2011 Tablas Creek Vineyard Panoplie Red Blend Paso Robles

Just bottled at the time of this tasting, the 2011 Esprit de Tablas Panoplie might end up being the wine of the vintage from Paso Robles. Primarily Mourvedre, it offers up knockout black and red fruits, crushed flowers, roasted meat, licorice and spice to go with a full-bodied, balanced and textured palate that builds in richness and depth as it sat in the glass. As with the straight Esprit de Tablas, it is a savory effort that has superb complexity and big structure. (JD) Review Date: August 2013

Possessing the same meatiness that can be found in the Esprit de Beaucastel, the 2011 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Panoplie looks to be a stunning 2011! Inky colored, dense, and layered, this blend of 60% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, and 10% Syrah delivers top-notch aromas of roasted meats, crushed violets, spice, and beautifully pure blackberry styled fruits that lead to a full-bodied, structured, textured, and long wine. This has a rounded texture that keeps it approachable, yet there’s a serious core of fruit and structure here. It will be interesting to see how this evolves in barrel, and then from bottle, but this was an impressive barrel sample! Review Date: June 2012