2010 Patelin de Tablas

Wine Spectator: 91 points; "wonderful ... at a can't-miss price"; Wine Advocate: "one of the finest values in California wine"

We were thrilled to see the praise for the Patelin de Tablas from two respected reviewers recently. The Wine Spectator gave the wine 91 points and the comments "a wonderful mix of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise from Paso Robles at a can’t-miss price" [read full review] and Antonio Galloni, in the August 2011 Wine Advocate, called it "a plump, mouthfilling red loaded with fruit and sheer character" and "one of the finest values in California wine". [more recent press]

Production Notes

The Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas is a blend of four red Rhône varietals: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise. The wine incorporates fruit from seven top Rhône vineyards in Paso Robles, each vineyard selected for its quality. Like many red wines from the Rhône Valley, it is based on the dark fruit, mineral and spice of Syrah, with the brightness and fresh acidity of Grenache, the structure and meatiness of Mourvèdre and a small addition of Counoise for complexity.

Grapes for the Patelin de Tablas are sourced from two limestone-rich regions in Paso Robles: the warm Adelaida Hills and the cool Templeton Gap:

  • Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise from the Tablas Creek certified organic estate vineyard
  • Syrah from the biodynamically-farmed Chequera Vineyard (Templeton Gap)
  • Tablas-clone Grenache from the Edward Sellers Vineyard (Templeton Gap)
  • Tablas-clone Mourvèdre from the Glenrose Vineyard (Adelaida Hills)
  • Syrah and Grenache from the La Vista Vineyard (Adelaida Hills)
  • Grenache and Tablas-clone Mourvèdre from Briarwood Vineyard (Templeton Gap)
  • Syrah from Vina del Sol (Templeton Gap)

The 2010 vintage saw healthy rainfall after three years of drought. The ample early-season groundwater and a lack of spring frosts produced a good fruit set. A very cool summer delayed ripening by roughly three weeks, with harvest not beginning until mid-September and still less than half complete in mid-October. Warm, sunny weather between mid-October and mid-November allowed the later-ripening varieties to reach full maturity. The long hangtime and cool temperatures combined to produce fruit with intense flavors and dark color at low alcohol levels.

Patelin de Tablas grapes were harvested from La Vista Vineyard on September 24th, from Briarwood on September 29th and November 19th, from Vina del Sol on October 1st, Edward Sellers Vineyard on October 20th, from Chequera Vineyard on October 20th and 21st and from Glenrose Vineyard on November 18th. The various lots from Tablas Creek were harvested between September 28th and November 18th.

All varietals for the Patelin de Tablas were destemmed and fermented in either open-top or closed stainless steel fermenters with only native yeasts. After fermentation, the wines were racked and blended, aged in a mix of stainless steel and 1200-gallon foudres, and bottled in June 2011.

Tasting Notes

The 2010 Patelin de Tablas marries the spice, mineral and structure of Syrah with the generous fruit of Grenache, the backbone of Mourvedre and the brightness of Counoise. Drink it now or over the next decade.

Vineyard Sources

  • Tablas Creek Vineyard 24%
  • Chequera Vineyard 24%
  • Edward Sellers Vineyard 13%
  • Glenrose Vineyard 11%
  • La Vista Vineyard 11%
  • Briarwood Vineyard 9%
  • Vina del Sol Vineyard 8%

Reviews

[...more recent Tablas Creek press]

Recipe Suggestions

[...more recipes]

Food Pairings

  • Grilled meats
  • Pastas with meat sauces
  • Roast pork loin
  • Beef stews
  • Beef or pork stir fries
Patelin de Tablas

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Blend

  • 39% Syrah
  • 36% Grenache
  • 22% Mourvedre
  • 3% Counoise

Technical Notes

  • 14.1% Alcohol by Volume
  • 4900 Cases Produced

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