Drink of the Week: Tablas Creek “Cotes de Tablas” 2011

January 10, 2014

Situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Paso Robles wine region is coming into its own—so much so that we named it a destination to watch in this year’s Imbibe 75 issue. With experimental farming and winemaking practices met by an energetic group of growers and vintners, the region’s wines are better than ever. Today’s Drink of the Week—the Cotes de Tablas from Tablas Creek—blends an organically grown mix of Grenache, Syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre (a featured flavor in this year’s Imbibe 75 issue) from estate vineyards into an approachable, yet nuanced sipper. Fermented with native yeasts is a mix of stainless steel and wood before aging for a full year in large oak foudres, this wine makes a great introduction to the region with notes of plump cherries, licorice, stone minerality and a twang of acidity on the finish. $27, tablascreek.com