Tablas Creek Vineyard #88
Tablas Creek Vineyard: Pioneers of the American Rhône movement
Tablas Creek Vineyard, located in the limestone hills of Paso Robles, California, is a partnership between the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel and the Haas family of Vineyard Brands.
Established in 1989, its foundational mission was to bring the inspiration of the Rhône to California’s Mediterranean climate. The winery imported vine cuttings directly from the Beaucastel estate.
Following a three-year quarantine, they established an onsite nursery and have since supplied nearly five million cuttings to more than 600 vineyards and wineries from California to Washington State to Virginia and Texas.
Today, Tablas Creek is a 270-acre property that serves as a living library and practical example of successful French-American viticultural adaptation.
The World’s First Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC®) Vineyard
Tablas Creek has pioneered sustainable practices in the region, achieving organic certification in 2003, Biodynamic certification in 2016, and becoming the first winery in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified status in 2020.
ROC is a demanding standard that encompasses soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Education about regenerative farming begins in the vineyard, where the winery’s commitment to the environment provides tangible, on-site lessons for every visitor.
Tours are structured around these principles, educating guests on the crucial link between soil biodiversity and wine quality. Visitors learn about the grazing program involving an estate flock of sheep, understanding how these animals replace chemical fertilizers and machinery.
The vineyard is treated as a holistic ecosystem, teaching guests that environmentally sound farming is critical to producing expressive, high-quality wines.
Tasting as a Rhone Classroom
The tasting experience is designed as a comprehensive learning journey. Structured, tiered tastings demystify Rhône varietals and their expression of terroir. Guests compare single-varietal components alongside blends made from the same grapes, helping them understand the architecture of the wine and the role of each variety. The winery offers experiences beyond the tasting bar, including tours that connect the wines to soil health lessons from the vineyard. Events such as the popular blending seminar give visitors a hands-on opportunity to craft their own Rhône-style wine and gain a tangible understanding of the blending process.
Leadership, Authenticity, and Transparency
Tablas Creek’s leadership extends beyond its own property; the winery is a vocal proponent of open-source knowledge sharing.
As a long-standing member of the Porto Protocol, Tablas Creek is committed to sharing data and strategies for climate action.
The winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, relying on native yeasts and minimal intervention.
By demonstrating that high-quality wine can be produced using methods that restore the environment, Tablas Creek serves as a prominent example of innovation and responsible leadership in the global wine community.
