas Creek is a pioneer of California's Rhône movement. Founded in 1989, it is the culmination of a friendship between two of the international wine community's leading families dating back to 1967: the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands, one of our main importers for our European and South American selections. After a four year search, the partners chose Paso Robles for their location, for its many similarities to the southern Rhône, and began the lengthy process of importing vine cuttings, building a grapevine nursery, and creating an estate vineyard from scratch.
The property elevation averages 1,500 feet, and the shallow, limestone soils are of the same geologic origin as those at Beaucastel. Summer days are hot and sunny, but the influence of the nearby Pacific cools the nights, and the remarkably Rhône-like Paso Robles climate allows the grapes to mature fully and yet retain crisp acidity. Ample rainfall in the winter allows most of the vineyard to be dry-farmed each year.
To ensure that the vines at Tablas Creek were of the highest quality and same genetic source of those at Beaucastel, the partners imported vinifera from the French estate. Several clones each of Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Counoise, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul Blanc were imported, as well as a variety of rootstocks. This diversity allows Tablas Creek to replicate the clonal selection of an established French vineyard.
In 1990, the first vine cuttings were imported from France. Before arriving at Tablas Creek, they underwent a USDA-mandated three year indexing process that ensured that the vines were virus-free; the first imported vines were available for multiplication at Tablas Creek in 1993. New clones and new varieties continue to arrive at Tablas Creek each year. Planting at the estate began in 1994, with 115 acres under vine as of 2017.
The Tablas Creek Vineyard label debuted with the 1997 vintage. The winery follows the centuries-old Châteauneuf-du-Pape tradition of blending, to produce wines that balance richness and elegance, while ensuring complexity, freshness, and minerality. Winemaking techniques, including dry farming, native yeast fermentation, and the use of large, neutral French oak foudres for aging allow their wines to reflect authentically the grapes, place and vintage from which they come.
We thought to feature Tablas Creek Vineyard this week to honor co-founder Robert Haas, who passed away in March, 2018. He had played a leading role in the American wine industry for over a half a century. As a buyer for his family's New York retailer M. Lehman starting in the 1950s, Haas traveled through the cellars of France, establishing a formidable reputation as a wine taster while forging lifelong relationships with premier wine producers. He was recognized by the Paso Robles Wine Community as 2007 Wine Industry Person of the Year, and in 2014 he received a lifetime achievement award from Rhone Rangers for his contributions to the American Rhone movement.
We hope you can join us Saturday to raise a glass in honor of Mr. Haas, and taste the
beautiful results of one of his proudest achievements.
Patelin de Tablas Blanc
52% Grenache Blanc, 24% Viognier, 12% Roussanne,
9% Marsanne, 3% Clairette Blanche
Paso Robles, California, 2016
Esprit Blanc de Tablas
72% Roussanne, 23% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc
Adelaida District, Paso Robles, California, 2014
Patelin de Tablas Rosé
64% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2% Counoise
Paso Robles, California, 2017
Patelin de Tablas
51% Syrah, 31% Grenache, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% Counoise
Paso Robles, California, 2015
Côtes de Tablas
39% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 16% Counoise, 10% Mourvèdre
Adelaida District, Paso Robles, 2015
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Bonus Tasting Next Week!
The property elevation averages 1,500 feet, and the shallow, limestone soils are of the same geologic origin as those at Beaucastel. Summer days are hot and sunny, but the influence of the nearby Pacific cools the nights, and the remarkably Rhône-like Paso Robles climate allows the grapes to mature fully and yet retain crisp acidity. Ample rainfall in the winter allows most of the vineyard to be dry-farmed each year.
To ensure that the vines at Tablas Creek were of the highest quality and same genetic source of those at Beaucastel, the partners imported vinifera from the French estate. Several clones each of Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Counoise, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Picpoul Blanc were imported, as well as a variety of rootstocks. This diversity allows Tablas Creek to replicate the clonal selection of an established French vineyard.
In 1990, the first vine cuttings were imported from France. Before arriving at Tablas Creek, they underwent a USDA-mandated three year indexing process that ensured that the vines were virus-free; the first imported vines were available for multiplication at Tablas Creek in 1993. New clones and new varieties continue to arrive at Tablas Creek each year. Planting at the estate began in 1994, with 115 acres under vine as of 2017.
The Tablas Creek Vineyard label debuted with the 1997 vintage. The winery follows the centuries-old Châteauneuf-du-Pape tradition of blending, to produce wines that balance richness and elegance, while ensuring complexity, freshness, and minerality. Winemaking techniques, including dry farming, native yeast fermentation, and the use of large, neutral French oak foudres for aging allow their wines to reflect authentically the grapes, place and vintage from which they come.
We thought to feature Tablas Creek Vineyard this week to honor co-founder Robert Haas, who passed away in March, 2018. He had played a leading role in the American wine industry for over a half a century. As a buyer for his family's New York retailer M. Lehman starting in the 1950s, Haas traveled through the cellars of France, establishing a formidable reputation as a wine taster while forging lifelong relationships with premier wine producers. He was recognized by the Paso Robles Wine Community as 2007 Wine Industry Person of the Year, and in 2014 he received a lifetime achievement award from Rhone Rangers for his contributions to the American Rhone movement.
We hope you can join us Saturday to raise a glass in honor of Mr. Haas, and taste the
beautiful results of one of his proudest achievements.
Patelin de Tablas Blanc
52% Grenache Blanc, 24% Viognier, 12% Roussanne,
9% Marsanne, 3% Clairette Blanche
Paso Robles, California, 2016
Esprit Blanc de Tablas
72% Roussanne, 23% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc
Adelaida District, Paso Robles, California, 2014
Patelin de Tablas Rosé
64% Grenache, 29% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2% Counoise
Paso Robles, California, 2017
Patelin de Tablas
51% Syrah, 31% Grenache, 14% Mourvèdre, 4% Counoise
Paso Robles, California, 2015
Côtes de Tablas
39% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 16% Counoise, 10% Mourvèdre
Adelaida District, Paso Robles, 2015
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Bonus Tasting Next Week!
Maison Albert Bichot Tasting
Friday, April 20th
5:00 - 7:00
We've got a great additional tasting for you next Friday! We'll taste through some of the fantastic Burgundy wines of Maison Albert Bichot. Check back soon for more information!