87+(?) 2005 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (Paso Robles) 8/22/14 ($32)
70% Rousanne, 25% Grenache Blanc, 5% Picpoul Blanc 14.5% alc (winery is a Perrin/Haas joint venture)
Color: Deep bright gold. (3.5) Bouquet: Beeswax, honey and ripe poached pear. (3.0) Body: Excellent fruit, but does show heat adding some bitterness. Very good acidity supporting and coats the mouth nicely. Heavyweight. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but bitterness gets in the way of the fruit. (2.5) Finish: Parallels flavor. (2.5)
Overall: I liked this wine a lot when it was young, gave it 92 pts., but showing significant bitterness now, which masks the fruit. Still relatively young, so hopefully it comes together in the next 3-5 years. Serve at frig temperature for now to help cut the heat and bitterness. (14.5)
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