2001 Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc, California

This is a stunning southern Rhone-style white made by the Perrin brothers, who own the famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape estate Chateau de Beaucastel. But this wine is made in Paso Robles, where the Perrins and their longtime importer, Robert Haas, own Tablas Creek Vineyard.

Lush and delicate, the 2001 Esprit de Beaucastel is a beguiling wine with a pale gold color, satiny texture and marvelous finish. It is minerally and floral, and has a scent of peaches and lavender. A blend of Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne and Grenache Blanc, it’s the first of Tablas Creek Vineyard’s whites to really taste like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape blanc.

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Quick swirl

Region: Paso Robles

Price: About $25

Style: Lush and aromatic Rhone-style white

Food it goes with: Eggplant Provencal, heirloom tomato salads, summery soups, grilled fish and seafood.

Where you find it: Beverage Warehouse in Marina del Rey (310) 306-2822; Friends of the Vine in Redondo Beach (310) 792-5940; Heritage Wine Co. in Pasadena (626) 844-9333; L.A. Wine Co. in Marina del Rey (310) 306-9463; the Wine Cask in Santa Barbara (805) 966-9463; and the Wine Club in Santa Ana (714) 835-6485