2016 Tablas Creek Le Complice

One of my favorites in the lineup was the 2016 Le Complice, which is a Syrah-dominated blend that includes 20% Grenache, 19% Terret Noir, and 2% Roussanne. The idea here is to highlight Terret Noir and this sees plenty of whole clusters in the ferments. This smoking effort boast a deeper purple/ruby color as well as seriously peppery notes of black fruits, leafy herbs, and olive tapenade. It’s fresh and elegant on the palate, with a pure, nicely concentrated mouthfeel, and it’s going to age beautifully. This was another terrific tasting with Jason Haas, and he and his team at Tablas Creek continue to make elegant, classic, balanced wines from their estate in the northwestern part of Paso Robles. It’s worth noting that since 2008 they’ve favored cooler temperatures during fermentation and this shows in their wines’ purity and freshness. However, in my opinion, the wines today lack some of the depth and intensity found in previous vintages. Nevertheless, these are beautiful wine that age incredibly well.

Opaque ruby. Primary blackberry and cherry cola aromas are complemented by suggestions of succulent herbs and exotic spices. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering sweet dark fruit flavors along with bitter chocolate, cola and licorice flourishes. Becomes deeper with air and finishes with excellent clarity, building tannins and strong, spicy persistence.