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Over the years, we’ve developed a very short list of favorite wine producers from California; you can literally count them on one hand, and running neck and neck with Mr. Ridge at the very top is Tablas Creek Vineyard. Tablas Creek has established a very distinctive “house style” over the years, and it’s one that is much to our liking. We recently took possession of three new offerings from our favorite Paso Robles winery, and as is always the case, they give great pleasure and we recommend them highly. Here are our impressions:

2011 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc Paso Robles, 45% Grenache Blanc, 34% Viognier, 18% Roussanne,3% Marsanne, 13.5% Alc., $20: As previously reported, Patelin is roughly translated from the French slang for “country neighborhood.” Patelin de Tablas designated wines are the only TC offerings that may use fruit sourced from other than estate vineyards. Most of these vineyards are planted with TC cuttings, and all are farmed sustainably, many through organic or biodynamic principles. Pale gold in color; rich and ripe in flavor and aroma, with a melange of white peach, green apple, pear and just a hint of pineapple, all underscored with some nice minerality. Full bodied, almost viscous, with good acidity and nice length on the finish. Retains that white Rhone character, but with a new world accent. Delicious. 2900 Cases Produced. Find this wine

2011 Tablas Creek Vineyard Rosé Paso Robles, 58% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 12% Counoise, 14.5% Alc., $27: Strawberry pink; rich strawberry and raspberry nose echoes and expands on the palate with added cherrystick and subtle earth and mineral in support. Ripe and delicious; medium-full bodied, with good acids and very nice length. Because this isn’t exactly the bone dry, mineral driven style like those from Provence that we’re so fond of, it had better be damned good, and I’m happy to report that it is just that. I could drink this all the time. 1020 Cases Produced. Find this wine

2010 Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Rouge Paso Robles, 46% Grenache, 39% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Counois,14.5% Alc., $30: Clean, dark color, with lots of briar and bramble on the nose; plenty more of the same in the mouth, with a serious core of earthy red and black fruit and a big, chewy character. Funky in a good way, maybe the funkiest Tablas Creek red we’ve ever had. Full bodied, very well structured for several years in the cellar, but shows more and more of what it has with air. Big and chewy, yes, but with that impeccable Tablas Creek character that we’ve come to love. I’m not sorry that these folks keep producing such fine wines that I can’t find a bad word to say about them. Give this one a few years, at least, to give you everything it has to offer. 2640 Cases Produced. Find this wine

Reporting from Day-twah,

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Related posts:

1. 2007 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge
2. A Country Neighborhood Red from Tablas Creek
3. 2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc and Rouge
4. A Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc Mini-Vertical
5. 2008 Tablas Creek Paso Robles Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge

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