2009 Vintages





tensley2009 Noir Syrah (formerly anniversary series). SOLD OUT

In making this year's Noir, Joey followed exactly the same program he used in the last two vintages. He started by choosing the very best fermenter of 2009 Colson Canyon grapes then made the wine exactly like our other Syrahs with the exception that it was aged in 100% new French oak (rather than our usual neutral or 20% new) for 16 months (rather than our usual ten) .   The result is a jammy wine full of dark stone fruits, blackberries, chocolate, and pepper complemented by hints of leather and earth.  The texture is velvety and round, and the finish is long and complex. A solid tannic structure promises true age ability.  This wine can be enjoyed now or aged up to 15 years.

Price:$55
Wine Club: $46.75
Cases Produced: 100





tensley2009 Santa Barbara County Syrah SOLD OUT


This year’s Santa Barbara County Syrah was sourced from three distinct vineyards: Camp 4 (40%), Colson Canyon (40%) and Tierra Alta (20%). The Camp 4 brings in bright notes of raspberry, red stone fruits, and minerals while the Colson Canyon introduces a deep, jammy core of black fruits and berries with hints of chocolate, violets and smoked meat. The Tierra Alta brings it all together by adding floral notes to the nose and a streak of earth to the lush, smooth palate. Drink this wine now or age it over the next 3 to 5 years.


Price: $25.00
Cellar Club Price: $21.25
Cases Produced: 245




tensley2009 Colson Canyon Syrah SOLD OUT


Deep purple color and intense extraction are what come to mind when looking at a glass of 2009 Colson Canyon Syrah. Once you taste it, it does not disappoint. Sunny, warm days and cool nights have given this wine an extraordinary concentration of blackberries and black stone fruit. Low yields and stressing the vines by watering as little as possible has filled this wine with firm but round tannins leading to a lush mouthfeel and long finish. Notes of bittersweet chocolate and smoked meats add to the layers of flavor in this deeply complex wine. Enjoy The Colson now (with some decanting) or enjoy with any red meat or big pasta dish for 10 to 15 years.

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club Price: $32.20
Cases Produced: 1495






tensley2009 Santa Barbara County Riesling SOLD OUT


We made only one barrel of this crisp, dry, fruit-driven Riesling and were actually planning to keep it all for ourselves. But in the spirit of the holidays, and because it pairs so beautifully with hors d’oeuvres passed among friends and family, we decided to share our limited supply. The grapes for this wine come from some of the oldest vines in the Fess Parker Vineyards and show all the wonderful characteristics that dry Riesling has to offer. Look for notes of honeysuckle and citrus blossoms followed by flavors of apricots and lemon curd that lead to a long, creamy finish. Enjoy this wine with Asian cuisine, fish dishes, and even your Thanksgiving turkey. This wine should be enjoyed over the next one to three years.


Price: $20.00
Cellar Club Price: $17.00
Cases Produced: 25






2010 Lea Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah Rosé SOLD OUT

tensley
2010 was a tricky vintage – not in terms of quality but in terms of when to make picking calls. The weather was fickle – hot for a day or two then suddenly cool then back up again. When we picked the rosé we found that only two barrels’ worth of the grapes were right for a rosé wine. The rest went into the Tierra Alta Syrah that Joey produces. That said, what rosé we did produce is not only excellent but absolutely consistent with our past offerings. As before, Jennifer and Oliver crushed the grapes for the wine by foot. Half the fruit remained on the skins for three hours. The other half stayed on the skins overnight before going into barrel. This wine’s nose bursts with rose petals and strawberries that are equally expressive in the mouth. A lovely streak of minerality brings brightness and crispness to the silky, rounded mouthfeel and long finish. This rosé is absolutely dry and is a beautiful match for spicy Mexican or Asian dishes as well as quail, chicken and turkey. Enjoy it over the next two years.

Price: $20.00             
Cellar Club Price: $17.00           
Cases Produced: 43





2009 Lea Turner Vineyard Pinot Noir SOLD OUT

tensley
Planted to the renowned Pommard clone, the south-facing slopes and sandy soils of the Turner vineyard make it an ideal terroir for Pinot Noir. This wine was gently basket pressed and hand bucketed to neutral French oak barrels. Handling it with kid gloves definitely paid off as Jennifer was left with one of the most bright, intensely flavored Pinots she or Joey had ever tasted. This wine is rich and round with a long finish and notes of blackberry, blueberry, and purple plum. The spice is deep and the tannic structure solid though the tannins themselves are appealingly soft and grainy. Drink this wine now or let it develop over the next six to eight years.

