T ABLAS CREEK VINEYARD CÔTES CDEÔTES TABLAS DE TABLAS BLAN 2005C 2010 The Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas is a blend of four estate-grownThe Tablas Rhône Creek varietals: Vineyard Grenache, Côtes Syrah, de CounoiseTablas and Mourvedre.Blanc is a blendLike most of four wines estate-grown of the Southern white Rhône, Rhône it is a blendvarietals: of varietals, Viognier, featuring Grenache the fruitiness Blanc, of RoussanneGrenache bal- ancedand by theMarsanne. spice and The structure wine, oflike Syrah, most with wines meaty, of earthythe notesSouthern from Mourvedre Rhône, and is aCounoise. blend of varietals, featuring the floral aromatics and stone fruit of Viognier, the The 2005crisp vintage acids and was richone ofmouthfeel nature’s luckyof Grenache breaks, with Blanc, excel- lent quality and higher-than-normal yields. The summer was and the structure and minerality of Marsanne and uniformly sunny but relatively cool, and harvest began (rela- tivelyRoussanne. late for us) in the 3rd week of September. The grapes spent nearly a month longer than normal on the vine, and the resultingThe grapes wines for were our intensely Côtes de mineral, Tablas with Blanc good were struc- ture andgrown powerful on our aromatics. 120-acre Our certified fi rst lots oforganic Syrah cameestate in on Septembervineyard. 29th, followed by Grenache on October 5th, Mourvedre on October 11th, and (unusually for us, our last varietalThe harvested) 2010 vintageCounoise saw on October healthy 28th. rainfall after three years of drought. The ample early-season All varietalsgroundwater were fermentedand a lack inof stainlessspring frosts steel produced with the ause of nativegood yeasts: fruit set. the A Syrahvery cool in open-top summer fermenters, delayed ripening punched down manually, and the other varietals in closed fermen- by roughly three weeks, with harvest not beginning ters with pump-over aeration. After pressing, the wines were racked,until blended, mid-September aged for a yearand instill 1200-gallon less than French half oak foudres,complete and then in bottledmid-October. in April 2007.Warm, The sunny wines weatherunderwent only abetween light fi ltration mid-October before bottling. and mid-November allowed the later-ripening varieties to reach full maturity. The TECHNICAL NOTES The 2005long Côteshangtime de Tablas and cool has antemperatures intensely Grenache combined nose of rareto steak,produce pepper fruit andwith blueberry.intense flavors It is juicy at andlow richalcohol in the 43% Grenache mouth,levels. with Viognierripe tannins was and harvested a fi nish laced between with Septemberlicorice. 24% Mourvèdre 16th and October 1st, followed by Marsanne on 18% Syrah October 4th and Roussanne between October 12th 15% Counoise and 27th. Grenache Blanc parcels were picked TECHNICAL NOTES between September 21st and November 12th. 14.8%54% Alcohol Viognier by Volume 30% Grenache Blanc 3500 Cases Produced All varietals for the Côtes de Tablas Blanc were 8% Marsanne whole cluster pressed, and fermented in stainless 8% Roussanne FOOD PAIRINGS steel to emphasize their clean crisp flavors and preserve their aromatics. Only native yeasts were Grilled13.5% Steaks Alcohol by Volume used. After fermentation, the wines were racked Pasta2400 with Cases Meat ProducedSauces and blended, and bottled in June 2011. The wine Rich Beef Stews underwent only a light cold stabilization before SpicyFOOD Sausages PAIRINGS bottling. Mussels Marinière Green salads with avocado The 2010 Côtes de Tablas Blanc features a serious and citrus dressing nose, minty with stone fruits and honeydew lurking Scallops underneath. The mouth is broad and rich, peaches Ceviche and cream, but dry, with a very long finish with a Light fish (halibut, sole) hint of tannin reminiscent of red apple skins, cream, with tropical salsa and rocks, nicely saline at the end. Distributed by Vineyard Brands • Vineyard Brands Selections • www.vineyardbrands.com • www.tablascreek.com • TAB198.