Darren Delmore's Platinum Plates of 2024

It's that time of year where I try to make sense of all the food pictures on my phone and my newly XL shirt size. My nationwide travels selling Tablas Creek take me into phenomenal restaurants of all kinds, spearheaded by passionate people putting out platinum plates best paired with wine. 2024 was chock full of revisiting some classics and new discoveries, and this list represents a very small fraction of memorable meals worthy of being on here. I hope this activates your appetite, and you go support your local favorite restaurant soon. I'm already hungering for what I'll find in 2025. 

The Spoon Trade, Grover Beach, CA

Jacob and Brooke town enjoyed some National limelight recently on Guy Fieri's TV show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives", and if you saw it, you'll see how much complexity is behind their take on comfort food. This Tri-Tip Tartare has been on the menu since day one, served with tonnato, parsley, and buttery slices of grilled sourdough to slather it all upon. Brooke's wine list is just as contemplative, with an ahead of her time focus on wines in keg, and boasting a vertical of Tablas Creek Terret Noir.

 

Lupi and Iris, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I spent my birthday in Milwaukee this year, which you don't hear too often. In my favor, the "evening shift" was hosting a five wine/six-course dinner at Lupi and Iris. I snapped only one picture, in between chatting up tables and introducing the wines, and aside from a later course with braised rabbit, this pairing stole the show. Seared sea scallop, caramelized fennel, Wisconsin sweet pea puree, and citrus beurre blanc, served with 2022 Patelin de Tablas Blanc. 

Merchant, Madison, Wisconsin

Curd nerds, hear me out. I'm good with a bag of Wisco string cheese from a grocery store, but I'm awfully down with these elevated cheese curds at Merchant in Madison. A bonus was their American Wine Night they were rocking for most of 2024, urging their guests to drink domestic. 

NOSA Kitchen and Inn, Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

Chef Graham Dodds has a tiny, 12-seats-a-night culinary gem an hour outside of Santa Fe. When in the land of enchantment, go lamb if you can. You're in New Mexico Dahl sheep country after all. This drippin' shank was full on last supper status, served on a bed of Taos fall mushrooms and dreamy polenta. 

  

Pennyroyal Farm, Boonville, CA.

My family was blown away by the entire experience at Pennyroyal Farm in Anderson Valley. They are a creamery, a kitchen, farmstead, and a vineyard/winery. The food menu is farm to table at its finest, and this estate grown cauliflower soup was as delicious as it was beautiful, not to mention the cheese and charcuterie board with house made cheeses and pickled things that we could barely put a collective dent in.  

Truly Pizza, Dana Point, CA.

Chef Chris Decker is a legend at fermentation and, I'll say it, a bonafide pizza celebrity. After meeting and tasting through all of our current releases back in early 2024 after Truly had just opened up, he sent me off "with a snack" that he went back and personally whipped up. I popped this box merging onto the I-5 North and nearly hit the hazards to pull roadside.  No dough bones remained when I was finished. This buzzy hotspot became our biggest Patelin de Tablas Rosé account last year, and is a must for any pizza aficionado.  

 

Gralehaus, Louisville, KY

I'm happy to introduce you to the juiciest, fluffiest, bubbliest breakfast sandwich in the world, served in an old funky church with the best coffee in town. If this thing puts you to sleep there are three epic rooms to stay in upstairs (which I did). Upon waking, traverse the mellow, grassy courtyard behind Gralehaus to the newly opened Bar Grale (wine bar and bottle shop), focusing on organically grown wines. You might not have to go anywhere else in all of Louisville, save for the nearby grave of Muhammad Ali to pay your respects. 

 

Juan Jasper, San Diego, CA.

Tiny Juan Jasper in North Park San Diego is a place where you can grab a bottle of wine off their wall to uncork at a minimal markup, and even pick out a steak from the butcher case for the owner to sear up on the spot. With two close buddies in tow in December, my friend Rogel pulled out an absolute legend from his slick, black, assassin-looking wine and stemware case - 2005 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape - to match with this decadent monster ribeye.  

Hope you're hungry, and that you might find yourself at one of these excellent spots sometime soon. For me, off to get this Ozempic prescription filled. Happy 2025! 

American consumers' move toward white wines is happening fast. Most wineries will struggle to keep up.

We're in the middle of a major shift in the American wine market. Demographics are changing. High-end (and low-end) wines are suffering through their first prolonged slump in two generations. The market is adjusting to a profoundly negative (and in my opinion, incomplete) message on moderate alcohol consumption from a range of governmental and international organizations. That has led to some of the gloomiest headlines I can remember in my career in wine. But there are bright spots. The middle of the market (wines selling in the $20-$30 range) is actually doing pretty well. Categories like alternative packaging and chillable reds are hot. And there is one trend that we have noticed that that I don’t think enough people are talking about: a significant and accelerating switch in preference toward white wines.

Let's start with our example at Tablas Creek. When customers join our VINsider Wine Club they can choose between the Classic (Mixed) Selection that includes reds, whites, and the occasional rose, or they can choose Red Wine Selection or White Wine Selection if they want to limit their shipments to a single color. For the first five years that we offered people this choice, starting in 2014, the percentages who opted for each of the three alternatives hardly budged at all, with roughly 70% of people choosing the mix, 20% choosing all red wines, and 10% choosing all white wines. That held true right through to the onset of Covid. But starting in 2020 we began to see a shift, and that shift has accelerated in the last year.

Compared to 2019, the percentage of people choosing the White Wine Selection has jumped from 10% to 27% in four years. It's interesting that it hasn't taken that percentage from the red wine lovers; the percentage of VINsiders choosing the Red Wine Selection has stayed within a narrow range between 18% and 23% since 2014. Instead, it has taken its percentage from the people who would, last decade, have been choosing the Classic (Mixed) Selection.

We’re seeing something similar in the wholesale market. If you look at our 2024 wholesale depletions vs. 2023, and just at the three tiers of blends where we have red and white (so our Patelin, Cotes, and Esprit) depletions on our whites are up 35.3% vs. 2023 and the reds up 1.8%. I hesitate to make too much of this, as some of the issue is that last year we ran out of white and couldn't satisfy all the demand that we had, but it's still a pretty dramatic difference in performance.

We're not the only people reporting that white wines are hot in an otherwise chilly market. In a recent blog, Mike Veseth aka The Wine Economist dives into data showing that globally, white wine consumption was on a trend to surpass red, and white wine production already had. Traditional red wine regions as diverse as the Rhone, Australia, and Piedmont are making pushes to get more whites in the ground to respond to changing consumer preferences. Danny Brager and Dale Stratton, two of wine's most connected analysts, shared the following slide breaking down the performance in the American wholesale wine market by different categories last month to WineAmerica. Notice that over the last 12 months three of the five white categories show growth, while all six red categories show declines:

Why these changes are happening is surely due to a complex mix of factors, but I would suggest three that are the most significant:

• The move toward drinking wine away from formal meals. I believe that this is the most important and least understood factor driving changing habits around wine. Younger wine drinkers are drinking wine differently than previous generations did. They will have a glass of wine out at a bar. Or at the beach. Or in the back yard at a cookout. Or before a meal. These are occasions where you're not pairing a wine with a single dish. White wines can of course benefit from pairing as much as red, but they tend to feel more approachable without food than red wines (particularly rich, tannic red wines) do. At the same time, high-end restaurants, where many people would order bottles of powerful red wines as a matter of course, are struggling. 
• A desire to consume wines with lower alcohol. There is a ton of data out there suggesting that lower-alcohol wines are a bright spot in a difficult market. Most white wines are lower in alcohol than most red wines, and more importantly, most consumers think that white wines are lower alcohol than most red wines. This is a part of a greater push toward wellness with complicated impacts on all alcohol, but it tends to push drinkers toward whites rather than reds.
• The relatively lower costs of white wines. White wines, because they spend less time in the winery than reds and therefore accumulate less winemaking costs, tend to be less expensive than red wines. With the top end of the wine market struggling, the relatively cheaper option that whites offer is a refuge for price-sensitive wine lovers. 

Of course, none of these trends are absolute, and wine drinkers in the United States are a heterogeneous lot. But all three trends tend to shift people toward whites -- and toward the low-tannin chillable reds that are another bright spot in the wine marketplace -- and away from more traditional red wines.

