2020 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Blanc, California

The 2020 Esprit de Tablas Blanc, still a touch coiled from its recent bottling, has pretty aromas of baked apples, beeswax, flint and hints of musky perfume. The palate is light-bodied and creamy with focused acidity, delicate, floral fruit and a seamless, savory finish. Give it an hour in the decanter to unfold.

93 points robertparker.com

Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas Blanc is a rich, layered and elegantly structured white Rhône-style blend from California’s Paso Robles, crafted by one of the pioneers of American Rhône varietals. A tribute to Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape — with whom Tablas Creek shares both family ties and vine cuttings — this wine showcases the estate’s limestone soils, organic and biodynamic farming, and a philosophy rooted in restraint and terroir.

The blend is typically dominated by Roussanne, supported by Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc and sometimes Bourboulenc or Clairette, all sourced from estate vineyards in the Adelaida District of western Paso Robles. Fermentation is in a mix of stainless steel and large neutral barrels, with extended ageing on lees to enhance texture and complexity. The Roussanne brings richness and structure, Grenache Blanc adds freshness, and Picpoul lends energy and lift.

In the glass, it opens with aromas of pear, honeysuckle, beeswax, white peach and crushed stone. The palate is full and creamy yet precise, with flavours of baked apple, lemon curd, almond and fennel, layered over chalky acidity and a long, mineral finish. It’s a wine that balances generosity with definition, and has the structure to age gracefully.

Food pairing: ideal with roast chicken and preserved lemon, lobster with drawn butter, butternut squash risotto, or aged sheep’s milk cheese. Also excellent with Moroccan-spiced dishes or white meats with aromatic herbs.

Cellar potential: drinks beautifully on release but will evolve over 8 to 12 years, developing notes of honey, nuts and savoury spice while retaining freshness.