Jason Haas from Tablas Creek returns (he was in Ep 162) to give us his perspective on 30 years of the most innovative winery in California, which runs in partnership with the Perrins of Rhône fame. We take the long view, discussing a retrospective blog post Jason wrote on what they got right and wrong in the last 30 years, and then we chat about what's next.

Here are some of the things we chatted about:  

• Based on the blog post: The 30 years of lessons learned at Tablas Creek!
  • Wrong #1: Paso Robles is hot and dry, and therefore red wine country (and why whites are so essential to Tablas Creek)
  • Right #1: Obscure grapes can be great here. Yes they can! 
  • Wrong #2: They were going to make just one red wine and one white wine (and why theory was right but practice was wrong!)  
  • Right #2: Importing new vine material would be worth the costs (and how it made them legendary)
  • Wrong #3: Vineyard and winery experience is enough to run a nursery (and how passing the torch to NovaVine was a big relief!)
  • Right #3: Organic viticulture works (and a deeper discussion of why and whether it even matter why)
  • Wrong #4: Tasting Room? Wine Club? Who needs 'em! From a business perspective, this made perfect sense but we talk about why it didn’t fly in reality and why that's a great thing. 
  • Wrong #5: People will buy it because Beaucastel --name recognition only gets you so far
  • Right #5: Fundamentally, this place is great for these grapes  -- We talk about how some people take advantage of this and how some in Paso are still working on it

 

We wrap with: What’s in the next 30 years?

Please check out Tablas Creek. Many consider them the best winery in America. It's a hard point to argue once you have their wines!

 

 

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