Knowing that these trends are happening doesn't mean that it will be easy for an individual winery to make the necessary changes. Planting new vineyard takes time. It's typically five years from the decision to plant, which necessitates prepping the ground, ordering grapevines, planting -- to getting those vines into production. Then a winery needs to make (and potentially age) the wine, bottle it, and get it to market. Five years ago we were in a very different place! You can accelerate the process by grafting grapevines over from red to white, and I'm sure many vineyards are looking at that option, but even that requires investment and takes two years.

The relative scarcity of many of the white grapes that American wine lovers are looking for is another complicating factor. There's plenty of Chardonnay in the ground in California, but as the slide from Danny Brager and Dale Stratton showed, Chardonnay is the white wine category that is currently performing the worst here. And that makes sense if people are looking for lighter, fresher wines. Chardonnays, at least as typically made in California, tend to be on the rich and oaky end of the white wine spectrum, and both the demographics of the Chardonnay buyer and the situations in which Chardonnays are most likely to be bought likely correlate better with the traditional red categories rather than with the lighter-bodied whites that are the market's top performers. Yet more than half the total white wine grape acreage in California is dedicated to Chardonnay:

There are signs in the acreage data that people are starting to pay attention to the trends toward lighter-bodied whites. The complete list of varieties whose non-bearing acreage (basically grapes planted in the last 3 years) is greater than 8% of the total planted consists of Albarino, Chenin Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and Vermentino. All four of those fit happily in the category of higher-acid, lighter-bodied white wines. (Side note: I’m also proud that two of these are here because of our grapevine nursery.) The significant nonbearing acreage of Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc seems to me to be a positive sign as well. But the total acreage of the grapes that would make the white wines that it seems like consumers are most interested in buying is still relatively small and not growing as fast as it likely needs to to satisfy increasing demand.

If California wineries don't pivot quickly, they'll likely be giving up one of the few potential growth opportunities in a difficult market to imported wines. But even if they do, it's going to take a while to see the changes in what's available. 

OK, fellow California wineries. Let's get pivoting.

What the Tablas Creek team will be drinking with our Thanksgivings in 2024

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's brings extended family together for a day of cooking, eating, and reflecting on what we're grateful for. It's still largely uncommercialized. And it comes at a time of year where those of us who work at wineries are finally able to slow down and relax. Even after a relatively early harvest like this year's, that's something to be thankful for.

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's worth going over some things that don't change. Try not to stress over your choices. Open a range of wines. Expect each of them to sing with a dish or two, coexist peacefully enough with another, and maybe clash with something. That can be fun, and instructive. Remember, and accept that it's OK, that nothing will pair particularly well with sweet potato casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts. Open a few more wines than you think you'll need, and don't feel bad about having wine leftovers, along with your food. You'll likely learn something, and have fun along the way. Remember that open bottles kept in the fridge should be fine for a week or more. And if you're still stressing after reading all these recommendations, I refer you to the 2016 piece on W. Blake Gray's blog where he set up a simple 5-question quiz to answer the question "is this wine good for Thanksgiving". I'm sure I haven't gone through every possible combination, but I've never gotten any answer other than "yes".

OK, now that I've told you any choice is perfectly fine, it's only fair that I acknowledge my own preferences. After all, there are wines that I tend to steer clear of, like wines that are powerfully tannic (which tend to come off even more so when they're paired with some of the sweeter Thanksgiving dishes), and wines that are high in alcohol (which tend to be fatiguing by the end of what is often a marathon of eating and drinking). But that still leaves you plenty of options. With a traditional turkey dinner, I tend to steer people toward richer whites and rosés, and fruitier reds relatively light in oak and tannin. Plenty of Tablas Creek wines fit these broad criteria, so if you want to stay in the family, you could try anything from Marsanne to Esprit Blanc to Dianthus Rosé to Counoise or Cotes de Tablas. Richer red meat preparations open up a world of Mourvedre-based reds young or old, from Esprit de Tablas to Panoplie to En Gobelet, which just (say it out loud) sounds like something you should be drinking at this time of year.  

But I'm just one person. As I've done the last several years, I reached out to our team to ask them what they were planning on drinking this year. This is super fun for me to see, and I'm hoping it will be as much fun for you. One thing I love is that while some will be drinking Tablas Creek, many (including me!) have made other choices. And that's normal. Those of us who work in wine usually do so part because we love its many facets, and there's an amazing variety of wine made around the world. Whether you choose an American wine for this quintessentially American holiday, or celebrate America as a melting pot by choosing wines from elsewhere, I refer you back to Blake Gray's article. You're not wrong.

My team's responses are below, in their own words, in alphabetical order. It's a bit of a smaller list this year since I was a little late getting out the request, but if you need more inspiration, check out the team's suggestions from other eras. One great thing about Thanksgiving pairing blogs... they're timeless, since the dishes don't change much and there's almost always a new vintage of each wine.

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
This Thanksgiving, Amber, Haylee, Brandon, and I are headed to my sister Kacey’s place in Carpenteria for a gathering of family and friends. We’re planning a feast: smoked turkey, ham, and all the traditional sides.

Over the three days we’re there, we’ll most likely enjoy many wines. Some that we know will be consumed around the dinner table include a crisp Grenache Blanc from Absolution Cellars, The Dodd from Lone Madrone, a bolder red for my brother-in-law, and a bottle of Gold Coast Pinot Noir from Story of Soil that I’ve been saving for a special occasion.

Amanda Collins, Cellar Master
It’s a two-Thanksgiving kind of year for this Collins family!

For our festivities, I predict a generous selection of wines to accompany the meals. Our first dinner will be an intimate gathering of just 40 (yes, you read that right)! With an array of homemade dishes, we’ll opt for wines that are clean and classic to complement—not clash with—all the flavors. One of my go-to choices for such culinary adventures is Sandlands Contra Costa Red Table Wine. It’s effortlessly confident, offering juicy red fruits with a touch of earthiness on the finish. It’s a wine that has never disappointed me. Another crowd-pleaser is our very own Counoise, which I’m sure will get a mention or two in others’ posts as well. This bottle is packed with crunchy red fruit, a vibrant mid-palate, and a bright, lifted finish that keeps you coming back for more.

For our second evening, a more traditional affair with just five guests, we can afford to go a little bolder since there are fewer palates to please. We’ll start with Littorai Sonoma Coast Chardonnay—complex, fresh, and wonderfully light, it’s the perfect wine to kick things off without weighing you down. Then, because we can, we’ll do a side-by-side of Esprit Rouge and Beaucastel Rouge. Both are textural, rich, and plush, with dark, luxurious notes and long, satisfying finishes.

Here’s to celebrating Thanksgiving—twice, and in style!

Austin Collins, Cellar and Vineyard
Thanksgiving 2024 is set to be a real doozy. We will be hosting a group of about 40 this year and the beverage choices will surely be a mixed bag. As with most years, the presence of Bristols Cider will be strong. Because, it doesn’t really get much better than cider on a blustery autumnal day, or any day for that matter. As for wine I will throw in a 2023 Lagniappe Seersucker, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Columbia Gorge made by dear friend Lisette Hrapmann (of Swampwater fame). For reds I would like to keep up with tradition and open a few bottles of Beaujolais, this year focusing on the wines of Quentin Harel, a favorite of the young producers of the region. Cheers to all and keep your heads up!

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
It’s that time again! Choosing the wines that will grace the thanksgiving table.

It’s a big group this year so I will include a magnum of 2015 Esprit Blanc. I poured this at a “Friendsgiving” event recently and it was perfect out of magnum. We brought some Rieslings back from Germany this summer so i think we will open a Furst Lowenstein, Furstlicher Kallmuth 2021. I am a fan of Antiquum Farms in Oregon and I think their 2021 Alium Pinot Gris will be a good fit. Lastly i will have to open a bottle of the very first Lone Madrone Estate Zinfandel 2022. In reality there are so many wines to choose from, but as long as the company is in good spirit and there is food on the table then the wine will take its place. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks to you all…… Neil

PS Yes there will be cider.

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I am having a small gathering this Thanksgiving, so I am opening up fewer bottles than usual. I still want to experiment with how different wines play with the meal and will open a sparkling, white, and red. The sparkling is a Champagne from Laurent-Perrier that our Controller Denise Chouinard gifted me when I graduated from my Wine EMBA program two years ago. I’ve been sitting on this one! The white wine is a South African Chardonnay from Tesselaarsdal that I’m told can rival a white Burgundy. Game on! Finally, the red is a Beaujolais Nouveau from Domaine Dupeuble. This style of wine is a Thanksgiving classic that I have yet to try with the meal. I am looking forward to it! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
For this years thanksgiving dining experience I will be opening a few bottles for family.

