AMERICAN WINE

Tablas Creek was founded by the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and their importer, Robert Haas. The goal was to produce California's best examples of southern Rhône varietals and Chateauneuf-du-Pape style blends. The partners chose a 120-acre property in the hills of westside Paso Robles for its similarities to Chateauneuf-du-Pape: limestone soils, favorable climate, and rugged terrain. Tablas Creek emphasizes dry farming (no watering) to seek maximum expression from their grapes, and they farm organically. Their signature white is named Esprit de Tablas, and is modeled after the Beaucastel wines from the Rhone Valley.

ANTONIO GALLONI'S VINOUS MEDIA 93 POINTS - "Pale straw-gold. Intense, mineral-accented Meyer lemon, nectarine and pear skin aromas are complemented by a deeper honey nuance. Tightly wound citrus and orchard fruit flavors unfurl slowly with air, picking up a suave floral character and a hint of chalky minerality. The impressively long, incisive finish shows outstanding clarity and leaves behind lively citrus zest and honeysuckle notes."

JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - "Moving to a small retrospective of the Esprit de Tablas Blanc cuvee, the 2016 Esprit de Tablas Blanc (75% Roussanne, 18% Grenache Blanc, and the rest Picpoul Blanc aged in foudre) offers a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and textured style to go with youthful notes of ripe apple, buttered citrus, and some spicy, mineral nuances. It's still a baby yet certainly offers pleasure."

ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "A blend of 75% Roussanne, 18% Grenache Blanc and 7% Picpoul Blanc, the 2016 Esprit Blanc de Tablas reveals aromas of honeyed citrus, fresh peaches and white flowers. On the palate, it's full-bodied, textural and layered, has good concentration and depth and is nicely balanced despite its rich, gourmand qualities. Haas feels that the estate's Roussanne was especially successful this year, thus the 2016 contains the largest percentage of that grape in this blend's history. Give it a few years in the cellar to unwind before following it for a decade or more."