2015 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc

Composed of 55% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc and 17% Picpoul Blanc, the 2015 Esprit Blanc de Tablas is a bit of an animal—in the best possible way! It opens with a nose of charcuterie, salted nuts and dried herbs over a core of lemon curd, fresh peaches and hay. The medium-bodied palate delivers loads of savory layers, matched by a lively backbone and satiny texture, finishing long with herb and nut layers. 1,875 cases were made. This should age beautifully over the next ten years!

Tasted out of bottle, the 2015 Esprit de Tablas Blanc checks in as a blend of 55% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc and 17% Picpoul Blanc raised mostly in foudre. It’s a rich, beautifully layered and textured white that’s going to shine on the dinner table. Exotic/tropical notes of orange blossom, caramelized lemons, wood smoke and spice give way to a medium to full-bodied, clean, impeccably balanced white that has plenty of density and length. It’s beautiful today, yet has the capacity to evolve gracefully for 10-15 years. This is another solid lineup by Jason Haas’ Tablas Creek, which is in the northern part of Paso Robles. The 2014s are charming and forward, with the 2015s showing the more elegant, silky style of the vintage. Haas commented that the vines were tired in 2015 and stressed by the alternating hot/cold cycles that persisted throughout the year. while yields were lower in 2015, there was no pressure to harvest, which allowed them to do multiple passes and picks through each site.

Pale gold. Fresh lime, quince, white flowers and dusty minerals on the powerfully scented nose. Bright, sharply focused citrus and orchard fruit flavors stain the palate and are complemented by a suave honeysuckle quality. Racy and precise on the strikingly persistent finish, which leaves behind bitter citrus zest, mineral and floral notes.