Kinero Cellars 2022 Macbride Vineyard old vine Chardonnay. 
Tablas Creek Vineyard 2015 Esprit de Tablas rouge.
Kinero Cellars 2022 James Berry vineyard Roussanne. 
Domaine Stephane Ogier, 2020 Saint Joseph Le Passage.

Happy thanksgiving and may your dining and drinking experiences fill your souls with joy. Cheers, Terrence

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
This year we'll be spending the holiday in West Sonoma with friends and family. On tap is some Esprit de Tablas Blanc 2018, and a special Sonoma County wine I've owned since 2008 that I'm really excited to dust off and check in on: a magnum of Ridge 2006 Lytton Springs. A mixed-blacks legend based on Zinfandel but with a heavier hit of Petite Sirah than their Geyserville bottling gets, should be in a fine place with the larger format at the 18 year old mark. Happy holidays!  

Jules Giese, Tasting Room Team Lead
This Thanksgiving I’ll be staying local and celebrating with some good friends. I’m very lucky and get to take a backseat when it comes to cooking this year but of course I'll still be bring wine. I managed to get my hands on a magnum of 2017 Esprit Blanc a while back. It's a vintage I wasn't fortunate enough to pour in the tasting room but is well loved by those who did. I've been lucky enough to try it here and there. It's been a while since I last had it but the Esprit just gets better and better with age so I think it'll be an great pairing for the meal that will hold it's own against the reds. Also 2017 was a pretty wet year for Paso so it feels fitting opening a bottle this rainy Thanksgiving week.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
This year my Thanksgiving wines will consist of:

• A sparkling Gamay from Domaine Migot Brut from the Lorraine region of France. I like a good light bodied red such as Gamay and I decided to throw some sparkling into the mix because it's a celebration!
• I had a wonderful tasting at Brick House, a biodynamic producer in the Willamette, in September so I will be opening a 2022 Chardonnay Cascadia. A lovely pairing with my roasted turkey and sweet dinner rolls.
• In addition to Turkey on my Thanksgiving table this year there will also be brisket and Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving with at least one Tablas Creek wine. Therefore I think my 2015 Esprit de Tablas would be a lovely pairing. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Gustavo Prieto, Biodynamicist
We are starting with bubbles, with a biodynamic producer from the Loire valley, the Cremant from Amirault, a blend mostly of Chenin Blanc, some Chardonnay and Cab Franc. For the main dinner, we’ll have as always one of my favorites wines from Tablas: an older vintage of the Esprit de Tablas Blanc. And for a red, we’ll be opening a 2015 magnum of the Esprit de Tablas. 

Randy Thurman, Systems Administrator & Facilities Manager
There will be a couple bottles open with dinner most likely an Esprit Blanc and a red wine of some sort. Always a surprise on the red and it changes every year. Most likely a syrah of some sort as it’s my father in laws favorite type of wine.

And as for me...
Typically, my choice is to open the largest bottle I have to hand at Thanksgiving gatherings. There's usually a story behind a big bottle, and the randomness of "just open it" adds a certain amount of pleasurable discovery to the gathering, as well as the festivity that large bottles bring. But I'm spending Thanksgiving in Vermont where I grew up, and my dad really didn't collect large-format bottles. So we did the best we could by buying a magnum of Beaujolais (a Morgon from Domaine Lapierre that we found at our lovely local wine shop Meditrina) and we'll open some Esprit Blanc, probably a rosé as well, and we'll probably also break into a dessert wine, because if not with a meal like this, when you have a crowd around the table and aren't expected to do anything beyond play games and watch football, when?!? Beyond that, we'll see.

Wherever you are, however you're celebrating, please know that we are thankful for you. May your celebrations be memorable, the wines you open outstanding, and the company even better.

A decadent pairing: Moussaka and 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel

One of my favorite cookbooks is the classic (and sadly now out of print) Mediterranean Cooking by Paula Wolfert. There are probably a dozen recipes in it that we’ve made multiple times, and one of them has become a family favorite that we return to at least a few times each year. The original page is marked up with a half-dozen annotations and additions, and the book, binding long gone, opens to it as soon as you set it down on the counter. That recipe is the Greek classic moussaka. If you're unfamiliar with it, it's the ultimate in comfort food. There's a layer of sautéed potatoes at the bottom. On top of that is a rich lamb-based meat sauce with warm spices. Above that is slices of broiled eggplant. And on top is a layer of creamy béchamel sauce. There are, of course, many variations of this ancient dish. In fact, Wolfert herself suggests a variation where the top layer is a yogurt sauce rather than béchamel. But as with any recipe that you make enough, we feel like it's become, over the years, ours.

With Eli, our 19-year-old, home from college for the summer, we've been cycling through some of our favorite family recipes, and last week made moussaka. It was glorious, as it always is, and we decided to up the ante on the unapologetically luxurious dish by pairing it with perhaps the most hedonistic wine we've ever made at Tablas Creek, the 2007 Esprit de Beaucastel. From a warm, low-yielding year, it's always been a wine built to impress. There's a sweetness to the fruit (though it's a dry wine) that's both a reflection of that year and of that era of our winemaking, when we were leaning a little more into lushness. It received some of the highest scores we've ever gotten, including a 95-97 point rating from Robert Parker that resulted in us selling out about six months before we expected, and our highest-ever placement (#33) in the Wine Spectator's year-end Top 100.

The wine has aged beautifully, adding lovely meaty, leathery, truffly notes to the currant and sweet spice flavors that it carried from the beginning. The sweeter elements to the wine suggested it might be a good pairing for the moussaka, which includes cinnamon and allspice, as well as the sweetness from three cups of sautéed onions and a cup of tomato puree. And it was glorious:

There are times where you stumble unexpectedly on the perfect wine for a given meal. Those experiences are wonderful. But there are also times where you think a wine will be great for a particular dish, and it is. Those experiences are in some ways even more satisfying. This was one of those cases. I'll share the recipe, as we've evolved to make it, below. It's a fair amount of work, though it can be done in advance and so can be great for a gathering. But there's nothing technically difficult about it, and the rewards are amazing. If you make it and can try it with a bottle of Esprit from the late 2000s, I can promise you it will be mind-bendingly good. But even if you don't have that exact pairing, go ahead and try it. There's a reason why lamb and Mourvedre is such a classic pairing. They're just magical together.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 lbs)
• Salt
• Olive oil
• 3 cups minced onions
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 5 medium potatoes, about 2 lbs. Red-skinned are ideal, but it's not fussy.
• 1 stick (8 tbsp) butter
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 6 tbsp. flour
• ground nutmeg

Note that all four of the layers can be prepared simultaneously, though if this is your first time, my recommendation is that you not try to do anything else while making the béchamel.

For the eggplant layer:

• Peel eggplants and slice into half-inch rounds
• Soak those eggplant slices in salted water for a half-hour
• Preheat a broiler
• Squeeze extra water out of the eggplants, then pat dry with paper towels 
• Lightly oil a large baking sheet, lay out the eggplant rounds on the sheet in a single layer, and brush with more olive oil
• Broil until lightly brown, then flip and broil the other side until lightly browned
• Allow to cool

For the meat layer:

• In a large Dutch oven or other enameled pot, heat 6 tbsp. of olive oil on low heat
• Add the onions and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, about 10 minutes
• Turn heat to medium and add the lamb and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until browned
• Stir in the spices, tomato puree, water, parsley, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until you get a thick sauce, about 30 minutes.

For the potato layer:

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/8-inch rounds
• Heat 3 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and add the potato slices
• Cook, turning and separating so that the slices brown evenly but nothing burns, about 10 minutes
• Sprinkle with salt and set aside to cool 

For the béchamel layer:

• Heat milk either on the stove or in a large microwave-safe measuring cup until hot
• In a medium Dutch oven or cast iron pot over low heat, melt 6 tbsp. butter 
• Whisk in flour and cook, whisking continuously 2-3 minutes until it just starts to turn golden and smells nutty
• Whisk in heated milk and cook, whisking very regularly, for about 10 minutes or until it achieves the consistency of a thick cream soup
• Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of nutmeg

To assemble the moussaka:

• Butter the bottom and sides of a 10" x 14" x 2" Pyrex or ceramic baking dish
• Cover the bottom of the baking dish with an overlapping later of potatoes
• Pour the meat sauce over the potato layer and spread evenly
• Top the meat layer with a layer of eggplant
• Pour the béchamel over the eggplant and smooth with a spatula
• Dot the top of the béchamel with the remaining tbsp. of butter

At this point, you can cover the dish with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or you can cook it. When you're ready to cook:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F
• Bake until the béchamel is golden brown and the whole thing is bubbling, about 40 minutes if assembled warm or 50 minutes if refrigerated
• Remove from the oven, let settle 5 minutes, then slice into squares and serve

What separates a great wine dinner from the many good ones?

