Cory Gowan, JJ Buckley, October 2010

Pale red color. The nose is very pretty, with raspberry and rhubarb nicely layered with white pepper and graphite. Focused with great complexity, while still big and juicy, this is a pure exercise in terroir and balance. Fine tannins that tickle the front palate with acidity carry the finish for 45+ seconds. Another superb effort from Tablas Creek, I love the high percentage of Mourvedre in this wine that gives it so much richness and spice. Drink 2011-2020.

91 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, October 2011

A subtle and delicate wine with subtle chocolate, berry and spices on the nose and palate. Lovely length and balance. 38% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 26% Syrah, and 6% Counoise. Drink now or hold.

93 points,

Rhone Report, The, November 2010

Slightly deceiving at first with a relatively light profile, the 2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel, a blend of 38% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 26% Syrah, and 6% Counoise, fleshes out beautifully with about an hour of air. It exhibits a downright Provençal nose of spiced red berries, pepper, garrigue and a touch of licorice and dried flowers. This leads to a medium bodied wine that has a light, deft texture, solid balance, sweet fruit and a long, classy finish. Already showing good complexity, this is a prime candidate for drinking over the next 8 to 10 years. Tasted twice.

94 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, August 2011

The 2008 Esprit de Beaucastel flows with sweet dark cherries, flowers, tobacco and spices. It is a beautiful, classically built wine graced with striking inner perfume, lovely mid-palate juiciness and a round, utterly harmonious finish. Well-integrated, silky tannins linger on the close. This is a fabulous wine from Tablas Creek. My sense is that the wine should be tasted upon release and then again only after a number of years in bottle. In 2008 the blend is 38% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 26% Syrah and 6% Counoise. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. -AG

93 points,

Stephen Tanzer's IWC, November 2010

($50; 38% mourvedre, 30% grenache, 26% syrah and 6% counoise) Bright red. Enticing aromas of raspberry, potpourri, licorice and fresh herbs. Lush, broad and sweet but structured, with an exotic candied fruit quality giving this dense, well-constituted wine plenty of early sex appeal. Finishes sweet and spicy, with a fine dusting of tannins and outstanding length. This is already delicious but has the balance to age. -Josh Raynolds

90 points,

Wine Spectator, February 2011

Offers a complex array of ripe cherry, wild berry and plum, with touches of mineral, presented in a supple, elegant, well-integrated style, with dark red berry flavors forming the core. Drink now through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,000 cases made. -JL

About Winery

Tablas Creek is the realization of the combined efforts of two of the international wine community's leading families, the Perrin family, proprietors of Château de Beaucastel, and Robert Haas, founder of Vineyard Brands. They had since the 1970s believed the California climate to be ideal for planting Rhône varietal grapes. In 1987, they began the lengthy process of creating a Châteauneuf-du-Pape style vineyard from scratch in the New World. The Tablas Creek Vineyard Partnership was born, with the Perrin and Haas families as majority partners, and French and American wine loving friends as minority partners.

Shipping Details

This is a pre-arrival item. You will be contacted once this product has arrived at our warehouse to arrange delivery.

Need it faster? Call us now at (888) 859-4637 for special arrangements.

Free storage available. We offer free 6 months storage for any wine purchased at JJ Buckley. We highly recommend storing your wines during the summer months to avoid heat damage during shipment.

For a shipping quote, add this product to your shopping cart. From there you will be able to enter a zipcode and get a detailed quote. For full details on our shipping policies, click here.