2000 Côtes de Tablas

Production Notes

The Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas is a blend of two estate-grown Rhône varietals: Grenache and Syrah.The blend, like most wines of the Southern Rhône, focuses on the Grenache varietal. Syrah adds spice and mid-palate density.

The 2000 Côtes de Tablas is Tablas Creek’s first national release of its Grenache-based red blend, made in the style of a full-throttle Côtes du Rhône. The 2000 vintage was particularly favorable to the Grenache grape: warm sunny days through the ripening season gave the Grenache good sugars and excellent balance, while the low yields (2.5–3 tons per acre) produced intense flavors and chewy tannins. The Syrah was harvested on September 18th and 19th, while the Grenache was harvested between September 20th and September 29th.

Both varietals were fermented in stainless steel with the use of native yeasts: the Syrah in open-top fermenters, punched-down manually, and the Grenache in closed fermenters with pump-over aeration. After pressing, the wines were racked and blended, and aged for a year in 1200-gallon French oak foudres. The wines are unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes

The 2000 Côtes de Tablas is a rich, juicy wine, with spicy aromatics of black pepper, licorice, roasted meat, and cassis. The flavors are intensely fruity, with blackberry and kirsch backed up by ripe tannins and impressive concentration.

Updated tasting notes from a September 2011 tasting can be found on the Tablas Creek blog.

Reviews

[...more recent Tablas Creek press]

Food Pairings

  • Grilled steak
  • Pastas with red sauce
  • Cassoulette
  • Coq au Vin
  • Spicy Sausages
Cotes de Tablas

Not Available for Purchase

Blend

  • 84% Grenache
  • 16% Syrah

Technical Notes

  • 15.6% alcohol by volume
  • 740 cases produced

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