I've hosted a lot of wine dinners the last few months. Restaurants, understaffed and overwhelmed in the aftermath of Covid, are starting to have the bandwidth to refocus on special events. Add to that the fact that after a few years where yields were low and demand was high, we finally have wine to sell, so I've been traveling more. And sprinkle on top some invitations that I thought were too cool to turn down, including the Paso Robles Asia tour and the Tasting Climate Change conference in Montreal. At each city I visit, I try to set up a dinner, because I think they are the best way to share the wines and story of Tablas Creek. 

All the dinners I've had the pleasure of hosting this year have been good. Most have been very good. But last week, I hosted a dinner with Chef Spike Gjerde at Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore that was one of the best I can ever remember, and it got me thinking about what it was that separated it from others. I think the event nailed all five of the elements of a great wine dinner:

• Inspiration. A great menu requires creativity. After all, a great pairing is not as simple as making a dish have similar flavors to the wine it's supposed to pair with. There are times where what a dish (or wine) needs is contrast. And then there's the talent that the greatest chefs have to make dishes that pull subtle notes out of the wines they're paired with and make it somehow taste more like itself. In my experience, great pairings are created by chefs who sit down with a wine and build the dish around it. After all, the wine isn't something that can be changed. The food has to have the right flavors and the right volume to have presence while still allowing the wine to shine. That's not an easy balance to strike. And the wines themselves should be selected because the chef found them inspiring to pair with. It’s hard to make a truly great dinner with, for example, the four wines your distributor may happen to have in quantity.
• Execution. It should go without saying that it takes more than a great menu to have a great meal. The food needs to be served promptly, and get to the diners hot. That's not easy when making the same dish for 20 or 40 or 70 people. That takes a chef with a good team and good organizational skills, and a front-of-house staff that can keep up.  
• Atmosphere. That doesn't need to be luxurious. The Woodberry Kitchen dinner was served outside on their brick patio on a drizzly evening. But the chairs were comfortable. The lighting was great. And the three large communal tables meant that the conversation was lively and everyone engaged. Restaurants often try to keep their standard table seating for wine dinners, and place each group at its own table. But in my experience that's a mistake. Bringing people together into larger tables creates a special sort of energy. It also means that solo diners aren't left by themselves.
• Pacing. A great wine dinner is like Goldilocks and the three bears: not too fast, not too slow. You need space for people to learn about the wines and hear from the winemaker. It's frustrating when people are poured a new wine, you start to talk about it, and then the food is served right away. You're left to talk over the hubbub of service while everyone’s food gets cold. Not ideal. But these multi-course affairs (typically 4 or 5 five courses, and sometimes more) can also drag if the kitchen can't keep up or there's too much time between courses. I finished one dinner at 11pm recently. That dinner started with a reception at 6pm. That's a marathon, and can often result in people losing energy (or drinking too much) before the last few courses are served.  
• Personality. Guests come to a wine dinner for more than a good meal. They come to learn about the winery, and about the restaurant. They want to hear the inspiration for the different courses, and come away with a new idea or two about food and wine pairing. That requires both a winery representative and a chef interested in sharing their stories and their inspiration and with the talent to keep an audience engaged and bring them along on a journey.

One complicating factor is that it's a surprising but true fact that most chefs aren't all that into wine. Some don't drink at all, or drink liquor or beer. Others like wine, but think of it as an accessory to their food rather than an equal partner. And these chefs can produce good, even very good wine dinners. After all, how wrong can you go with a delicious dish and a delicious wine? But the best wine dinners, in my experience, are designed and executed by chefs who love and are intrigued by wine's mysteries. And at last week's Woodberry Kitchen dinner, Chef Spike's love for the food he was cooking, the pairings he created, and the wines that were featured came through with clarity. 

These photos (thank you to Woodberry Kitchen for taking and sharing them) should give you a sense. The menu was remarkable, and included dishes like asparagus and crab en croute with caviar beurre blanc (left, paired with our Esprit de Tablas Blanc) and filet of beef en valise with smoked oysters and sauce treize cepages (right, paired with two older vintages of our Esprit de Tablas). And critically, all the courses got to the table in great time and at the right temperature.

The selection of wines included some unusual treats like 2012 and 2015 Esprit de Tablas, our 2022 Dianthus rosé, and the 2018 Vin de Paille Quintessence, which we shipped specially out from the winery.

The long, communal tables meant that the conversations were lively all night. Everyone had enough space without feeling isolated:

The pacing meant that I had a chance to tell the story of each wine. As if by magic, as soon as I was done speaking the next course appeared. Of course, that's not magic, that's planning and a great team:

Finally, at the end, Spike came out to accept a well-deserved ovation and talk about the inspiration for the dinner. He talked about a few of the courses, but like any good storyteller focused on the personal side of things: his own formative years as a young chef where he was invited by my brother to participate in a food and wine showcase in the Caribbean, and ended up between Jean-Pierre Perrin and Jean-Louis Chave listening to them dissect a meal and the pairings that went with it. Some thirty years later, we all were the beneficiaries of the lessons he learned, then and later.

 

Other Wines We've Loved: 2007 Beaucastel

Last night, with my sister Janet in town, we decided to grill. I got a lovely two-inch-thick, two-pound boneless ribeye from our local butcher J&R Meats. I don't normally cook such thick steaks, but think I'm going to in the future. I seasoned it with salt and pepper and set it over a grill in a technique I've been using more and more, where I heat the briquettes and then pile them on the sides of the grill, leaving an area in the middle that's heated from two sides but doesn't have any briquettes there to flare up should fat drip onto them. I grilled the steak for about eight minutes on each side, over a hot but not scorching fire, and then pulled it off the coals to rest for five minutes when the internal temperature hit 135°F. 

To accompany the steaks, I sautéed up some mushrooms we'd gotten from our farm share with white wine, parsley, and garlic (working off an old Mark Bittman recipe), baked some potatoes, and made a salad. It was a meal that showed why the classics are the classics. The steak came out a perfect medium-rare, juicy and with excellent steaky flavor. The tanginess and umami of the mushrooms were a great foil for (or accompaniment to) each bite of steak. The potatoes were fluffy and soaked up the juices. And the salad, which we ate at the end in the French style, was refreshing and tasty. 

To accompany the meal, I wanted a wine with enough fruit and tannin to stand up to the robust flavors on the plate and enough complexity to add to the night's experience. I chose a 2007 Beaucastel, which I remember thinking was one of the greatest young wines I'd ever had when I tried it at a dinner in 2010. Our Controller Denise Chouinard remembered my talking about the wine when I came back to the winery, and got me a case of it later that year. Those bottles have been sitting in my cellar ever since. I decanted the wine to give it a bit of air:

 The wine was every bit as good as I'd remembered. I jotted down some notes as we were finishing the bottle:

Still a lovely dense purple-red. Nose of licorice and smoky chaparral and minty currant and black cherry. Flavors of bakers chocolate and black plum, graphite and baking spices. Still youthful and powerful at age 16, with plenty of tannins to go another two decades. 

The five of us finished every drop of wine, and every bite of food, and sat around the table talking for another hour. It was a great reminder of the magic of a great bottle of wine: that it brings people together, evokes past gatherings, reminds you of the traditions you're a part of even as you create new ones. I'm grateful I have several more bottles of this, and can't wait to be reminded of this meal the next time I open one.

Our Most Memorable Wines of 2023

As I have done the last few years, I asked our team to share a wine or two that stuck with them from all the ones they'd tried in 2023, and why. This is always one of my favorite blogs to put together. I love seeing the breadth of wine interests of the Tablas Creek team. More than that, I love seeing what inspired them. If you don't work at a winery, you might expect that those of us who do spend most of our time drinking our own wines, but in my experience, that's far from the case. Most people who find a career in wine do so because they find it fascinating, and that interest doesn't go away just because they've landed at a particular winery, even a winery that they love. And most people who work at wineries look at exploring other wines as an enjoyable form of continuing education.

