We loved having Jason Haas of TABLAS CREEK Vineyard ( Paso Robles, CA. www.tablascreek.com ) here tasting his family's " new " releases with us including the exceptional " Esprit " red and whites. The 2004 " Esprit de BEAUCASTEL " blanc/white, $39.99 is an incredible blend of France's Rhone Valley grapes : 65% Roussanne, 30% Grenache Blanc and 5% Picpoul Blanc. We tasted both dry reds and both dry whites. We usually have at least one of the whites and one of the reds here.
Jason Haas and Danny Haas are the sons of Robert Haas that started the importing company years ago called Vineyard Brands. He worked with the Perrin family in the southern Rhone valley to bring their chateauneuf-du-pape called CHATEAU BEAUCASTEL to the U.S. market years ago. Together they started TABLAS CREEK ( www.tablascreek.com 9339 Adelaida Road Paso Robles. CA. 93446 info@tablascreek.com Tel: 805-237-1231 Fax: 805-237-1314 ) in Paso Robles years ago. Jason works at the winery whereas Danny continues to sell the wines for Vineyard Brands. I think there are nine children in the family and I do not know how many take an active role. I will learn more with time.
In the meantime let it suffice that Robert and Jason and everyone else at TABLAS CREEK are working really hard to bring to our tables really excellent Rhone-style reds and whites made in Paso Robles , California.
I am impressed more and more with each vintage. These are really refined, nuanced wines that represent really well the terroir from where they come : honest expressions in liquid form of the soil, climate, weather.
It's an almost impossible situation for winemakers today. There are so many considerations like the stress or lack-of-stress on the vines and their root systems, man's interventions or lack of, wine maker's respect for the integrity of the wines or not, aspirations to make the best at all and any costs, money being the only object ?!?
With TABLAS CREEK it's all about the wine and respecting Nature and the grape that they will ferment/ liquefy and offer up to us each and every year to better make our daily lives - yes! Thanks Jason for tasting here. Come again anytime. Let's sell some more wine together.
Here are some of the pictures I took while Jason was here tasting his wines with our customers. Enjoy. Cheers, TONY
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