Like most wines of the Southern Rhone, the Tablas Creek Vineyard Cotes de Tablas is a blend of varietals, featuring the fruitiness of Grenache balanced by the spice and structure of Syrah, with meaty, earthy notes from Mourvedre and Counoise. The 2005 Cotes de Tablas has an intensely Grenache nose of rare steak, pepper and blueberry. It is juicy and rich in the mouth, with ripe tannins and a finish laced with licorice. Food pairings: Grilled steaks, pastas with meat sauces, rich beef stews, spicy sausages