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2010 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc
- White Rhone Blend
- Written by Fred Swan
- Created on Monday, 16 April 2012 19:29
2010 was the first vintage of Tablas Creek’s Patelin de Tablas line. It is intended to offer fresh tasting, ready-to-drink wines of very high quality with a retail prices of just $20. I was impressed by the wines when I first tasted them in November of last year and realized today that I’ve not written about them.
The Patelin de Tablas wines differ from Tablas Creek’s other bottlings in that the Patelin are not made exclusively from estate fruit. In the 2010 Patelin de Tablas Blanc for example, a total of five vineyards were used with 16% of the fruit being Tablas Creek estate. The 2011 (just released) includes grapes from eleven vineyards. [The 2011 vintage was a brutal one for Paso Robles Viognier yields. A late frost destroyed almost the entire crop for many growers, hence the need for so many sources for the new Patelin de Tablas Blanc.]
I revisited the 2010 Patelin de Tablas Blanc yesterday. The color is still lemon-green and the aromas fresh. I smelled lemon zest, ripe green apple, white flowers and chalk. The wine is supple and medium-bodied with acidity that is food-friendly but still suitable for by-the-glass drinking on it’s own. Flavors were similar to the nose with ripe green apple, citrus rind, a subtle hint of tropical fruit and chalky minerality. The finish is medium-plus in length and lightly mouth-watering with persistent minerality. Recommended+.
This wine is no longer available from Tablas Creek directly but is still available from some retailers. I have not yet tried the 2011. I plan to do so in two weeks. However, if you see some it at retail, I think you can buy it with confidence.
2010 Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc
Rating: Recommended+
Drink: Now through 2013
Bottling Date: February, 2011
Closure: Screwtop
Production: 2,700 cases
Retail Price: $20.00
Blend: 50% Grenache Blanc, 33% Viognier, 10% Roussanne, 7% Marsanne
Origin: Paso Robles AVA - Edward Sellers Vineyard 30%, Chequera Vineyard 29%, Tablas Creek Vineyard 16%, Catherine’s Vineyard 13%, Dawson’s Creek Vineyard 12%
Fermentation: Whole cluster press, fermented in stainless steel with native yeast
Aging: None Alcohol: 13.5%
Service Recommendations
Decanting: Not required
Temperature: 48º - 52º F
Food Pairing: White fish or scallops with fresh herbs
The wine above was purchased for review.
If you like Rhone-variety wines, don’t miss the upcoming Hospice du Rhone on April 27 & 28: Looking Forward to Hospice du Rhone 2012
For more about HdR, take a look at these articles too:
Interview: John Alban on the 1st Hospice du Rhone and the State of Rhone Variety Wines in 1993
Interview: John Alban on the Evolution of Hospice du Rhone and the Market for Rhone Variety Wines
Recap of Hospice du Rhone 2011 - Day One
Recap of Hospice du Rhone 2011 - Day Two
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This article is original to NorCalWine.com. Copyright 2012 NorCal Wine. All rights reserved.