Vintage Chart
Current Vintages
Côtes de Tablas 2008
Esprit de Beaucastel 2007
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2008
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2007
Rosé 2008
Roussanne 2007*
Grenache Blanc 2006
Mourvedre 2007
Grenache 2007
Syrah 2006
En Gobelet 2007*
Tannat 2007*
Panoplie 2006*
Vermentino 2008*
Picpoul Blanc 2008*
Bergeron 2008*
Antithesis Chardonnay 2007*
Vin de Paille 2006*
Vin de Paille "Quintessence" 2006*
Vin de Paille "Sacrerouge" 2006*
Counoise 2005*
Viognier 2006*
Recent Vintages
Côtes de Tablas 2007
Esprit de Beaucastel 2006
Côtes de Tablas 2006
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2007
Mourvedre 2006
Grenache 2006*
Tannat 2006*
Rosé 2007
Esprit de Beaucastel 2005
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2006
Roussanne 2006
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2006
Côtes de Tablas 2005
Syrah 2005
Panoplie 2005*
Mourvedre 2005
Tannat 2005*
Vermentino 2006*
Antithesis Chardonnay 2006*
Esprit de Beaucastel 2004
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2005
Rosé 2006
Côtes de Tablas 2004
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2005
Vin de Paille 2005*
Vin de Paille "Quintessence" 2005*
Vin de Paille "Sacrerouge" 2005*
Panoplie 2004*
Roussanne 2005
Grenache Blanc 2005
Picpoul Blanc 2005*
Mourvedre 2004
Syrah 2004
Tannat 2004*
Esprit de Beaucastel 2003
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2004
Antithesis Chardonnay 2005*
Vermentino 2005*
Rosé 2005
Grenache Blanc 2004
Roussanne 2004
Viognier 2004*
Vin de Paille 2004*
Vin de Paille "Quintessence" 2004*
Vin de Paille "Sacrerouge" 2003*
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2003
Rosé 2004
Côtes de Tablas 2003
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2004
Roussanne 2003
Mourvedre 2003
Syrah 2003
Panoplie 2003*
Tannat 2003*
Vermentino 2003*
Picpoul Blanc 2003*
Tannat 2002*
Vin de Paille 2003*
Vin de Paille "Quintessence" 2003*
Glenrose Vineyard 2002*
Esprit de Beaucastel 2002
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2002
Rosé 2003
Côtes de Tablas 2002
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2003
Panoplie 2002*
Roussanne 2002
Côtes de Tablas 2001
Rosé 2002
Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2002
Esprit de Beaucastel 2000
Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc 2001
Côtes de Tablas 2000
Rosé 2001
Panoplie 2000*
Reserve Cuvée 1999
Petite Cuvée 1999*
Clos Blanc 2000
Antithesis 2000*
Rosé 2000
Rouge 1998
Blanc 1999
Rosé 1999
Rouge 1997
Blanc 1998
* Available Winery/Internet Only
2004 Esprit de Beaucastel: 5 Stars from Decanter
We are thrilled to announce that the 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel received Decanter Magazine's highest rating (5 stars) in their August 2007 California supplement. This follows Robert Parker's 92-point rating and Steve Tanzer's 92+ point rating in the International Wine Cellar.

This wine is available to through our online wine shop, as well as through national distribution.

The 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel was released to VINsider wine club members in the September 2006 club shipment. We have details on the VINsider Wine Club.
   

Esprit de Beauacstel 2004 Bottle Photo

TECHNICAL NOTES
50% Mourvèdre
27% Syrah
17% Grenache
6% Counoise

14.5% alcohol by volume
3250 cases produced

FOOD PAIRINGS
Game
Dark Fowl (i.e., duck)
Richly flavored stews
Lamb
Asian preparation of red meats (i.e., beef stir fry)

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS
Boeuf Provencal
Braised Short Ribs

Printable Brand Sheet

Printable Restaurant/Shelf Talker

Reviews

Wine Advocate (Aug. 2007)
Decanter (Aug. 2007)
Restaurant Wine (May 2007)
Wine Review Online (Apr. 2007)
Wine Enthusiast (Apr. 2007)
San Francisco Chronicle (Dec. 2006)
Gang of Pour (Nov. 2006)
Wine Spectator Online (Oct. 2006)
Stephen Tanzer (Sep. 2006)
Wine Advocate (Aug. 2006)


How is it drinking?
Vintage Chart

The Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel 2004 is a blend of four estate-grown varietals, propagated from budwood cuttings from the Château de Beaucastel estate.

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, good acids, and good structure. Our first lots of Syrah came in on September 3rd, followed by Grenache on September 17th, and Counoise September 30th. An early onset of the fall rains on October 14th stopped harvest for a short time, but two weeks of sunny, cool, and breezy temperatures allowed us to harvest most of the rest of the Mourvedre between October 23rd and 25th. A final lot of Mourvedre, harvested on November 18th (our latest harvest ever) completed the 2004 vintage.

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

The grapes were fermented using native yeasts in open and closed stainless steel fermenters. After pressing, the wines were moved into barrel, blended, and aged in 1200-gallon French oak foudres before being bottled in June 2006. The wine is unfined and unfiltered.

The 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel is dark black-red in color, with a rich briary nose of dark red fruit (plum and currant), sweet spices (nutmeg, clove) and mocha. The elegant, layered palate shows spicy plum and cherry fruit, smoky, meaty flavors, and ripe tannins. The long finish reveals mineral and black cherry. The wine is showing remarkably well now, but should evolve elegantly in bottle for 10-15 years or longer.

Updated tasting notes from a May 2009 vertical tasting can be found on the Tablas Creek blog.

Esprit de Beaucastel 2004 Label