The 2009 Esprit de Beaucastel ‘Panoplie’ is strikingly beautiful. Layers of dark fruit caress the palate, followed by a rich tapestry of plums, wild herbs, licorice, sage and rosemary. The Panoplie possesses gorgeous inner perfume and a mid-palate pliancy that follows through to the massive, building finish. A final blast of black fruit, tar, smoke, licorice and tannin leaves a lasting impression. I might have a slight preference for the 2008, but that is splitting hairs at this level. In 2009 the blend is 65% Mourvedre, 26% Grenache and 9% Syrah. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. Tablas Creek was founded as a partnership between Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Robert Haas, owner of Beaucastel’s US importer, Vineyard Brands. Tablas Creek is one of the pioneers for Rhone varieties in Paso Robles, not just for the quality of the wines, but just as importantly for creating a nursery of clones from Beaucastel cuttings that are now used widely throughout the region. The estate currently has about 105 acres under vine. Tablas Creek works with indigenous yeasts and favors large, neutral oak barrels and casks for aging. Vintage 2009 was the third in a series of drought years for the estate, which along with a severe spring frost reduced yields dramatically to less than 1.85 tons per acre. The wines, though, are striking. Vintage 2010 could not have been more different. There was no spring frost. Instead the estate received a whopping 44 inches of rain. A cold summer led to a late harvest that started during the second half of October and lasted until early November. Readers will find a broad range of compelling bottles across all price ranges. As an aside, Tablas Creek is one of the highest-quality estates in California that has the facilities and capacity to receive visitors.Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com

The 2008 Esprit de Beaucastel ‘Panoplie’ flows with the essence of dark plums, black cherries, licorice and leather. It is bigger, richer and darker than the straight Esprit, with more inner palate sweetness and sheer power. Tar, spices, iron, crushed rocks and a host of other dark aromas and flavors give the Panoplie much of its distinctive brooding, inward personality. In 2008 the Panoplie is 54% Mourvedre, 29% Grenache and 17% Syrah. This is a fabulous effort from Tablas Creek. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. Tablas Creek was founded as a partnership between Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Robert Haas, owner of Beaucastel’s US importer, Vineyard Brands. Tablas Creek is one of the pioneers for Rhone varieties in Paso Robles, not just for the quality of the wines, but just as importantly for creating a nursery of clones from Beaucastel cuttings that are now used widely throughout the region. The estate currently has about 105 acres under vine. Tablas Creek works with indigenous yeasts and favors large, neutral oak barrels and casks for aging. Vintage 2009 was the third in a series of drought years for the estate, which along with a severe spring frost reduced yields dramatically to less than 1.85 tons per acre. The wines, though, are striking. Vintage 2010 could not have been more different. There was no spring frost. Instead the estate received a whopping 44 inches of rain. A cold summer led to a late harvest that started during the second half of October and lasted until early November. Readers will find a broad range of compelling bottles across all price ranges. As an aside, Tablas Creek is one of the highest-quality estates in California that has the facilities and capacity to receive visitors.Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com

The limited-production (around 540 cases), compelling 2007 Panoplie, is a real connoisseur’s pick. A blend of 60% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, and 10% Syrah, tipping the scales at 14.5% alcohol, the wine has notes of graphite, camphor, acacia flowers, and black currant as well as hints of blueberry and coffee bean. The wine is very rich, full-bodied, but at the same time, the limestone soils at Tablas Creek seem to impart a definition and structured style that provide uplift to what is a very powerful, rich, full-bodied wine. It should drink well for 15 or more years. Robert Haas, the iconic French wine importer, who was one of the first to bring estate-bottled French wines into the United States, continues to go from strength to strength at Tablas Creek. His partner remains the Perrin family of Chateau Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape. They have had three tiny vintages in a row, all producing very small yields, but the quality of their 2007s is the best in the history of the winery, and 2008 is certainly a strong vintage as well. These are wonderful, food-friendly wines with considerable complexity. While they do some varietal naming, the strength of Tablas Creek is their extraordinary Rhone Ranger blends, whether white or red. The 2009 vintage turned out to be an even smaller crop than 2008 and 2007 as a result of spring frost.Tel. (805) 237-1231; Fax (805) 237-1314

A blockbuster offering is the 2006 Panoplie (68% Mourvedre, 27% Grenache, and 5% Syrah). Aged in large wood foudres and the smaller demi-muids, this beauty reveals notes of soy, roasted herbs, gamy animal, and copious quantities of black and blue fruits. With superb texture, full-bodied richness, and a long finish, it should drink nicely for 10-15 years. This Paso Robles outpost is owned by two Francophiles, Frenchman Francois Perrin (one of the owners of the Rhone Valley's Chateau Beaucastel) and Robert Haas (founder of the import company Vineyard Brands, and a pioneer importer of estate-bottled French wines). Seeking out steep limestone ridges near the Pacific Ocean, Tablas Creek was a work in progress for its first four to five years, but it has come on like gang-busters in the 21st century. The 2007s are unquestionably their finest wines to date, but readers should not overlook the excellent 2006s.Tel. (805) 237-1231; Fax (805) 237-1314

Tablas Creek’s top red is the 350-case 2005 Panoplie (composed of 70% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, and 5% Syrah). This is the most compelling Mourvedre-dominated wine made in California, if not the New World. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a stunning bouquet of smoky, gamy, Peking duck, fresh mushrooms, burning embers, and loads of black fruits. This dense, full-bodied, tannic 2005 is the California equivalent of the luxury cuvee of Chateau Beaucastel, the Hommage a Jacques Perrin. Give it 1-2 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15+. Readers would be hard pressed to find more French-like wines in the Paso Robles corridor than those produced by Tablas Creek. This is a partnership between renowned importer Robert Haas (Vineyard Brands), one of the pioneers of estate-bottled French wines, and Francois Perrin, one of the owners of Chateau Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape. Haas and Perrin run a serious vineyard operation with vines planted on the steep hillsides in pure limestone soils, not far from the Pacific Ocean. All of these cuvees possess distinctive personalities, good acids, and striking minerality. Even though they make very good single varietal wines, I still believe their strength lies in their sensational blends. That said, my two favorite dry whites, other than the blended wines, are their Chablis-like, unwooded Antithesis Chardonnay and the tank-fermented and aged, exquisite Vermentino. The 2005 red wines have all been bottled. I tasted a handful of 2007 reds, which appears to be a superb vintage for Tablas Creek. (Production was down 15% for the red wine varietals and 30% for the whites, thus giving everything an extra degree of concentration.)Tel. (805) 237-1231; Fax (805) 237-1314