2015 Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge
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Tasting notes
Moving to 2015 reds, of which there are just two I hadn’t tasted from bottle, the 2015 Esprit de Tablas checks in as a blend of 49% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 21% Syrah, and the rest Counoise that spent 22 months in larger, neutral oak foudres. This layered, ripe, even sexy red offers impressive notes of kirsch and blackberry fruits, notes of lavender, spice, and flowers, full body, and a textured, lengthy, pure finish. It will keep for 15+ years, although it will be approachable with just short-term cellaring. This was another terrific tasting with Jason Haas, and he and his team at Tablas Creek continue to make elegant, classic, balanced wines from their estate in the northwestern part of Paso Robles. It’s worth noting that since 2008 they’ve favored cooler temperatures during fermentation and this shows in their wines’ purity and freshness. However, in my opinion, the wines today lack some of the depth and intensity found in previous vintages. Nevertheless, these are beautiful wine that age incredibly well.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Brilliant ruby-red. Pungent, spice-accented red and blue fruit aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a sexy floral nuance as the wine opens up. Juicy and lively on the palate, offering intense raspberry and boysenberry flavors that steadily deepen and become sweeter on the back half. At once concentrated and energetic in style, showing outstanding focus and drive on an impressively long, subtly tannic, spice-accented finish.
The 2015 Esprit de Tablas is a beauty, bursting from the glass with notes of rose petal, cracked pepper, Provence herbs, licorice and sweet red cherries. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered on the palate, it's elegant and expansive, with an ample but vibrant core of fruit and a beautifully defined, fragrant finish. A blend of 49% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 21% Syrah and 5% Counoise, this is Jason Haas's favorite vintage of Esprit since 2006, and it's easy to see why.
Deep ruby. Smoke- and spice-tinged red and black fruits, incense and potpourri on the highly perfumed nose. Plush, seamless and expansive on the palate, offering intense raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors and a repeating floral quality. Rich but impressively graceful as well, showing litheness and cut thanks to a core of juicy acidity. Displays superb energy and focus on the very persistent, fruit-driven finish, which is framed and firmed by dusty, slow-building tannins.
About the producer
Product details
Grenache/ Garnacha , Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro, Syrah / Shiraz, Counoise, Vaccarese
Red
Dry