After filling a glass and letting it breather for half an hour, the wine really opened up. Very smooth mouthfeel with nice mineral and earth. A tad heavier in the mid-palate than other Roussannes from Napa and Sonoma. Very drinkable.
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Sophisticated Roussanne--more seductive than many of its type, but it will totally wine you over. Core of stone but then more tropical fruit emerges. Lovely.
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Nearly two years ago to the day I gave this an unfavorable review. Now, after a couple more years (stored at ~65F) it is drinking beautifully. I'm convinced there is a touch of RS in this, but I didn't mind it. The usual reminder not to drink too cool. Also, give this time to open up - it got better over hours with evolving floral notes and spices on top of the invitingly plush frame. Baked apple, hazelnut, marzipan too. Very nice. Wish there were more...
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We received this bottle from Tablas Creek’s (T.C.) wine club in March, 2014. This varietal is always one of the key, crucial, and significant varietals used in T.C.’s best-of-the-best white blends. The other single varietal bottlings we’ve received over the years were 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. The 2010 vintage might have suffered from frost damage that might/could have reduced vineyard production (and perhaps 100% of their production was only used in their usual white blends). The bouquet for this significant Rhone/Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietal is quite subtle; perhaps I didn’t use the proper vessel/glass. Flavor-wise, a TOTALLY different story; this is a deliciously complex and somewhat rare varietal to most people. Since we’ve been T.C. Vinsiders (their term for wine club members) for almost eight years, I’ve become very familiar and “educated” with Rhone varietals that most Americans don’t know much about. For anybody who likes but is getting tired of drinking Chardonnay all the time, this varietal (especially T.C.’s 2012 vintage) would be a perfect starting point to “venture-out” to try another varietal that is somewhat similar but different and more complex. This beauty has typical tropical, stone, and white fruit flavors, such as apple, pear, pineapple, mango, peach, apricot, and papaya elements, along with very subtle dried herb elements as well. On the finish, a butterscotch character dances on the tongue, along with some baking spices (thanks to the oak). The wine pours a bit darker than normal/usual and is very rich and creamy, along with fabulous and food-friendly structural elements, such as palate-cleansing and slightly “zippy” tannins. The finish lingers nicely and elegantly for minutes, keeping one’s taste buds busy and active as heck. This wine paired beautifully with one of my white protein “Usual Suspects” (baked chicken thighs spiced with CostCo’s Simply Asia spice blend). This delicious beauty paired nicely with the chicken and spice blend and would pair well with just about any chicken dish, along with medium-bodied seafood dishes. This wine is fabulously delicious/complex and exhibits sweet/ripe/delicious fruit elements along with subtle dried herb elements, rich and creamy oakiness (though the oak element isn’t obvious and/or overpowering), all beautifully harmonized with the wine’s structural elements that result in a fabulous and delicious wine that has deep and complex flavor characteristics. This wine is drinking PERFECTLY right now and has the structural elements that should allow it to continue to age/mature/develop beautifully for another 2-to-5 years. Once again, if you like Chardonnay but need to try something different (but slightly similar), I highly recommend “going” with T.C.’s Roussanne. I can’t WAIT to “move on” to T.C.’s 2012 Esprit de Tablas Blanc (we have two bottles and that always fabulous blend consists of 75% Roussanne, along with other Rhone/Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietals). I consider T.C. to EASILY be the best winery in America, because they have a huge variety of wines (white single varietals, white blends, roses, red single varietals, and red blends, along with dessert wines that I’ve never tried) that are ALWAYS good-to-great-to-awesome. President Obama should reward Robert and Jason Haas (T.C.’s founder and son/manager) medals of honor for establishing and running the best winery in America. If I were to win one of those massive lotteries, I would LOVE to “empty-out” T.C.’s inventory/cellar.
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Day 1 Beautiful golden yellow, very ripe in character. Delivers a fat mouthful of flavor but without the finesse and complexity of the 2012 Esprit blanc. Decant, let it breathe for an hour to develop aromatics, then chill it about 20-30 minutes to cool it down to about 55 F. Medium long finish. Worked well with Goan fish curry. 5 + 10 + 17 + 7
Day 2 TBD Still good. A little more floral and peachy.
