Wine review: 2012 Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas

If you’re planning to serve any kind of game or even a roast duck or goose over the holidays, Tablas Creek Vineyard’s 2012 Côtes de Tablas could be your wine. A blend of organic estate-grown 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and a touch of Counoise and Mourvèdre, this gorgeous, rich, spicy red has plenty of character and a fine balance. Call it lush but fresh. It tastes of cherries, plums and wild herbs, with a licorice kick. Pair it with venison loin, roast duck or goose, or a pork roast.

Region: California’s Central Coast

Price: $30 to $34

Style: Rich and spicy

What it goes with: venison, duck, goose, pork

Where to find it: K&L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, (323) 464-9463, https://www.klwines.com; Lincoln Fine Wines in Venice, (310) 392-7816; https://www.lincolnfinewines.com; Mission Wine & Spirits in Pasadena, (626) 794-7026, and Glendale, (818) 242-0683, https://www.missionwineandspirits.com; Total Wine & More in Brea, Laguna Hills, Thousand Oaks and Tustin, https://www.totalwine.com; the Wine Club in Santa Ana, (714) 835-6485, https://www.thewineclub.com; and the Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, https://www.winehouse.com.

irene.virbila@latimes.com

Follow me @sirenevirbila