2013 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas
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Tasting notes
40% Mourvèdre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache and 10% Counoise, 10 months in French oak foudres . The sunny 2013 vintage (the second year of drought) brought the harvest start to 27 August for the Syrah, although Counoise held on until 7 October. All the vines came from budwood cuttings at Château de Beaucastel. Organic. Sweet and easy. Unlike the price. Pretty tart on the end. Sweet initially. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The backbone of the estate is their Esprit de Tablas, and the 2013 Esprit de Tablas is a fresh, focused, ruby colored effort that offers plenty of black cherry, blackberry, ground herbs and pepper in a medium-bodied, yet big boned, firm and nicely concentrated package. Made from 40% Mourvedre, 28% Syrah, 22% Grenache and 10% Counoise, aged in foudre, it needs 2-3 years of bottle age to fill out, and will drink well over the following decade.
Opaque ruby. Deep, smoke-accented aromas of red and blue fruits, candied flowers and cracked pepper convey a slow-building mineral quality. At once rich and energetic, offering intense black raspberry and boysenberry compote flavors given spine by juicy acidity. Finishes spicy and impressively long, with velvety tannins arriving late and adding gentle grip.
Bright ruby. High-pitched red berry, cherry and floral pastille aromas are complicated by suggestions of allspice and smoky minerals. Sappy and concentrated, showing strong spicy lift to its bitter cherry and raspberry flavors. The floral note comes back strong on the strikingly long finish, which is shaped by smooth, slow-building tannins.