2010 Tablas Creek Mourvèdre
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Mourvedre is a classic example of the variety. Offering up plenty of red and black berry fruit, underbrush, tree bark and underlying meatiness, it firms up brilliantly on the palate and has superb purity of fruit, firm tannin and integrated acidity. It’s an impressive effort that shines for its purity and focus more than overflowing richness. It should drink nicely for over a decade. Drink now-2022. Certainly a reference point for Paso Robles, Tablas Creek continues to produce wines in a restrained, age-worthy and savory style that sets them apart. Both 2010 and 2011 are strong here, with the 2010s showing additional depth and concentration and the 2011s showing pretty, elegant profiles. I suspect the 2011s will be on faster evolutionary tracks, but given their balance, they could surprise in the cellar. In addition to their current releases, I was able to do short verticals of their Esprit de Beaucastel (which is now called Esprit de Tablas) and Panoplie. To say I came away impressed would be an understatement. Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Bright ruby. A fragrant bouquet evokes dark berry preserves, violet and licorice complemented by smoke and allspice notes. Sappy, smooth and expansive, offering intense blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors underscored by a zesty mineral nuance. Chewy but fine-grained tannins give shape to the clinging finish, which leaves cherry pit and spice notes behind.
I find stunning beauty and purity in Tablas Creek's 2010 Mourvèdre. Rich yet weightless, it offers up plum, camphor, tobacco, licorice, spices and mint, all to match an impossibly refined, gracious personality. The 2010 is rich yet not at all heavy. It is a wine of incomparable textural finesse.
Like the Grenache, the 2010 Tablas Creek Mourvedre has a textbook profile of crunchy red and black fruits, smoke, roasted meats, and underbrush that gives way to a tight, energetic palate that has fresh acidity, great texture, and enough structure to warrant a year or two in the cellar. It should have a decade or more of longevity.