2016 Panoplie

The 2016 Panoplie, a blend of 66% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah and 9% Grenache, is pale to medium ruby with aromas of warm black cherries, blackberries, graphite, pipe tobacco and autumn leaves with accents of red berries and citrus peel. Light to medium-bodied, it offers intense, savory/earthy fruits with a firm, grainy frame and good freshness, finishing long and spicy. 770 cases produced.

The 2016 Panoplie checks in as 66% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah, and the rest Grenache and, as always, was brought up in foudre. This smoky, meaty, powerful red boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as fabulous notes of red and black fruits, ground pepper, damp earth, and truffles. It has beautiful purity of fruit (which is a hallmark of the vintage), plenty of tannins, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 15-20 years. This was another terrific tasting with Jason Haas, and he and his team at Tablas Creek continue to make elegant, classic, balanced wines from their estate in the northwestern part of Paso Robles. It’s worth noting that since 2008 they’ve favored cooler temperatures during fermentation and this shows in their wines’ purity and freshness. However, in my opinion, the wines today lack some of the depth and intensity found in previous vintages. Nevertheless, these are beautiful wine that age incredibly well.

Deep brilliant violet. Energetic, mineral-accented aromas of ripe red and dark berries are complicated by suggestions of incense and potpourri. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering impressively concentrated black raspberry, cherry liqueur and violet pastille flavors and a strong suggestion of five-spice powder. Finishes extremely long and sweet, featuring slow-building tannins, a hint of smokiness and repeating florality.