The 2009 Tannat is absolutely fabulous. The vintage has softened the tannins to an unusual degree. This isn’t the most varietally typical Tannat (readers should look to the 2008 for that) but the wine flows effortlessly with expressive blackberries, blueberries and spices, with an opulent, full-bodied personality graced with exquisite inner perfume. This is a captivating wine. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2021. Tablas Creek was founded as a partnership between Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Robert Haas, owner of Beaucastel’s US importer, Vineyard Brands. Tablas Creek is one of the pioneers for Rhone varieties in Paso Robles, not just for the quality of the wines, but just as importantly for creating a nursery of clones from Beaucastel cuttings that are now used widely throughout the region. The estate currently has about 105 acres under vine. Tablas Creek works with indigenous yeasts and favors large, neutral oak barrels and casks for aging. Vintage 2009 was the third in a series of drought years for the estate, which along with a severe spring frost reduced yields dramatically to less than 1.85 tons per acre. The wines, though, are striking. Vintage 2010 could not have been more different. There was no spring frost. Instead the estate received a whopping 44 inches of rain. A cold summer led to a late harvest that started during the second half of October and lasted until early November. Readers will find a broad range of compelling bottles across all price ranges. As an aside, Tablas Creek is one of the highest-quality estates in California that has the facilities and capacity to receive visitors.Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com

The 2008 Tannat is a huge, brooding wine loaded with black fruit and more exotic notes of smoke, tar and incense. This is a decidedly extroverted, idiosyncratic wine, and might not please all palates, but the Tannat tannins are nicely balanced and there is plenty of personality in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. Tablas Creek was founded as a partnership between Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Robert Haas, owner of Beaucastel’s US importer, Vineyard Brands. Tablas Creek is one of the pioneers for Rhone varieties in Paso Robles, not just for the quality of the wines, but just as importantly for creating a nursery of clones from Beaucastel cuttings that are now used widely throughout the region. The estate currently has about 105 acres under vine. Tablas Creek works with indigenous yeasts and favors large, neutral oak barrels and casks for aging. Vintage 2009 was the third in a series of drought years for the estate, which along with a severe spring frost reduced yields dramatically to less than 1.85 tons per acre. The wines, though, are striking. Vintage 2010 could not have been more different. There was no spring frost. Instead the estate received a whopping 44 inches of rain. A cold summer led to a late harvest that started during the second half of October and lasted until early November. Readers will find a broad range of compelling bottles across all price ranges. As an aside, Tablas Creek is one of the highest-quality estates in California that has the facilities and capacity to receive visitors.Tel. (805) 237-1231; www.tablascreek.com

The only red wine I did not find exciting is the 2007 Tannat, an eccentric blend of 90% Tannat and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a deep ruby/purple-hued, austere, extremely tannic wine that undoubtedly gives the taster a higher amount of resveratrol than required for good cardiac health.(Not yet released)This Paso Robles outpost is owned by two Francophiles, Frenchman Francois Perrin (one of the owners of the Rhone Valley's Chateau Beaucastel) and Robert Haas (founder of the import company Vineyard Brands, and a pioneer importer of estate-bottled French wines). Seeking out steep limestone ridges near the Pacific Ocean, Tablas Creek was a work in progress for its first four to five years, but it has come on like gang-busters in the 21st century. The 2007s are unquestionably their finest wines to date, but readers should not overlook the excellent 2006s.Tel. (805) 237-1231; Fax (805) 237-1314