This year, I tried to be more conscious of fostering that continuing education by opening some of the treasures left from my dad's cellar with our team. It was gratifying to see that some of those made people's year-end lists. But what stood out, as usual, was the degree to which the memorableness of a wine was tied to the occasion for which and the company with whom it was opened. As Neil said so well in his submission last year, it is "with food, company and occasion that great bottles become truly memorable ones."   

Here's everyone's submission, in their own words and only very lightly edited, in alphabetical order (except mine, which is at the end, with some concluding thoughts):

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
Mine is not about just one wine; it was an experience.

Every year, an email from Jason marks a special occasion at Tablas—Francois and Cesar Perrin are in town to participate in the blending of the Esprit. I'm always excited when that Monday morning email arrives: "Gather the tasting room team; Cesar and Francois brought some wine they want to share." This time, it led to a midweek tasting featuring six vintages each of Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc and Chateau de Beaucastel Vieilles Vignes Roussanne. (The 2009 vintage of this was my favorite of the tasting.) So, on an ordinary Wednesday at 8:00 am, our tasting room team gathered for a session that was something to remember.

No formalities, just pouring and sipping. The Perrins, a dynamic father-son duo, brought in the good stuff, and we delved into twelve wines with zero fuss. These are the moments that remind me I work at a special place. It's not about unraveling complex tasting notes; it's about enjoying the laid-back journey through the evolution of these wines. More than just wine, it's team time that turns a regular Wednesday into a spontaneous celebration. Here's to those unexpected moments that become the most memorable sips of the year!

Neil Collins, Executive Winemaker
I am going to go with winery of the year as I believe it is a property that deserves some recognition. Marci and I were lucky enough to take a short backpack trip up the Loire valley. I made it a point to go and visit Domaine Grosbois outside of Chinon. The entire visit was a treat: farming in the best possible way and producing wines that I loved across the board. An absolute treat!!! If I was pushed to pick one it would be the Gabare. But I’ll take any of the lineup!!

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
2023 was full of incredible wine experiences. Thanks to Jason opening up his father's cellar, I had some of the oldest wine I have ever tried. While those wines land on my list of best wines of 2023, I thought I would focus on the wines I will remember the year for: Barbaresco and Barolo. I was fortunate to spend a couple of weeks in the Piedmont region, where I received an education from vintners and wine shop owners. Two of those bottles were some of the most sought-after in Barolo. Vigna Rionda has established itself as one of the top sites of Barolo's new Grand Crus system. I tried a Vigna Rionda from the site's largest producer, Massolino, and the smallest producer, Guido Porro. Both of these wines were exceptional, serious drinking wines. The Guido was opened the day prior and the way it opened up was more floral than one might expect from a young Barolo. I left the region wholly sold on Nebbiolo, and I am already looking forward to my next glass.

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
My most memorable wines of the year were served side by side with a good friend and a surreal appetizer, just before Christmas. 2018 Domaine Weinbach Cuvée Theo Riesling and 2017 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis paired with “Deep Fried Baby Crabs” at Goshi’s SLO. Dauvissat was in green apple, lemon oil and crushed oyster shell mode, righteously mid-weighted on the palate, whereas the Weinbach was as gingery as the slices themselves, with passion fruit, honey and lime, balanced acidity and a hint of sweetness: simply built for sushi. The crabs were, well, something that would’ve floored Salvador Dali and just what the menu said they were.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
I would not be surprised if my first two wines are not on anybody else's list because they were shared to the tasting room team at Tablas Creek, by Jason Haas, during one of our meetings. Perks of the job. Thanks Jason!

• Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, Bordeaux 1970
• Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 1978

There is nothing like trying an old wine and these definitely did not disappoint! I can't help but think about all the facets that went into these and all the time that they were sitting in the bottle just to get to my glass. Incredible.

• Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Rose 2015

This champagne was sent to me as part of my wine education. There was no way I was just going to try it by myself and when I let my buddy have some, he liked it so much he poured it for his pickup party!

• Tablas Creek, Esprit de Tablas 2011
• Tablas Creek, Esprit de Tablas 2017

Although I have had these bottles many times before I shared these two with my parents for Christmas dinner. Paired beautifully with a ribeye. I'm lucky to have had these plenty of times, like I said, but they are very memorable to me. The 2017 still goes down as my all-time favorite wine at Tablas Creek. Happy New Year!

Ray King, Tasting Room
My most memorable wines of the year have been the gifts at various events over the past few weeks. Aged and beautiful. 

1) Chateau Pavie, Saint Emilion, 1970

2) Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1978

3) Tablas Hills, Cuvée Blanc, 1996

4) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Founders’ Reserve, 2001

5) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Panoplie, 2003

6) Tablas Creek Vineyard, Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc, 2010

Jordan Lonborg, Viticulturist
My most memorable bottle of 2023 was a Desire Lines Shake Ridge Syrah. What made this bottle so memorable was the fact that the great Ann Kraemer, Owner and Vineyard Manager of Shake Ridge Vineyard, opened that bottle for both Neil Collins and myself as we overlooked her property, ate a beautiful dinner, and talked shop about the past, present, and future of grape farming. It was an unforgettable evening with a couple legends. 

Erin Mason, Regenerative Specialist
It was an occasion that brought me to my most memorable bottles of 2023. Just before the start of harvest, I celebrated the fourth anniversary of the Tribute to Grace tasting room opening with the winemaker and team. I’m lucky to be part of two amazing wine families in California—both Tablas Creek and Grace. Angela Osborne, the winemaker and Grenache devotee, has made it a tradition at major celebrations to do a semi-blind tasting of two wines. Only partially blind because we know it’s going to be Grenache… we know one is going to be a Tribute to Grace… and, typically, one Chateauneuf-de-Pape from Chateau Rayas—always the same vintage. This year, we were lucky enough to taste the 2011 Santa Barbara Highlands Grace alongside Rayas. I’ve never described a wine as “transformative,” but this was my second time tasting Rayas and there is truly nothing like it. Also exciting because of the comparisons made between 2011 to 2023 growing seasons in CA. If the Santa Barbara Highlands was any indication, we all have something amazing to look forward to from 2023. Bonne année!

Monica O'Connor, Direct Sales Manager
My most memorable wine of 2023 was the Domaine Matrot Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru 2019.

This wine was so perfectly balanced, I just savored each sip. The mouth was full of preserved lemon, with soft mineral, subtle hazelnut and a whisper of anise and bright chervil. What made it extra special too is that I visited Beaune over the summer and cycled through Meursault!

We enjoyed the wine on Christmas Eve with a creamy polenta and mushroom dish. It was exquisite!

...And As for Me
I was lucky enough to have my wine of the year -- the stunning 1990 Chave Hermitage -- twice in 2023. The first time was for my birthday in June, at home, with just Meghan and Sebastian as Eli was away spending a month working with the Perrins. I then opened it a second time as part of a collection I brought to supply my table at the amazing Paso Purpose event that raised nearly $2,000,000 to support must! charities in August. It takes a special wine to shine at both an intimate dinner and a bustling outdoor function with hundreds of people. And this was the sort of event where everywhere you looked there was something extraordinary being opened. But Paso Robles, you have to remember, is a relatively young wine region. The wineries who started must! charities were all founded this century, and they're all of my generation. So while there were amazing wines on every table, the 1990 Chave still stood out. It was fully mature, quintessentially Syrah with its chocolate and pancetta flavors, but with all the rough edges smoothed away by time. Instead there were lingering flavors of cedar, dried flowers, and loamy earth. Just a treat, and an amazing opportunity to think about how cool it is that we can drink a wine made from the same place by the same family for 16 generations.

A few concluding thoughts:
I did my best to link each wine to a page with information about it, should you want to research details. But I don't think replicating a specific wine is necessarily the right goal. If there's one thing that I've learned from writing these end-of-year appreciations for a decade now, it's that it really is the confluence of wine and occasion that makes for the most memorable experiences. Wine, after all, is the ultimate social beverage. The size of a bottle means it's something that you share with others. The fact that wine is ephemeral, that each bottle is a reflection of particular grapes grown in a particular place in a particular vintage, means that each one is different and also a unique reflection of time and place. Add in the human element, where the winemaker or winemakers are taking (or not taking) actions based on what they see, smell, and taste, and you have what is in essence a time capsule that comes with the added benefit of helping you enjoy a meal and bring insight into the flavors it contains. What a perfect starting point for a meaningful evening.

