Tablas Creek Cotes de Tablas Rouge 2006

Like most wines of the Southern Rhône, it is a blend of varietals, featuring the fruitiness of Grenache balanced by the spice and structure of Syrah, with meaty, earthy notes from Mourvedre and Counoise. The 2006 Côtes de Tablas has an intensely Grenache nose of cherries, rare steak and pepper. It is medium-bodied, with rich juicy, spicy flavors, gentle ripe tannins and a finish laced with licorice.

89 Points

"The more challenging 2006 vintage has produced a lighter-styled, medium-bodied, soft, pleasant 2006 Côtes de Tablas, a blend of 72% Grenache, 11% Syrah, 9% Mourvèdre, and the rest mixed varietals. It exhibits a dark ruby color, medium body, soft fruit, plenty of red currant and smoked duck notes, and hints of licorice as well as mint." Robert Parker's
Wine Advocate

"Bright red. Impressively complex nose offers a complex array of red fruits, flowers and spices, along with cured meat and smoky minerals. Deep, sweet and focused, displaying energetic raspberry and cherry flavors and picking up tangy minerals on the back end. Sweet red fruits linger on the finish, which is refreshingly spicy and brisk. General manager Jason Haas told me that they like 2006 here 'because of the vintage's great purity and freshness.'" 91 Points
International Wine Cellar
November/December 2008