Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel 2003

Written By Campbell Mattinson
Bottle of Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel 2003.

Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel 2003
14.8% alcohol, cork, Paso Robles, CA, USA.

This was tasted on the Mattinson in California trail. It’s a blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 27% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 7% Counoise.

Developed but given its age the fruit still presents as incredibly bright. Lovely shape, garrigue herbs, velvety tannin, fresh but flavoured acidity. If you told me this was 8 or 9 years old rather than 23 years old I wouldn't have blinked. But even so its magic isn’t in its unusual youthfulness. It’s in the verve, the flowery herbs, the roasted nut notes and the layers of flavour and texture. This is drinking wonderfully right now, and is at its very peak. That said, well-stored bottles will not fall over in a hurry. 94 points.

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson has been an independent journalist, wine critic and photographer for forty years. He founded The Winefront, is a former chief editor of the Halliday Wine Companion (and former editor of Halliday magazine), and is the only Australian to have won the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year Award more than once. He is 100% independent, and tastes between 5,000 and 10,000 wines each year, blind and in comparative brackets as often as is practicable.

More about Campbell Mattinson

Mattinson is also the founder of the Mattinson Photography business.

https://www.campbellmattinson.com
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