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11 Apr 5 Paso Robles Rhone Wine Blends
In Paso Robles, Rhone grape varieties, such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, and more, thrive. And, like in the Rhone Valley, these grapes are often blended together. At a recent gathering of the Rhone Rangers, America’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines, I spoke with some wine producers and asked them what they love about making Rhone blends which I wrote about for California Winery Advisor and share here.
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Tablas Creek
According to Jason Haas of Tablas Creek, “the vast majority of varietal blends allow you to show off what you love about those grapes without having to live with the weaknesses of the varieties.” Depending on the vintage, Tablas Creek will bottle four to ten single-varietal wines each year. But the predominance of what they produce are blends. Tablas Creek produces three tiers. There are Cote de Tablas wines which are blends from estate fruit. There are Patelin de Tablas wines which are blends that are sourced from 8-10 Paso Robles Rhône-style vineyards, most planted with cuttings from the Tablas Creek nursery. And there are Espirit de Tablas wines. Espirit de Tablas wines are the flagship blends from the top 15%-20% of the estate-grown lots each vintage. The 2020 Esprit de Tablas Blanc is made with all six legal Chateauneuf-du-Pape grapes. It is 46% Roussanne, 28% Grenache Blanc, 14% Picpoul Blanc, 5% Bourboulenc, 4% Clairette Blanche, and 3% Picardan. Jason describes Roussanne as “the base note” as it gives the wine richness and texture, and the other grapes provide the high notes. The 2017 Espirit de Tablas is a Mourvèdre dominant red wine with additions of the best lots of Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise. Jason explained that the Mourvedre gives the wine the earthy, meaty, sweet spice notes; Grenache is the fruit, acid, and pepper spice notes; Syrah is the black fruit, minerality, and savory notes, as well as adds color to the wine; Counoise adds brambly wildness to the wine. Click here to order a Tablas Creek Rhone Blend
MAHA / Villa Creek
According to owner and winemaker Chris Cherry, with blends “the sum is greater than the parts.” He added, “It is like when you cook, you don’t just use salt or garlic or lemon, you use all of them.” For the 2019 Understory, Chris mixes two of his favorite grapes Grenache and Mourvèdre with Carignan which adds a savory and rustic floral note to the wine. Click here to order wine from Villa Creek
Thacher Winery & Vineyard
Thacher Winery produces more than 30 different wines and most of the bottlings are blends. Tony Quealy, General Manager at Thacher Winery, explained that “a single variety is what the vineyard gives you. A blend is the artistic expression of the winemaker.” The 2019 Constant Variable is a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) plus more. Tony described that the Grenache is the fruit and gives the front palate explosion; Syrah is the backbone that gives the wine color and structure; Mourvèdre is the middle palate; Cinsault is the brightness; Counoise lifts the Grenache; Viognier is co-fermented with the Syrah for a touch of floral notes. Click here to order Thacher Wines
Stilson Cellars
Owner and winemaker Cole Stilson described blends as “like making a Frankenstein.” He continued by saying, “one grape may be high in acidity; another is low in acidity. You find the best thing in each varietal and then put them together.” The Return 2019 is a seamless blend of 42% Mourvèdre, 38% Grenache, and 20% Syrah. Their Mourvèdre is a lighter-bodied wine that adds lightness, as well as spice on the finish. Click here to order wine from Stilson Cellars
Copia Winery
What one varietal has in spades, another does not,” explained Copia Winery owner Anita Sahi. “One grape can be inky, deep, and rich, but lacking in tannins, another grape can have less color but be aromatic with tannins. Blends afford the opportunity for ultimate balance.” The 2019 SGM is a Syrah-driven wine that is made up of 45% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 26% Mourvèdre. The blue and black fruit notes come from the Syrah, the herbal, floral, and acidic lift come from the Grenache, and the Mourvèdre offers an added life. The result is an elegant, balanced, and layered wine. Click here to order Copia winesConclusion
With so many Rhone grapes growing in Paso Robles, there are many more Rhone blends to discover. Read the original story in California Winery Advisor.Discover more from Please The Palate
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