2009 Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge

The 2009 Esprit de Beaucastel Panoplie is even better than the straight Esprit, and is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. Today, the Panoplie comes across as very young. Dark cherries, flowers, mint, licorice and tobacco are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass, but ultimately the 2009 is a very primary wine still built on fruit. The 2009 boasts so much pure density that the tannins appear to be nearly buried, but they are there. This is a decidedly huge, dramatic wine from Tablas Creek. The blend is 65% Mourvèdre, 26% Grenache and 9% Syrah.

A final blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 28% Syrah, 27% Grenache, 5% Counoise that's aged all in larger foudre, the 2009 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel is a beautiful wine that offers up classic, almost Châteauneuf-du-Pape like aromas of meaty black cherry, licorice, loads of spiced meat, and mineral qualities on the nose. Full-bodied and youthfully structured and firm, with bright acidity, solid mid-palate concentration, and a chewy, tannic finish, this superb Paso Robles blend should be given 3-4 years of bottle age, and then consumed over the following 12-15 years. Like many southern Rhône blends, this will be approachable and delicious for a number of years after the vintage, yet won’t hit prime drinking until 7-9 years after the vintage.

(40% mourvedre, 28% syrah, 27% grenache and 5% counoise): Vivid ruby-red. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of candied raspberry, potpourri, Asian spices, sandalwood and licorice, with zesty minerality emerging with aeration. Suave, fresh and lithe, showing impressive definition and florality to its seamless red fruit flavors. The spicy, very long finish features gentle tannins and a flavor of red raspberry. A very polished blend.