Price: $38.00             
Cellar Club Price: $32.30           
Cases Produced: 100




tensley 2009 Thompson Vineyard Syrah SOLD OUT

The Thompson Vineyard, established in 1990, has long been a Santa Barbara County favorite for Syrah. 2009 marks our 12th vintage of Thompson Vineyard Syrah, and it is one of our best yet. While this vineyard consistently produces low yields and high quality fruit, 2009 was blessed with near perfect growing conditions that resulted in small, beautifully ripened berries. As always, the Thompson manages to strike a near perfect harmony between acidity, fruit and tannins. This wine fills the mouth with a berry-driven roundness and hints of earth, minerals and leather. Cool nights and great drainage seem to contribute the extended age ability of Thompson Syrah. If you’re collecting, consider putting a case away and opening one a year over the next 12 years to watch it evolve.

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club Price: $32.30
Cases Produced: 162





tensley 2009 Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah SOLD OUT

From the famed 99 clone from Chateauneuf du Pape and Chateau Beaucastel, this 2 acre parcel is so steep and influenced by the wind we had to pick it on 3 different occasions. The first 2 picks were from the very top of the hill and the 2 rows that are furthest west with no wind block. The third pick actually had a little bit of rain and hung out there for 13 days longer and made very dark juice. Tierra Alta is always fruit forward with red cherry, raspberry and touch of earthy minerality. We enjoy this wine year after year with spicy BBQ ribs or chicken and the fresh heirloom tomatoes that arrive just in time for harvest. This wine is approachable young but develops more earth and mineral flavors over time.
2003 was the first vintage and it is still going strong. Enjoy this wine now or enjoy it over the next 8 to 10 years.

Price: $38
Cellar Club: $32.30
Cases Produced: 260





tensley 2009 Turner Vineyard Syrah. SOLD OUT

The Turner is Tensley’s only cool climate Syrah, and, just as we expected, it is very different from our other offerings. This wine boasts peppery, provincial herb flavors and an inky, blackish-purple hue. It has a lush texture yet still shows great acidity and aging potential. Full of red raspberry and plum notes, this wine will easily pair with a wide variety of foods from heartier chicken dishes to bold, meaty comfort foods.

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club Price: $32.30
Cases Produced:47





tensley 2009 OGT SYRAH SOLD OUT
Each year we strive to make this wine as wonderfully complex as our son, Oliver Gunnar Tensley, himself. Oliver is seven now and full of joy, creativity, curiosity, and imagination. Clearly we had our work cut out for us, but we believe this year’s OGT lives up to its name. As always we tasted through several blends before finally making up our minds. In the end, as in years past, we ended up with a blend of 25% Thompson Syrah, 25% Tierra Alta Syrah, and 50% Colson Canyon Syrah. The Colson brings weight, roundness, and rich, dark stone fruits while the Thompson shines with bright red fruit and streaks of earth. The Tierra Alta brings a beautiful balance to the table along with aromatic notes of berries and violets. This wine is lush and round in the mouth with a long finish and solid tannic structure. Much like our wonderful son himself we expect this wine to get better and better with age. Look for this blend to develop beautifully over the next 8 to 12 years.
Price: $85.00
Wine Club: $72.25
Cases Produced: 195

WINE CLUB ONLY




tensley 2009 B.M.T. Syrah SOLD OUT

As unbelievable as it is to us, our niece Bailey is now 16 -years-old. She has really changed since our first BMT vintage back in 2003. Our once-little niece is now a beautiful, sophisticated young woman – with a driver’s license! Time truly does fly. In making this year’s BMT we added a little something different – 15% Turner Vineyard Syrah for a touch of pepper to spice up the finish. It just seemed a fitting reflection of Bailey’s growing confidence and sharp wit. We also blended in 40% Tierra Alta Syrah to create a lovely, earthy base, 30% Colson Canyon Grenache for notes of black cherries and blueberries, and 15% Colson Canyon Syrah for notes of purple plums, cassis, chocolate and coffee. This wine is elegant and silky and definitely age-worthy. This BMT should continue to mature beautifully over the next ten years.

Price: $85.00
Cellar Club Price: $72.25
Cases produced: 141