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Decanted for 1 hr. The first glass was minerally & earthy (not that there's anything wrong with that). As it opened up more, tropical fruits & smooth mouthfeel really came forward. Really smooth & easy to drink. Wish I would have decanted it more than 1 hr. Drank over 3 hrs. Was fun to see it evolve as it opened up. Delicious.
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Roussanne turns amber/orange at harvest. has the same root as the word 'rust.' fruit gets a bit more elevated and is starting to get a little tropical. just a touch of banana. on the palate, a lingering green olive note.
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Disappointing. Maybe going through a "dumb" phase, since I'd purchased this after tasting it. But I'm not sure. I'm really surprised that I'd have tasted this and paid good money for it. It's not that it's bad, but it comes across like an everyday California Chardonnay. It does not seem to have the stuffing to really age, but I'll put down the other bottle I have since there's nothing really to lose at this point. This is boring, monolithic, and a bit cloying; it does nothing for Tablas Creek's reputation.
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Rhone Rangers DC tasting June 4, 2014. Tasted five Rousssanne blends and three varietal Roussannes at this event. This was at the top. Honey, apricot, and hazelnuts, ripe, full bodied but fitted into a mineral frame, already delicious and approachable, and should be held for further development. I'll have to open at least one bottle now. This wine pairs so perfectly with rich fish and seafood.
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5/24/2021 - Billjkay wrote: 96 Points
Rich, smooth, creamy, spicy,, peach & apricot, some cinnamon, nutmeg. Incredibly good with the seafood pasta!! Happy Anniversary to us!!
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12/9/2017 - Jcalvin3 Likes this wine: 89 Points
After filling a glass and letting it breather for half an hour, the wine really opened up. Very smooth mouthfeel with nice mineral and earth. A tad heavier in the mid-palate than other Roussannes from Napa and Sonoma. Very drinkable.
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11/29/2017 - dlduchon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious, complex white with some nuances coming in from the age. Great restraint and balance. Should hold up for quite a few more years.
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12/24/2016 - yatchisin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sophisticated Roussanne--more seductive than many of its type, but it will totally wine you over. Core of stone but then more tropical fruit emerges. Lovely.
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11/25/2016 - mattdathan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wonderfully integrated, rich and smooth. Lovely!
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11/24/2016 - tward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nearly two years ago to the day I gave this an unfavorable review. Now, after a couple more years (stored at ~65F) it is drinking beautifully. I'm convinced there is a touch of RS in this, but I didn't mind it. The usual reminder not to drink too cool. Also, give this time to open up - it got better over hours with evolving floral notes and spices on top of the invitingly plush frame. Baked apple, hazelnut, marzipan too. Very nice. Wish there were more...
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8/11/2016 - DaveZack Likes this wine: 92 Points
We received this bottle from Tablas Creek’s (T.C.) wine club in March, 2014. This varietal is always one of the key, crucial, and significant varietals used in T.C.’s best-of-the-best white blends. The other single varietal bottlings we’ve received over the years were 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. The 2010 vintage might have suffered from frost damage that might/could have reduced vineyard production (and perhaps 100% of their production was only used in their usual white blends).
The bouquet for this significant Rhone/Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietal is quite subtle; perhaps I didn’t use the proper vessel/glass. Flavor-wise, a TOTALLY different story; this is a deliciously complex and somewhat rare varietal to most people. Since we’ve been T.C. Vinsiders (their term for wine club members) for almost eight years, I’ve become very familiar and “educated” with Rhone varietals that most Americans don’t know much about.
For anybody who likes but is getting tired of drinking Chardonnay all the time, this varietal (especially T.C.’s 2012 vintage) would be a perfect starting point to “venture-out” to try another varietal that is somewhat similar but different and more complex. This beauty has typical tropical, stone, and white fruit flavors, such as apple, pear, pineapple, mango, peach, apricot, and papaya elements, along with very subtle dried herb elements as well. On the finish, a butterscotch character dances on the tongue, along with some baking spices (thanks to the oak). The wine pours a bit darker than normal/usual and is very rich and creamy, along with fabulous and food-friendly structural elements, such as palate-cleansing and slightly “zippy” tannins. The finish lingers nicely and elegantly for minutes, keeping one’s taste buds busy and active as heck.
