Tasting Note                         

92   2006  Tablas Creek   Esprit de Beaucastel (Paso Robles)   11/7/15  ($40)

45% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 5% Counoise   14.5% alc
Color: Deep black cherry to garnet with slight browning at the rim. (3.0) Bouquet: Wild black raspberry and boysenberry complemented by lavender, rosemary and white pepper. (3.0) Body: Rich, tangy, spicy mouthfeel. Excellent fruit, acidity and smooth tannins. Light heavyweight. (3.0) Flavor: Parallels bouquet with exotic spice being more expressive here. (3.5) Finish: Long and spicy. (3.0)
Overall: Very Chateauneuf with the 4 grape varieties combining to make a wine that is more interesting than the sum of its parts. Complex spice, white pepper and lavender nuances intermix with wild black raspberry and boysenberry fruit, giving it wonderful energy. Its flavors are concentrated, yet not at all heavy. Made in a similar mold as Carlisle's Three Birds. I'd love to taste these two along side a Chateauneuf with a significant Mourvedre component. Drink now with a decant or age another 2-4 years. (15.5)

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