Winemaker Notes
A rustic savory style Syrah with amazing texture, while toeing the line of finesse. Tiny berries and low yields make this wine dark in color and tannic in the mouth. Not a wine for the meek. If you plan to drink this wine in the next 3-4 years give it an hour to open up so you get the full experience of the texture and complexities. You will not regret it.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Syrah Tensley Estate is also outstanding. Ripe red and black fruits, ground pepper, loamy earth, and iron nuances all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, elegant Syrah with fine tannins and a great finish. As with the other Syrahs here, it saw a small amount of whole clusters and was aged in one-third new French oak.
Rating: 94+ -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple, the 2020 Syrah Tensley Vineyard has slowly emerging aromas of blackcurrants, iron, aniseed and turned earth with top notes of dried orange peel. The medium-bodied palate is bright and spicy, and it finishes long and ethereal.
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Wine Spectator
Polished and multilayered, with spirited black raspberry, garrigue and licorice flavors that gather richness toward tannins accented by spice and stony minerality. Drink now
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.