The 2020 Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas Blanc is made up of 40% Grenache Blanc, 21% Viognier, 19% Roussanne, 15% Marsanne and 5% Clairette Blanche - sourced from various Paso Robles vineyards which lean in the Rhône direction. For this wine, those vineyards are Derby, Tablas Creek, Fralich, Creston Ridge and M du R.
They say the wine "marries the richness and vibrancy of Grenache Blanc with the aromatics of Viognier and the structure and minerality of Marsanne, Roussanne and Clairette Blanche."
Alcohol tips in at 13% abv and the wine cost around $25 when I bought it recently at a local specialty store.
The golden tint has a green element to it. The wine's nose is a veritable fruit basket of tropical aromas - pineapple, mango, lemons - and a quarry full of minerals. The mouthfeel is rich and creamy, yet with a zing of acidity that tingles. The palate brings Meyer lemon, some tangerine and a touch of apricot to the party. Delicious.
The red version - the 2019 Patelin de Tablas - is a blend of four red Rhône varietals: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Counoise. They say 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 small additions of Counoise for complexity."
The rouge is medium dark, but light enough that I can see through it. The nose displays brambly blackberry and black cherry. On the palate, blackberry and blueberry notes are right up front. It is very fresh and fruity, and I hardly notice any oak effect at all, although it was fermented in oak and steel and aged for a year in upright oak tanks. The wine drinks quite smoothly, with tannins that are fairly firm. The medium finish is all about the fruit.
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