A blend of Grenache (42%), Syrah (20%), Counoise ((20%) and Mourvedre (17%), this offering from one of California’s preeminent Rhône Ranger wineries is certainly full of red berry-fruit flavor. It also evidences firm, underlying acidity, so despite 14.5% alcohol does not seem hot or heavy. Yet compared with earlier vintages of Côtes de Tablas, many of which displayed a pronounced peppery spice character and so clearly echoed top southern Rhône reds, it also seems a bit one-dimensional at present.
