Tablas Creek Vineyard

06/06/2026

"The Van Gogh Lounge was abuzz with conversation, laughter, and the tinkling of glasses. It was our last night aboard the S.S. Catherine, the Uniworld riverboat we had called home for the last week. Now, seven nights into our adventure, what had begun with a ship full of strangers was ending with a room full of friends."

So begins our newest blog, by Chelsea Franchi. In it, she takes you on our recently completed Rhone River cruise, including our route and the wines we tasted (photo 2), our visit to Beaucastel (photos 3-6), Domaine Drouhin (photos 7-8), truffle hunting (photo 9) and aboard the ship itself (photo 10).

The trip was a remarkable one. If you joined us, thank you. If you followed along and commented on our posts, thank you. Let's do it again in 2028.

https://blog.tablascreek.com/2026/06/the-long-and-winding-rhone/

06/05/2026

We are constantly experimenting with new ways to reduce tillage in our vineyard while still providing our vines with the resources they need to thrive. Jason Haas breaks down some of the regenerative techniques we are currently using in our dry-farmed Cinsaut block, including spading and crimping.

In this video, we explore how these methods help us manage cover crops without turning over the soil layers. By alternating between spading, which incorporates cover crops into the soil to create a dust mulch, and crimping, which flattens high-growing cover crops into a protective mulch layer, we can minimize water competition for our vines. These practices allow us to maintain soil moisture and support vine health with a lighter footprint on the planet.

Watch the video to see the results.

06/04/2026

We’re excited to continue our social media series in which we ask members of the Tablas Creek team to share three SLO County wineries, one restaurant, and one activity that they love. Over time we hope this becomes a go-to insider's guide to this county we love and call home.

This month, we turn to Regenerative Specialist Erin Mason. Erin works closely with our vineyard team and our livestock to maintain the ecological health of our estate. Erin’s picks:

Favorite Wineries:
Lone Madrone/Bristols Cider House: “Easily my most frequented destination on a Friday afternoon and a great gathering space for the wine misfits of Paso Robles. Interesting varieties, varied expressions, led by curiosity, creativity, and a deep reverence for the farmer. Shout out to the Collins family for their devotion to the craft of cider and winemaking!”

Tablas Creek Vineyard: “Sorry, not sorry for the obvious choice here. I’m incredibly proud to work with this iconic vineyard and I think we produce some of the best Rhone white blends in the country.”

Scar of the Sea wines/Lady of the Sunshine: “Technically separate, but operating under one winery, the husband and wife team are definitely guided by a purpose. Organic farming, ecological health, and community dynamics are at the heart of what they do. Mikey’s solera Chardonnays are edgy, full of depth and intrigue. Gina’s wines are pure and ethereal in expression. Truly compelling winemakers that bring great recognition to the SLO Coast.”

Favorite Restaurant: Brydge in Cambria: “Charming, quietly sophisticated, and nestled in a historic old-Victorian in downtown Cambria. The food is great and the menu is majority sourced from organic ingredients. Also just love the sweet little vibe of this place.”

Favorite Activity:
Coastal exploration: “My ideal Saturday is a quick lap through the Templeton Farmer’s Market, drive out Old Creek to Cayucos or Cypress Mountain/Santa Rosa Creek to Cambria for breakfast at either The Hidden Kitchen, browse the antique stores, hike out to the Harmony Headlands, and finish at Schooners bar watching the sunset. I’m also always down for a drive north along the coast to Big Sur.”

06/02/2026

We’re excited to share our featured wine for June: half bottles of Esprit de Tablas and Esprit de Tablas Blanc!

These half-bottles, which go back over a decade, offer a great way to explore the evolution of our flagship red and white wines across multiple vintages. We have a wide range of past and current bottlings, including our Esprit de Tablas Blanc from 2011 through 2024 and the Esprit de Tablas from 2020 through 2023.

Through the end of the month, these 375ml bottles are available with an extra 10% savings, which applies on top of your standard club discounts. Some quantities are very limited, with some already sold out since their release last week. You can purchase your favorites in our online shop:

https://tablascreek.com/shop

06/01/2026

We are close to wrapping up all of our shoot thinning for the season. This is the first step in our canopy management and a crucial practice for optimal grape development. By removing excess canes and leaves from within the vine’s canopy, we promote better airflow and concentrate the energy into the shoots that will bear our fruit.⁠
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Our team has spent weeks thinning every vine, block by block, to ensure peak ripeness during harvest. The results can be seen here on the vineyard floor, where the removed shoots are returned to the soil.

05/31/2026

Tablas Creek's Summer road tour is heating up! We're traveling all over the country this summer: 17 stops on the road, three in Paso Robles, three on the estate, and more stops coming (details at link in bio).

