Friends of the Pod Series -- Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA

Friends of the Pod Series -- Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CA

Author: Elizabeth Schneider June 30, 2016 Duration: 1:12:19

Jason Haas was the 2015 Paso Robles Wine Industry Person of the Year. As the GM and a partner in the Tablas Creek joint venture with the Perrin family of Rhône fame (Château de Beaucastel is one of the most famed properties in Châteauneuf du Pape and the family own several other ventures through out Rhône and Provence), Jason has had an enormous impact on the Paso Robles region and the wine style there. In addition, he is one of the most talented writers in the industry  – his Tablas Creek blog has won multiple Wine Blog Awards and is up for another one in 2016.

 

This conversation was a culmination of years of admiration from afar -- I am a huge fan of the Tablas Creek wines and style. Here are some notes from the show:  

  • First we talk about the history of Tablas Creek and how the partnership between the Haas and Perrin families happened.

 

  • We talk about the factors involved in finding a perfect site for the project – soil types, microclimates, altitudes, etc. and the process they went through to find it.

 

  • We discuss the process Tablas Creek went through to import the vines from Beaucastel.  

 

  • We cover how and when Jason got involved with Tablas Creek and his hand in carving up Paso Robles into 11 appellations which happened in 2015. 

 

  • We answer the questions: what did and does make Tablas Creek's vineyards so unique? and... It is possible anywhere with the right people and the right winemaking and growing, or is this a characteristic unique to certain sites that not all people are cognizant of in CA winemaking?

 

  • We discuss farming: organics, biodynamics, and dry farming and why Tablas Creek uses all three.

 

  • We talk about blends, and about the various tiers of Tablas Creek wine and how Jason and his team benchmark his brands against California and Rhône wines, and how they usually stack up.

 

A great conversation with a California legend in the making! This is a fascinating look at an up-and-coming area of California, and it's star player. 

 


Elizabeth Schneider hosts Wine for Normal People, a podcast built on the idea that you can enjoy wine deeply without the pretension. It’s for anyone who finds the world of wine intriguing but is put off by the jargon and gatekeeping. Here, conversations about wine are just that-conversations. Elizabeth approaches topics with a fun and straightforward perspective, aiming to spark genuine excitement and help you discover more interesting bottles to enjoy. Roughly half of the episodes feature guests, but these aren’t formal interviews. Instead, they’re relaxed, educational discussions with passionate friends from the wine world, all people Elizabeth knows personally or through close connections. This creates a uniquely authentic and comfortable atmosphere, as if you’re listening in on a chat between friends who happen to know a lot about what’s in your glass. The focus is always on practical knowledge and shared enthusiasm, stripping away the snobbery to make wine feel accessible and endlessly fascinating. Tune into this podcast to hear honest talk about regions, grapes, and tasting, all designed to make your own journey with wine more rewarding and a lot more fun.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 93

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