I also noticed the extent to which many of people's most memorable wines were older. It is for sure a challenge to cellar wines. It requires resources: space, patience, and the ability to buy wine in enough quantity that you can enjoy some in its youth while still having enough to open later. And there's always the risk that by the time you open your bottle it might be corked, or you might have missed its peak. But reading these memories highlights that the rewards can be marvelous. One hack: it's often surprisingly affordable to buy older wines online. Sites like Wine Searcher put older vintages at your fingertips in a way that would otherwise require major investment. For example, a few minutes' search found me this 30-year old bottle of Beaucastel for $109. 

I wish you all memorable food and wine experiences in 2024, and even more than that, the opportunity to share them with people you love.

Darren Delmore's Most Memorable Meals of 2023

By Darren Delmore

As my 2023 National Sales travels for Tablas Creek swirled into a smooth finish, I noticed my phone's photo collection featured as much food as family. Miraculously, my waist line remained the same at the close of the year, but it did entail adding yoga to my repertoire to pull that off. Here's a round up of some of my most memorable dishes and meals of the year.  

Gjelina, Venice, CA

My 10 year old son and I did a mid-summer trip to LA, and besides a visit to Hollywood Forever Cemetery and some tennis in Echo Park, we mostly ate our way through my favorite food spots. Every cuisine on the planet is available in the city of angels, from food trucks to fast casual to prix-fixe, and on the last night we braved the crowd at Gjelina and snuck into a communal table straight away, where chef Travis Lett's "Braised Sweet Corn with Fresno Chile" dish, dressed with cilantro, briny feta, and lime, was warm-weather perfection, as was the sun gold tomato, burrata and squash blossom pizza.  

Joseph's Culinary Pub, Santa Fe, NM

This Santa Fe gem has the most lamb options I've ever seen on a menu, and the best lamb tartare in the world. When I'm out representing Tablas Creek at the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta every September, you can find me here on two of the three nights in town, at the dark, friendly little bar, dipping some glistening, salted, house fried tortilla chips into the tender, raw lamb puck topped with a cured egg yolk and parsley emulsion. I recommend pairing this with wine manager Starr Bowers' Rhone focused list, or a bowl of green chile-spiced beef bone broth. You'll leave like a well fed, culinary vampire.

The Waverly, Cardiff, CA

I'm not one to get excited about salads, having been raised in the iceberg ages of lettuce, but the Caesar salad at The Waverly in North County San Diego has changed all of that. Fresh, textural Romaine with a garlicky Baja Caesar glaze, shrimp if you want to add it, but what you don't see buried inside here are the infamous, lovingly deep fried, cheese filled crouton blocks. During happy hour you can just order the croutons! To deep dive, watch this clip of chef Brian Redzikowski in action, or just cut to the two minute mark to have him blow the very notion of a "crouton" out of this galaxy. And that's my glass of Patelin de Tablas Rosé, poured on tap from kegs here since 2019. 

Chez Bacchus, Long Beach, CA

We get asked to do a lot of wine dinners on the road, and the most successful ones tend to be when the chef tastes the wines first, then plans the menu accordingly. Such was the case at the Tablas Creek wine dinner I hosted in June at this new restaurant in Long Beach. The amuse alone of Sushi grade ahi, with a chunk of avocado, crowned with tobiko red Caviar and served with Esprit de Tablas Blanc, was practically worth the price of admission.    

Gemma, Dallas, TX

I'm pretty sure the Rabbit Pappardelle at Gemma has made it onto this list before. One of our first Tablas Creek keg accounts in the lone star state continues to be an industry hot spot, open later than most fine dining establishments, with killer service and a beautiful long bar to comfortably consume a solo meal. Though the menu has plenty on offer, I stick to this classic dish every time. Fluffy housemade pasta, braised juicy slabs of rabbit, pancetta, Swiss chard, pecorino and thyme, wisely paired with a glass of Patelin de Tablas Rouge.

Easy Bistro, Chattanooga, TN

If you'd told me I'd end up in Chattanooga and fall in love with a gluten free pasta made out of squash, I would've said you've lost your mind. Easy Bistro got interested in Regenerative Farming a few years ago and sought our wines out in Tennessee. I did a Covid-era Zoom presentation with their entire team in late 2020. This fall, in person, I grabbed a bar seat in front of their large wood oven and enjoyed this guanciale-enriched twist on a carbonara with some Patelin Blanc, and left feeling light as a feather. 

Ember, Arroyo Grande, CA

Ember continues to blow SLO county minds with their wood fired cuisine. When in season, the local Halibut pictured here, puts the bounty of Central Coast waters and farms on show. We were shocked to hear of Ember selling, but apparently the staff is staying on and the new owners are big fans with plans to keep things blazing. Congratulations to Brian and Harmony Collins for believing in their backyard and bringing Chez Panisse-style fare to our palates.  

Burger She Wrote, Los Feliz, CA

Best Burger of The Year (and restaurant name) goes to these guys. They don't serve wine, but just marvel in the majesty of this one for a second or two. If they opened a Paso Robles outpost, I'd surely be on heart medication. 

Grater Goods at an AirBnB, Jacksonville, FL

Oftentimes the most memorable meals don't happen in a restaurant. In early October, between working Georgia and Florida, my good friends Mike and Brianna from Charleston went in on a Jacksonville Beach AirBnb with me in hopes of scoring some surf. As the autumn time Atlantic ocean is unpredictable, the chances of getting good waves in a three day window was risky. I popped into this great cheese shop in Jacksonville en route to the rental, filling up an exotic sack of cheeses, all from Georgia's Sweet Grass Dairy. This photo is the afterglow of surfing epic, warm water waves for three hours on that Saturday afternoon, in spite of bull sharks all around us, celebrating our luck, timing, and friendship. We complemented this golden platter with a bottle of Vincent Girardin 2020 Le Cailleret Chassagne Montrachet. 

I hope this inspires you to go out to eat and support your favorite restaurant before the year's end. Or, if geography is in your favor, maybe seeking one of these specific spots out. I'm already getting a tad hungry for 2024, so I'm going to go now. Happy feasting! 

What the Tablas Creek team is drinking with our Thanksgivings in 2023

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's brings extended family together for a day of cooking, eating, and reflecting on what we're grateful for. It's still largely uncommercialized. And it comes at a time of year where those of us who work at wineries are finally able to slow down and relax. Especially after this year's late, long harvest, that's something to be thankful for indeed.

Before diving into specific recommendations, it's worth going over some things that don't change. Try not to stress over your choices. Open a range of wines. Expect each of them to sing with a dish or two, coexist peacefully enough with another, and maybe clash with something. That can be fun, and instructive. Remember, and accept that it's OK, that nothing will pair particularly well with sweet potato casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts. Open a few more wines than you think you'll need, and don't feel bad about having wine leftovers, along with your food. You'll likely learn something, and have fun along the way. Remember that open bottles kept in the fridge should be fine for a week or more. And if you're still stressing after reading all these recommendations, I refer you to the 2016 piece on W. Blake Gray's blog where he set up a simple 5-question quiz to answer the question "is this wine good for Thanksgiving". I'm sure I haven't gone through every possible combination, but I've never gotten any answer other than "yes".

OK, now that I've told you any choice is perfectly fine, it's only fair that I acknowledge my own preferences. After all, there are wines that I tend to steer clear of, like wines that are powerfully tannic (which tend to come off even more so when they're paired with some of the sweeter Thanksgiving dishes), and wines that are high in alcohol (which tend to be fatiguing by the end of what is often a marathon of eating and drinking). But that still leaves you plenty of options. With a traditional turkey dinner, I tend to steer people toward richer whites and rosés, and fruitier reds relatively light in oak and tannin. Plenty of Tablas Creek wines fit these broad criteria, so if you want to stay in the family, you could try anything from Roussanne and Esprit Blanc to Dianthus Rosé to Counoise or Cotes de Tablas. Richer red meat preparations open up a world of Mourvedre-based reds young or old, from Esprit de Tablas to Panoplie to En Gobelet, which just (say it out loud) sounds like something you should be drinking at this time of year.  

