We visited the Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California. I was impressed with all their wines. They are dedicated to growing wine varietals traditional to France’s Rhône Valley. All Tablas Creek wines are estate grown using environmentally sensitive, sustainable practices. They chose the Paso Robles area because of its hilly terrain, limestone soils, and ocean influence.
I saw a bottle of the Côtes de Tablas at Bristol Farms the other day, it was selling for $22.99. I am going serve it as one of my Thanksgiving wines, as it would certainly complement the turkey dinner.
Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas is a blend of four estate-grown Rhône varietals: Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre. Like most wines of the Southern Rhône, it is a blend of varietals, featuring the fruitiness of Grenache balanced by the spice and structure of Syrah, with meaty, earthy notes from Mourvedre and Counoise. The 2004 Côtes de Tablas has a juicy berry nose of currants, raspberries, licorice and spice. The mouth is full of rich, sweet Grenache fruit showing good acidity and a long finish.
I also recommend these wonderful wine tumblers by Riedel Crystal. Great for everyday use, as they can go in the dishwasher.
What are you serving with The Bird this year?
Hi Lori,
Thanks for the nice recommendation! I think that Rhone wines (red, white, and rose) are all excellent ideas for Thanksgiving, as they have fruit, spice and acids and are usually lighter on the tannins and oak that can make pairing with a wide array of dishes more difficult.
We’ve also developed some specific recipes to pair with each wine. Readers can view recipe suggestions and other food ideas for the Cotes de Tablas at http://www.tablascreek.com/cotes04.shtml.
Thanks!
-Jason
Jason Haas
General Manager
Tablas Creek Vineyard
http://www.tablascreek.com
http://tablascreek.typepad.com
Thanks for stopping by Jason! We love your wines…