2015 Grenache Blanc

There’s a new varietal wine at Tablas Creek this year, the rare Terret Noir, one of the thirteen permitted grapes for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which pushes the number of those varieties bottled from this iconic producer’s 120 acres of vineyards to nine. The style continues to push toward greater finesse, which is no easy feat in this hot region, but winemaker Neil Collins and his team have proven more than able to pull it off with impressive consistency. The oak presence in the wines is restrained and tannins are always well-managed, which makes for ease of drinking on the young side but these bottlings possess the depth and balance to reward patience.