In this series, we keep you updated on the winemaker dinners, tastings, and festivals we will participate in. Here's what we have on the books so far:

On the Road
May 30-31 - Nantucket, MA
Nantucket Wine and Food Festival

Jun 1 - Exeter, NH
Tablas Creek Wine Dinner at Vino e Vivo

Jun 2 - Cambridge, MA
Winemaker Dinner at Talulla Cambridge

Jun 4 - Cambridge, MA
Tasting and Masterclass at Bonde Fine Wine Shop

Jun 10 - Santa Maria, CA
Pouring at MINDSET Symposium

Jun 13 - McMinnville, OR
The Rhone Rangers Pacific Northwest Tour

Jun 24 - Chester, VT
Tablas Creek Dinner at Meditrina Wine and Cheese

Jun 25 - Portland, OR
Tablas Creek Tasting at Vino Wine Shop PDX

Jun 27 - Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara Food and Wine Festival

Jul 15 - Long Beach, CA
Wine Dinner at Sky Room

Jul 16 - Los Angeles, CA
Wine Dinner at American Beauty Restaurant at The Grove

Jul 18 - Walla Walla, WA
Blood of Gods Merrymaking

Jul 19 - Petaluma, CA
Wine Dinner at Bijou

Jul 22 - Los Gatos, CA
Wine Dinner at Tasting House

Aug 15 - Shell Beach, CA
Pouring at Swingin' by the Sea

Aug 20 - Sacramento, CA
Tablas Creek Tasting at Betty Wine Bar & Bottle Shop

Aug 22 - Truckee, CA
Paso Wine ROCs at Tahoe Wine + Feast

Sep 23-27 - Santa Fe, NM
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta

In Paso Robles
Jun 6 - Studios on the Park
Tablas Creek Pouring at Studios on the Park

Jul 8 - LIBRETTO
Tablas Creek Takeover at Libretto Jazz Club

Aug 1 - Rava Wines
White Wine Invitational 2026

At Home
Jul 12 - Paso Robles, CA
Esprit de Tablas Blanc Vertical Retrospective Tasting

Aug 1 - Paso Robles, CA
Annual Lamb Roast

Oct 18 - Paso Robles, CA
VINsider Wine Club Pickup Party Fall 2026

05/30/2026

Well, that was unexpected!

On Thursday, a strong cold front and unseasonable storm system moved through Paso, dropping 0.48" inches of rain. It feels like a complete shift from the typical late May weather, as the vineyard experienced a steady, day-long soak that we were not anticipating this time of year.

While a little extra rain has its benefits for the vineyard, we are still keeping a close watch on the vines. Late-season moisture brings potential risks, like the risk of shatter and mildew pressure.

Shatter, when raindrops or wind knock off flowering buds and create uneven clusters, may exist in our later-ripening varieties currently in the middle of flowering. We are still evaluating whether or not this was an issue, but so far, things are looking good.

We are also staying vigilant regarding increased mildew pressure resulting from the wet soils and damp canopy conditions. The team will monitor the blocks closely to see if we need sprays (e.g. Sulfur) to stave off any damage caused by the moist conditions.

05/29/2026

We are honored to be recognized as one of the 12 Best Wineries Across America in 2026 by Daily Meal.

The feature highlights our foundational role in The Rhone Rangers movement and our commitment to bringing Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties to California. It also notes our 1989 partnership with Famille Perrin of Château de Beaucastel and our ongoing mission to produce wines that reflect the limestone-rich terroir of Paso Robles Wine.

We were thrilled to be featured alongside some of our favorite producers, like fellow Regenerative Organic Certified® brand The Donum Estate and our Wine Atlas Collective partner Ridge Vineyards.

Thank you to our community for being a part of this journey. You can read the full feature at TheDailyMeal.com, and we look forward to welcoming you to the vineyard soon.

There's no shortage of excellent wineries in the US, but if you're looking for America's best vineyards, here are the places to visit for a glass of wine.

05/28/2026

This is a great time of year to see the variation between late and early budding vines across the vineyard. Here, Jason is positioned between our Mourvèdre and Grenache blocks, which offers a clear look at how differently these varieties progress through the season.

He notes the color difference between the two is striking. The Grenache leaves have a bright yellow-green hue, while the Mourvèdre leaves carry a distinct gray-green tone. Beyond the color, their development stages are equally distinct. While the Mourvèdre is currently in high flower, the Grenache is already showing small berries that are smaller than pea size.

Even within a single variety, location matters. The Grenache at the bottom of this hill is at a different stage than the Grenache at the top, where the berries are already larger. This type of variation by both variety and topography is completely normal. It highlights the complexity of managing a vineyard like Tablas Creek.

05/27/2026

The cellar team is currently in the final stages of our white wine blending process. Our initial blending trials identified lots with the power and structure to join our Esprit de Tablas Blanc. Now, we are tasting down to the individual barrel within those lots for final selections.

We mark an "E" (as you see in the photo) to indicate the barrels chosen for the final Esprit de Tablas Blanc blend. Once blended, this wine will move into foudre to rest until bottling in December.

The remaining barrels are being allocated to our Cotes de Tablas Blanc or specific varietal wines, such as the Bourboulenc featured in this photo. These selections will head to the bottling line next month.

These final decisions ensure each wine expresses its full potential.