Printable Restaurant/Shelf Talker

Reviews

Gang of Pour (Nov. 2006)
Stephen Tanzer (Sep. 2006)
Wine Advocate (Aug. 2006)
Wine Advocate (June 2005)

How is it drinking?
Vintage Chart

The Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Blanc is a blend of four estate-grown white Rhône varietals: Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne. The wine, like most wines of the Southern Rhône, is a blend of varietals, featuring the aromatics and fruit of the Viognier, the flavors and clean minerality of the Marsanne and Roussanne, and the crisp acids and rich mouthfeel of the Grenache Blanc.

The 2004 Côtes de Tablas Blanc is Tablas Creek's third national release of its Viognier-based white blend, made in a rich and aromatic style, yet with a clean minerality in the mouth, bright acidity, and a long finish. Like our Côtes de Tablas red, this wine is designed to be ready to drink young: at its peak from the moment of its release.

As with all our wines, the grapes for our Côtes de Tablas Blanc were grown on our 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard.

The 2004 vintage was excellent, with a very early spring balanced by a long, warm (but rarely hot) summer. The extended ripening cycle gave the grapes intense aromatics, pronounced minerality, and good structure. Unusually, there were periods of harvest when we were harvesting all our white grapes simultaneously. The Viognier was harvested between August 23rd and September 27th, the Marsanne between September 7th and 14th, the Grenache Blanc between September 22nd and 28th, and the Roussanne between September 10th and 29th.

All varietals for the Côtes de Tablas Blanc were whole cluster pressed, and fermented in stainless steel to emphasize the clean crisp flavors and preserve the aromatics. Only native yeasts were used. After fermentation, the wines were racked and blended, and bottled in June 2005. The wine underwent only a light cold stabilization before bottling.

The 2004 Côtes de Tablas Blanc is a blend in the style of French Cotes du Rhone whites, and features spicy aromas of herbs, stone fruits and minerals are followed in the mouth by apricot flavors, rich texture, bright acidity, and a long, clean peachy finish.