Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Rouge 2018
The Tablas Creek Vineyard Patelin de Tablas is a blend of four red Rhône grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Patelin is French slang for "neighbourhood" and the wine incorporates fruit from several of the top Rhône vineyards in Paso Robles, each vineyard selected for its quality. Like many red wines from the Rhône Valley, it is based on the dark fruit, mineral and spice of Syrah, with the brightness and fresh acidity of Grenache, the structure and meatiness of Mourvèdre and a small addition of Counoise for complexity. Patelin de Tablas has a savoury, dark, Syrah-driven nose of blackberries, crushed rock, menthol and saddle leather, with a little sweet lift like honey graham crackers. The mouth shows black cherry, loam, and pepper spice, with chalky tannins and flavours of cranberry and freshly turned earth that come out on the finish. Delicious now, but with the substance and balance to age for up to a decade.