This wine paired beautifully with one of my white protein “Usual Suspects” (baked chicken thighs spiced with CostCo’s Simply Asia spice blend). This delicious beauty paired nicely with the chicken and spice blend and would pair well with just about any chicken dish, along with medium-bodied seafood dishes. This wine is fabulously delicious/complex and exhibits sweet/ripe/delicious fruit elements along with subtle dried herb elements, rich and creamy oakiness (though the oak element isn’t obvious and/or overpowering), all beautifully harmonized with the wine’s structural elements that result in a fabulous and delicious wine that has deep and complex flavor characteristics. This wine is drinking PERFECTLY right now and has the structural elements that should allow it to continue to age/mature/develop beautifully for another 2-to-5 years. Once again, if you like Chardonnay but need to try something different (but slightly similar), I highly recommend “going” with T.C.’s Roussanne. I can’t WAIT to “move on” to T.C.’s 2012 Esprit de Tablas Blanc (we have two bottles and that always fabulous blend consists of 75% Roussanne, along with other Rhone/Chateauneuf-du-Pape varietals).
I consider T.C. to EASILY be the best winery in America, because they have a huge variety of wines (white single varietals, white blends, roses, red single varietals, and red blends, along with dessert wines that I’ve never tried) that are ALWAYS good-to-great-to-awesome. President Obama should reward Robert and Jason Haas (T.C.’s founder and son/manager) medals of honor for establishing and running the best winery in America. If I were to win one of those massive lotteries, I would LOVE to “empty-out” T.C.’s inventory/cellar.
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4/26/2016 - wilypod Likes this wine: 89 Points
Day 1 Beautiful golden yellow, very ripe in character. Delivers a fat mouthful of flavor but without the finesse and complexity of the 2012 Esprit blanc. Decant, let it breathe for an hour to develop aromatics, then chill it about 20-30 minutes to cool it down to about 55 F. Medium long finish. Worked well with Goan fish curry. 5 + 10 + 17 + 7
Day 2 TBD Still good. A little more floral and peachy.
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2/13/2016 - bbcc66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hr. The first glass was minerally & earthy (not that there's anything wrong with that). As it opened up more, tropical fruits & smooth mouthfeel really came forward. Really smooth & easy to drink. Wish I would have decanted it more than 1 hr. Drank over 3 hrs. Was fun to see it evolve as it opened up. Delicious.
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12/31/2015 - tb_baltimore wrote: 90 Points
Drinking well right now -- improved with time out of bottle with it becoming more well integrated --
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8/16/2015 - WG198 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich full bodied white. Excellent by itself or with a Mahi Mahi dish.
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6/17/2015 - RogerO wrote: flawed
spoiled
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6/4/2015 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Roussanne turns amber/orange at harvest. has the same root as the word 'rust.' fruit gets a bit more elevated and is starting to get a little tropical. just a touch of banana. on the palate, a lingering green olive note.
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5/29/2015 - DodgerDave Likes this wine: 86 Points
Nice wine. Held up well with Asian chicken salad dinner. Light on fruit but still worth buying more
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4/11/2015 - SLOFred Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine. Lacks the complexity of the Esprit.
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11/29/2014 - tward wrote:
Disappointing. Maybe going through a "dumb" phase, since I'd purchased this after tasting it. But I'm not sure. I'm really surprised that I'd have tasted this and paid good money for it. It's not that it's bad, but it comes across like an everyday California Chardonnay. It does not seem to have the stuffing to really age, but I'll put down the other bottle I have since there's nothing really to lose at this point. This is boring, monolithic, and a bit cloying; it does nothing for Tablas Creek's reputation.
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9/9/2014 - buckeye76 wrote: 91 Points
NUTTY WITH CITRUS, PEACHES, MELONS, AND HONEY. MEDIUM LENGTH FINISH.
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6/5/2014 - wilypod Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rhone Rangers DC tasting June 4, 2014. Tasted five Rousssanne blends and three varietal Roussannes at this event. This was at the top. Honey, apricot, and hazelnuts, ripe, full bodied but fitted into a mineral frame, already delicious and approachable, and should be held for further development. I'll have to open at least one bottle now. This wine pairs so perfectly with rich fish and seafood.
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3/26/2014 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 91 Points
One of the best 100% Roussanne we have ever had. Need to buy more of this wine.
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3/23/2014 - snaff Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light honey in color, smooth viscous mouthfeel. Luscious pear, dried apple, guava with hints of straw and minerals. Very nice.
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