2012 Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas

Tablas Creek s a 120-acre estate in Paso Robles, on California’s Central Coast. It was established in 1985 when long-time wine importer Robert Haas and the Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel in the Rhone Valley decided to make wine together on the Central Coast. The friends purchased land in 1989 in the Las Tablas district of west Paso Robles because it resembled the land the Perrins own in France. Traditional Rhone Valley grape varietals were imported and the debut vintage was in 1997. The estate’s signature wines are the Esprit de Tablas, which prior to the 2011 vintage were called Esprit de Beaucastel. The estate makes a red and white, and both are Rhone-style blends. Tablas Creek wines are consistently well-rated, and Robert M. Parker Jr. has often rated them in the mid- to high-90s.

Paso Robles AVA is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and it is considered one of the West Coast’s most exciting winemaking regions. With its hot, sometimes searingly dry and sunny weather, it is especially good country for growing warm climate grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. Because many Paso Robles wineries have been successful with blending these grapes into Rhone Valley-style wines, it is known as the Rhone zone of California. The AVA was created in 1983 and there are 32,000 vineyard acres. In late 2014 the AVA was divided into 11 smaller sub-appellations, so starting with 2015 vintages labeling will become more specific on Paso Robles wines, which will now also list sub-appellations. Located in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles, the town and its surrounding area, was traditionally a farming and ranching region. But from a few dozen wineries in the early 1990s to more than 200 today, the area is quickly becoming known for wine and risk-taking winemakers.