But I'm just one person. As I've done the last several years, I reached out to our team to ask them what they were planning on drinking this year. This is super fun for me to see, and I'm hoping it will be as much fun for you. One thing I love is that while some will be drinking Tablas Creek, many (including me!) have made other choices. And that's normal. Those of us who work in wine usually do so part because we love its many facets, and there's an amazing variety of wine made around the world. Whether you choose an American wine for this quintessentially American holiday, or celebrate America as a melting pot by choosing wines from elsewhere, I refer you back to Blake Gray's article. You're not wrong.

My team's responses are below, in their own words, in alphabetical order.

Janelle Bartholomew, Wine Club Assistant
I am such a traditionalist that I tend to reach for the same bottles of wine each year. Why fix something that isn’t broken, eh?! In our house we always roast a turkey with all the fixings, and my absolute favorite wines to pair with all the goodies are Tablas Creek Counoise, and Bourboulenc.  The Bourboulenc is a newer addition to our table because it is a relatively newer addition to TCV’s portfolio, but it is an absolute stunner!  There will be bubbles while playing board games, loads of charcuterie, and lots and lots of laughs! From my family to yours – Happy Holiday!

Charlie Chester, Senior Assistant Tasting Room Manager
This Thanksgiving, we're keeping things simple, delicious, and easygoing. On the menu: a classic turkey and, weather permitting, maybe a BBQ pork loin. To wash it down, we're opting for the Lone Madrone Carbonic Cinsault – a fruity red that plays well with turkey's savory goodness.

If we successfully get to fire up the grill, I plan on serving a 2020 TCV Grenache to complement both entrees. One of my "go-to" wines for its liveliness and versatility

Joining us at the table will be my sister's family and, of course, visiting from Long Island, Tennessee, and the coast of Oregon, my brand-new in-laws from Amber's side. We're looking forward to the laughs, stories, and shared joy that make Thanksgiving special. So, here's to good food, great company, and a couple of wines that promise to make it a Thanksgiving to remember. Cheers!

Amanda Collins, Cellar Assistant
Thanksgiving is one of the most unpredictable holidays in my opinion. I never know where we are going, who’s going to be there, or what’s going to be served until the last few days before. I know that probably puts me in a severe minority here…. 

That being said, this usually means grabbing wines that can be paired with just about anything! So this year I’m going with our Clairette Blanche and our Counoise. Clairette is light crisp and a bit shy so as to not overwhelm the palate, she’s pretty without being boastful. Then we have counoise that carries its light spice quality on the back of lovely juicy notes that tend to lift the holiday spirits and compliments a variety of dishes! I hope I chose correctly!!! Either way, we are sure to be surrounded by good people, good food, and many fun wines! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Austin Collins, Cellar and Vineyard
After a long hard harvest Thanksgiving will be a welcome reprieve from work madness. The same as every year I believe it important to drink 2023 Beaujolais Nouveau from several producers. It drinks so very fresh and lightens up the heavy thanksgiving dishes. It is also likely that we will open a few bottles of Esprit de Tablas Blanc, vintages yet to be chosen, but I am leaning toward the 2021, as it is very lively right now. Finally, to cap it all off I will be opening a 2014 Domaine Berthet-Bondet Vin Jaune. I love Vin Jaune, especially for this time of year, and especially from Chateau Chalon. Happy Thanksgiving.

Neil Collins, Director of Winemaking
What wines will be on our Thanksgiving table this year?

We will certainly be opening a 2022 Lone Madrone Wirz Riesling, Cienega Valley, planted in 1964, as it was recently released and we're all excited about it, perfect for the day. I also have been saving a bottle of Reyneke Chenin Blanc, a natural wine, Demeter biodynamic certified from South Africa. I am generally not especially a fan of natural wines as they are often a bit funky for me, often tasting like everything I spend my life trying to avoid, but when in the right hands and well-made they can be very special. This bottle was a gift from my friend Tommy Oldre, he konws my taste well so I trust that it will be fun. As always there will be an Esprit Blanc and an Esprit Red present, There will surely be Bristols Cider lurking in the ice box. In a wine focused family it is always fun to see what shows up on the table.

Enjoy a great table of food, wine and great company. When the three align it makes for something truly special!!!!!

Ian Consoli, Director of Marketing
I am looking at a smaller group around the table this year, so I won't open as many bottles as usual. That being the case, I need to make sure they're the good stuff! We'll start with some Champagne from Delamotte. Then, I have a bottle of Condrieu, a Cinsaut from Sandlands, and a few red Burgundies to choose from in my cellar. The Cinsaut is the one I am most curious to try. I feel Cinsaut (like Counoise) should have a lot of success with Thanksgiving dinner.

Terrence Crowe, Tasting Room
Tis the season to be thankful. Thankful for for family, friends and the creek of Tablas. The wines for this years thanksgiving feast are as follows:

2015 Esprit de Tablas rouge 

2019 Marsanne 

2021 Counoise 

2021 Famille Perrin Les Sinards Blanc 

The wines are a representation  of my ‘thanksgiving’ to an organization that is a true pillar of the community. An authentic, forerunner and leader in a town undergoing much recent change. 

Darren Delmore, National Sales Manager
My family will be deep in the oyster lands of West Marin County on the holiday, so I'm packing my last bottle of 2020 Laurent Tribut Chablis AC to accompany some raw Kumamotos if all goes well. Tribut is a classic and hard to find longtime Vineyard Brands small production gem. When I had this vintage a couple months back, it tasted like lemon zest and oyster shells itself, with the ripeness of the year smoothing out the producer's hallmark austerity.  

Chelsea Franchi, Senior Assistant Winemaker
After so many jokes that Harvest 2023 was going to end sometime in 2024, I’m incredibly grateful to get to celebrate Thanksgiving with my little family without worrying about breaking up the day with fermentation cap management; we’re finished in the cellar and are slowly assimilating back into society! This year, my husband, daughter and I will be heading to Mexico for some much-needed (and appreciated) post-harvest bonding time. While Mexico does produce wines, I’ll likely be focusing on cervezas and tequila/mezcal based cocktails to pair with the local fare. Wherever and however you are celebrating, I hope your glass is filled with something that elevates the experience and brings immense joy!

Eddie Garcia, Logistics
After a several year hiatus of not traveling for Thanksgiving… this year I’m packing my bags and hitting the road to Phoenix. But, I’m making sure that I’m not leaving empty handed and bringing a taste of Paso with me . I have two wines that I’m excited to share with my family this year. The first is a 2020 Le Cuvier Zinfandel. A solid choice to introduce Paso Zinfandel to a couple family members I found out recently have never tasted a Zin! And my second choice is a 2020 “The Dance” Cabernet Sauvignon from Barton Family Wines. A solid west side Cab. that I’m bringing for the family members who like hearty reds… *my hand is raised*.   

Most importantly though taking time to be thankful for the chance in spending time with family, my kids being healthy/happy and being part of the TCV family. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kaitlyn Glynn, Cellar Assistant
This Thanksgiving we will be starting the day with some autumn cocktails before moving on to the wines. First up will be an easy drinking 2022 Grenache Pet Nat from Dreamcote which will pair nicely with the football we will be watching that day! Next we have a lineup of 2021 Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc, the 2021 Hot Blooded Counoise from Barton Family Wines, and the 2021 Lapsus from Benom to enjoy throughout the day and with our feast. Happy Thanksgiving!

Craig Hamm, Assistant Winemaker
This Thanksgiving came up real quick on me. Having just pressed of most of the grapes in the cellar, I haven’t had much time to think about the upcoming holidays. Our Thanksgiving dinner will be held at my brother’s house. I will be opening a 2022 Patelin Rosé as my mother would like to have a glass of a rose with her meal. We opened a few different Turley wines at harvest lunches and they have been amazing, so I will stop by and pick up a bottle of something they are pouring in there tasting room on Vineyard Drive. Nice perk when living in wine country! I will bring a bottle I made from Velo Vineyard Syrah in 2018. There has to be a Grenache on the table so Tablas Creek 2021 Grenache will definitely be there. Cheers and Happy holidays.

Dusty Hannah, Tasting Room
This year I am looking forward to having a traditional type Thanksgiving with some close friends. Friends that are very special to me and because of that I want to share some special bottles. Therefore, I couldn't think of anything better than Tablas Creek.

1997 Tablas Creek Rouge. I was fortunate enough to land one of these bottles as a gift from Neil Collins, and I even got to sample another bottle a few months ago and it still has plenty of life! Really looking forward to it!

