The low yields of the vintage, especially in the case of the Viognier, have given considerable depth to the 2011 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc. Honeysuckle, nectarine, flowers, mint and lightly floral honey all come to life in one of the richer versions of this wine I can remember tasting. Waves of fruit caress the palate on the finish. The 2011 is 27% Viognier, 26% Grenache Blanc, 25% Marsanne and 22% Roussanne. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2014.
As always, my tasting at Tablas Creek was a bit of a marathon session covering several dozen wines, but that is just a testament to a world-class winery that excels at so many things. This year I tasted with proprietor Jason Haas, winemaker Ryan Hebert and assistant winemaker Chelsea Magnusson. Haas describes 2011 as a difficult year. A devastating spring frost reduced yields by as much as 40% in some places. Vintage 2010 was characterized by a long growing season, but without the huge heat spikes that were seen elsewhere. It was also much more plentiful, which gave the winery the quality and ability to bottle its four main red Rhone varieties separately.
Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com
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