Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Rouge 2020

Tablas Creek Vineyard was founded in 1989. Robert Haas of Vineyard Brands and Jean-Pierre Perrin of Château de Beaucastel conceived the project while traveling through California visiting many of the region’s early pioneers in the 1970s. The wine scene in California was very different at the time, with more focus on Burgundian varieties. The Perrin and Haas families were convinced that California’s Mediterranean climate could produce great Rhône-inspired wines, but they would need to find the perfect location to do so—one with high-calcium soils, a long growing season and moderate nighttime temperatures. The search lasted four years, from 1985 to 1989. The Perrins ultimately settled on the western reaches of Paso Robles, just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean in what is now the Adelaida District. 

The Tablas Creek Vineyard 2020 Esprit de Tablas Rouge is the vineyard’s flagship red blend, chosen from the best lots of six estate-grown varieties propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate. The wine is based on the dark red fruit, earth, spice and mid-palate richness of Mourvèdre, with additions of Grenache for forward fruit, approachability and lushness, Syrah for mineral, aromatics, and back-palate tannins, and Counoise for brambly spice and acidity. Two new grapes (the dark, herby Vaccarese and the juicy, spicy Cinsaut) make their first-ever appearance in Esprit and round out the blend.

The Blog of Owen Bargreen

2020 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine – 95 / 100 Points

The heady and rich 2020 ‘Espirit de Tablas’ is mainly Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah with smaller parts Counoise, Vaccarese and Cinsault. This is already neatly evolved with a smooth texture displaying a dizzying core of dark fruits with tobacco leaf, stony minerals and wild herbs. While enticing now, this will surely live on for another fifteen years. If savouring now be sure to give this about an hour in the decanter. Drink 2024 – 2039.

– Owen Bargreen (15th February 2024). View Here.

2020 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine – 96 / 100 Points

The wonderful, soft and complex 2020 Tablas Creek ‘Esprit de Tablas’ Red Wine is a silky blend of 40% Mourvedre with 30% Grenache and smaller portions Syrah, Vaccarese, Cinsault and Counoise. Utterly fabulous on the nose, this is currently displaying a dizzying array of aromas from tobacco leaf and red currants to cigar ash, cedar and potpourri. The palate is seamless and intense, showing a slight hedonistic bent with its brilliant core of voluptuous red fruits. Showing brilliantly now, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Give this at least two hours in the decanter if enjoying now. Drink 2022 – 2038.

– Owen Bargreen (December 2022). View Here.

Decanter Magazine

Tablas Creek, Esprit de Tablas, Adelaida District, Paso Robles 2020 – 96 / 100 Points

A Mourvedre-Grenache-Syrah-based blend with a touch of Vaccarèse and Cinsault, Esprit balances rich meatiness with lush, juicy fruit. On the nose, dark berry aromas give way to toasted spice, fresh-turned earth and wild fennel notes under sweet, pungent violet. A full body offers pure black cherry and dark raspberry flavours, with a touch of anise, against fine, subtle tannins. Seamless, impeccable balance carries through a long finish. Hard to resist now, but will evolve into a savoury beauty. Biodynamic. Drink 2023 – 2040.

– Sara Schneider (May 2023). View Here.

WineSpectator

Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Adelaida District 2020 – 92 / 100 Points

A gutsy blend, yet retains a sense of finesse, delivering distinctive raspberry and dried cherry flavours highlighted by savoury cracked pepper and garrigue as it gathers tension toward a firm finish. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, Vaccarèse and Cinsault. Drink now through 2030. 3,480 cases made.

– WineSpectator (May 2023). View Here.

Wine Enthusiast

Tablas Creek 2020 Esprit de Tablas Red Blend (Adelaida District) – 96 / 100 Points

This blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 5% Counoise, 3% Vaccarese and 1% Cinsaut reflects the experience that this winemaking team brings. Aromas of red plum baked in puff pastry, crumpled rose petals and dusty herb on the nose lead into a palate that’s both grippy in texture and generous in flavours of strawberry, bay leaf and pepper.

– M.K. (November 2022). View Here.

BevX

Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Paso Robles 2020 – 98 / 100 Points

Brilliant, deep ruby colour. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of boysenberry and bramble with supporting notes of black currant, tamari, forest floor, and tapenade. The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavours of black cherry, mulberry, leather, slate, and graphite. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty texture. Made with a unique blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 5% Counoise, 3% Vaccarese, and 1% Cinsaut. Our favourite Esprit de Tablas yet.

– Sean Ludford (21st September 2022). View Here.

JamesSuckling.com

TABLAS CREEK VINEYARD PASO ROBLES ADELAIDA DISTRICT ESPRIT DE TABLAS
2020 – 94 / 100 Points

Really racy and bright nose with strawberries, raspberries, crushed pomegranate, flowers, mineral and herbs. Fragrant, with excellent depth. Medium- to full-bodied with a broad structure and a slew of fine-grained tannins. Powerful and broad-shouldered, but silky at the same time. Superb drinkability here! 40% mourvedre, 30% grenache, 21% syrah, 5% counoise, 3% vaccarese and 1% cinsault. Drink or hold.

– Zekun Shuai (5th October 2022). View Here.

The Underground Wineletter

2020 Esprit de Tablas

This is the Tablas Creek flagship red blend which is sourced from the top lots of red Rhone varieties (with Mouvedre, Grenache, and Syrah making up 90% of the blend and Counoise, Vaccarese, and Cinsault representing the balance) which were propagated from budwood cuttings from the Chateau de Beaucastel estate. The production was 3480 cases. Dark red in colour the wine has a gorgeous plum and black cherry perfume with faint hints of chocolate and exotic spice. On the palate there is a myriad of black and red fruit flavours accented by a floral spice undertone and the wine is impeccably balanced with a long lasting finish – Extraordinary.

– John Tilson (14th September 2022). View Here.

Vinous

2020 ESPRIT DE TABLAS – 93 – 94 / 100 Points

Opaque violet. Lush dark berry and floral scents pick up suggestions of candied flowers, allspice and espresso as the wine opens up. Pliant and expansive on the palate, offering appealingly sweet blackberry, blueberry and fruitcake flavors sharpened by a spicy jolt of cracked pepper. Velvety tannins build steadily through the finish, which hangs on with strong, spicy persistence.”

– Antonio Galloni (7th July 2022). View Here.