 

2019 Tablas Creek Counoise. Before I discovered this wonderful grape, my Thanksgiving wine was a Cru Beaujolais, but Counoise has now taken over as my mainstay for Thanksgiving. It has soft tannins, wonderful notes of red fruit and good acidity, which is something that is needed to pair with my wide range of dishes on my table.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Cheers.

Ray King, Tasting Room
My family and I will enjoy a small traditional Thanksgiving here in Paso Robles. We will be enjoying:

2018 Haliotide, Extra Brut Rosé, 100% Pinot Noir. San Luis Obispo County. 12.2 abv 

2020 Bico Amarelo, Vinho Verde, Portugal. 11.5 abv

2022 Delmore, Pinot Noir, Humboldt County. Dry farmed. 13.2 abv

2021 Tablas Creek Vineyard, Mourvèdre. ROC & CCOF certified. 13.0 abv. 

 

Simple and delicious. 

Jordan Lonborg, Viticulturist (sent in from vacation)
A magnum of 2018 Esprit Rouge for the family this year! 

Erin Mason, Regenerative Specialist
This is the first Thanksgiving in a long time that I don’t have some specific wine in mind for the table. American wines always feel right for this holiday, though. So if I’m drinking and sharing what I have (and love) that fits the theme…then I’ll be opening a 2021 Desire Lines Massa Vineyard Riesling, a 2021 Sandlands Red Table Wine, and a 2019 Hirsch Vineyard Block 8 Pinot Noir. But I might just be drinking gin and tonics! 

Joanna Mohr, Harvest Intern
I’m a last minute everything so my Thanksgiving wines are yet to be bought, but I can’t get enough of our current release Grenache so that will absolutely be enjoyed. I can never choose between pairing turkey with white or red because I think both are equally as fun. I had a great Muscadet Sur Lié the other day that I think will pair great. And a Chinon almost always makes an appearance!

John Morris, Tasting Room Manager
For me the key to Thanksgiving is to keep it simple.  Unless you’re hosting a group of wine geeks, getting too caught up in the perfect pairing can seem a bit much with all that’s going on with both food and guests.  Most writers will relay the same basic info:  choose, low-tannin, moderate-alcohol reds, or richer whites with minimal to no oak.  Fortunately, if you’re choosing Tablas Creek wines, there’s no shortage of options!  Counoise, Grenache, and Côte de Tablas are great choices for reds, while, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, and Côtes de Tablas Blanc are great white choices.  Or maybe an Esprit de Tablas Blanc if you really, really (and I mean really) like your guests.  This year however, I stopped by Wines on Main in Templeton, which was just opened by Jennifer Baeza, a long-time Tasting Room  host here at Tablas Creek, and picked up a 2018 Zyme Valpolicella from Veneto in Northern Italy as the main wine for the meal.  Although I haven’t had this wine, I love Valpolicellas for their medium weight, floral aromas, and subtle fruitiness that is often countered by a touch of bitterness.  Let’s see how it turns out!

Gustavo Prieto, Bidynamicist
Like most years I like to start with bubbles and I’m opening a Cremant de Loire Amirault N/V, from a great producer and it is biodynamic!

For the dinner table, as always I love to have one of my favorites whites from Tablas, a 2004 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc, a powerful vintage that will go well with all the different flavors. For reds, a pretty 2005 Esprit the Beaucastel from a great vintage year, also we’ll have on the table a great producer from Cornas, France, Alain Voge, 2019 Chapelle Saint-Pierre. This is a 100% Syrah, with beautiful earthy notes, made from biodynamic grown grapes.

Sarah Schultz, Harvest Intern
Getting to see my family is one of the many reasons why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Our Thanksgiving is an all day affair with food, games, and of course, wine. This year as our family from Lakeport, CA, cannot make it, we have decided to drink wines from Lake county that way they are celebrating with us in spirit. We will start the morning with a light breakfast and Boatique Brut Bubbles. (Pomegranate or orange juice optional) Appetizers include my moms signature spinach dip and popping open a bottle of Brassfield 2021 Pinot Gris. Our dinner is a traditional smoked turkey dinner cooked by my dad this year being served with 2017 Writers Block Syrah. Happy Thanksgiving!

And as for me...
Typically, my choice is to open the largest bottle I have to hand at Thanksgiving gatherings. There's usually a story behind a big bottle, and the randomness of "just open it" adds a certain amount of pleasurable discovery to the gathering, as well as the festivity that large bottles bring. But for the first time in more than 15 years, I'm spending Thanksgiving in Vermont where I grew up, and my dad really didn't collect large-format bottles. So we did the best we could by buying a magnum of Domaine Tempier Rosé from our lovely local wine shop Meditrina, and we'll open some of the lovely old Burgundies that my dad laid down. Here are some of the options:

We'll probably want a white as well, and my go-to is Esprit Blanc with some -- but not too much -- age. Maybe the 2012 that has been so pretty recently. We'll probably also break into a dessert wine, because if not with a meal like this, when you have a crowd around the table and aren't expected to do anything beyond play games and watch football, when?!? Beyond that, we'll have to see! 

Wherever you are, however you're celebrating, please know that we are thankful for you. May your celebrations be memorable, the wines you open outstanding, and the company even better.

A lovely Vermont summer dinner of lamb, tomatoes, potatoes, and old Beaucastel

My family and I spent most of July in Vermont. I grew up there, and each year we try to go back and give our kids the chance to discover the streams and forests, fields and ponds I spent my childhood exploring. My sister and her family make their home next door, and my mom still spends half the year there, in the house I grew up in. I know that the setting hasn't changed much in the last 50 years. It probably hasn't changed much in a century:

When we go back, we're a group of nine, five adults and (this year) kids aged 18, 15, 13, and 9. Everyone likes to eat, and a many of our most memorable moments of each trip are spent around the table. To keep it from being too much of a burden on any one person, we share out the tasks of cooking, setting, and washing each evening, and always designate a few people each evening to be Riley (think "life of...") so they can relax without guilt. If you're in a rut on your vacation meal planning, I highly recommend this system.

As our time in Vermont wound down, my mom and I were signed up to cook one night, and we decided to make a meal that would allow us to explore some of the treasures my dad accumulated in the wine cellar there. Earlier in the trip we'd opened some old Burgundies and a few old Tablas Creeks, but this time decided to dive into the stash of Beaucastel. That stash included two of my favorite vintages: 1981 and 1989. To pair with the wines, we decided on racks of lamb (sadly, not Tablas Creek, since we were on the other coast, but delicious racks from the local co-op grocery). My mom cooked them according to this favorite David Tanis recipe in the New York Times, where the racks are rubbed with a blend of mustard, garlic, anchovy, salt, pepper, and herbs. These racks are then roasted over par-cooked potatoes, which have been boiled then crushed. As everything roasts in the oven, the potatoes absorb the juices and flavors of the lamb and its rub. As a side dish I made a variation on roasted tomatoes from a favorite Barbara Kafka recipe, where small tomatoes are rubbed in olive oil and salt, then roasted whole at high temperature with peeled cloves of garlic scattered around. When they're removed from the oven, you scatter some strips of basil over the top. A few photos, starting with the lamb, which turned out perfectly:

The potatoes were meltingly delicious:

I love roasted tomatoes with lamb, because their brightness helps cut the richness of the meat. The garlic pieces are great for spreading on crusty bread.

And finally, the wines, which were definitely worthy of all this fuss. The cool, damp underground cellar where the wines have spent the last four decades is great for the wines' evolution, but (as you can see) less than ideal for their labels:

As for the two wines that night, both were excellent, and the 1989 truly outstanding. My sense was that the 1981 was a little past its peak, and starting a graceful decline, while the 1989 is still at the top of its game:

• 1981 Beaucastel. A nose of truffle and balsamic, sage, graphite, leather and a little juniper. On the older side but still quite present and intense. On the palate, still intense and firm, with good acids, flavors of meat drippings and plum skin, coffee grounds and pencil shavings. The finish is still persistent.
• 1989 Beaucastel. Plusher and more powerful on the nose, aromas of mocha, black cherry, mint chocolate, and soy marinade. The mouth is fully mature but still has lovely fruit: cherry and currant fruit, new leather, meat drippings, sweet baking spices, and chocolate covered cherries. Long and luscious but still somehow weightless. 

It was a fitting conclusion to a wonderful three weeks. And I couldn't help thinking that my dad must have been smiling down at us all witnessing it.