tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870174261688457109.post7580315459578603942..comments2023-08-23T08:29:07.311-06:00Comments on The Cab Franco Files: Tasting Tablas Creek at East Beach WineCabfrancophilehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870174261688457109.post-58912794970035086582010-12-20T13:49:49.385-07:002010-12-20T13:49:49.385-07:00Yep, I'm with you on this count. The economic...Yep, I'm with you on this count. The economics of wineries and the domestic market do not favor lower priced, moderate ripeness wines. Most producers need to break even fast, so they aim for over-the-top wines that will make a splash. In part that's what excites me about Tablas--they haven't done this even though they have Beaucastel's capital behind them. It's a multi-decade process as they work out their identity.<br /><br />Another part of the problem is CA chauvinism that focuses on trying to beat France and other boogeymen by obsessing over the hottest new thing. There really needs to be a domestic Kermit Lynch who digs up the 'real' wines from the hidden corners beyond Napa-noma and even CA, WA & OR.Cabfrancophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870174261688457109.post-70752828075320017242010-12-20T11:54:11.697-07:002010-12-20T11:54:11.697-07:00I also like the middle ground and am a sucker for ...I also like the middle ground and am a sucker for it. Yeah, I feel the same way. I feel like with California though, there is a much higher likelihood that I will not like the wine. Seems like the producers that interest me are few and far between and the quality is much more varied.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01194752605118852057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870174261688457109.post-53604485150386443882010-12-20T10:21:14.429-07:002010-12-20T10:21:14.429-07:00The latter part gets me, too, but with Tablas Cree...The latter part gets me, too, but with Tablas Creek I'm feeling that there is a new world-old world kind of fusion that makes it unique. In that context the prices are pretty fair. When you consider the price of White CdP and Condrieu, $30-$40 for Esprit Blanc is not bad at all. Same for Esprit Rouge ($40-$55) in comparison to Red CdP. Not exactly apples to apples, but the quality level is great enough to warrant the comparison. I'm a sucker for new world density + texture with old world elegance + complexity, though.<br /><br />That said, I can buy two top tier Joguet Chinons for the price of one Esprit . . . . so you can guess which one gets the largest piece of he pie. Totally different in flavor and texture, but still low price wins!Cabfrancophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10408854685852702400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870174261688457109.post-34242033696826166552010-12-20T09:56:40.832-07:002010-12-20T09:56:40.832-07:00I had a bottle of the Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc a...I had a bottle of the Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc a few years ago that was really spectacular...of course, it may have been the fact that I hadn't had anything like a Rousanne based wine before...(color me ignorant, I guess) Nevertheless it was spectacular. <br /><br />The one point of cognitive dissonance for me with American wineries--even good ones--is that you could just as well be drinking something pretty great from France for the same price, so it's all a question of where your tastes lie.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01194752605118852057noreply@blogger.com