Saturday, May 16, 2009

2007 Tablas Creek "Cotes Du Tablas", Paso Robles

This winery was started by the Perrin family of Chateau du Beaucastel and Robert Haas, importer and owner of Vineyard Brands Wines. All grapes are grown on their 120 acre certified.

From their website: The Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Blanc is a blend of four estate-grown white Rhône varietals: Viognier(38%), Roussanne(17%), Marsanne (25%), and Grenache Blanc (20%). The wine, like most wines of the Southern Rhône, is a blend of varietals, featuring the aromatics and fruit of the Viognier, the flavors and clean minerality of the Marsanne and Roussanne, and the crisp acids and rich mouthfeel of the Grenache Blanc. Like our Côtes de Tablas red, this wine is designed to be ready to drink young: at its peak from the moment of its release.

All varietals for the Côtes de Tablas Blanc were whole cluster pressed, and fermented in stainless steel to emphasize the clean crisp flavors and preserve the aromatics. Only native yeasts were used. After fermentation, the wines were racked and blended, and bottled in April 2008. The wine underwent only a light cold stabilization before bottling.

The 2007 Côtes de Tablas Blanc is a blend in the style of French Cotes du Rhone whites, and features intense aromas of stone fruits and minerals, flavors of apricot and Provençal herbs, rich texture, moderate acidity and a long peachy finish.

Aromas: peach, apricot, herbs, minerality
Body: medium
Color: straw yellow

Eat with: roasted Sonoma County half chicken, baby yukon gold potatoes, watercress salad, dijon vinaigrette.

http://www.tablascreek.com/