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: 2018 Tensley Santa Barbara County Syrah

2018 Tensley Santa Barbara County Syrah

SKU #1479117 91-93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark A finished barrel sample, the 2018 Syrah Santa Barbara County has a deep purple-black color and gregarious nose of gravel dust, cherry coulis, warm blueberries and loads of red fruit sparks with slowly opening nuances of cocoa, prosciutto and loads of exotic spices. It's full-bodied, dense and powerful, flooding the mouth with lush, ripe fruits and with a frame of firm, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. This is a beast! (EB) Inner quote mark (9/2019)

90-93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark The 2018 Syrah (Santa Barbara County) is shaping up to be fabulous. I am not sure I have ever tasted a Tensley Syrah with this much energy and focus. Lavender, mint and spice meld into a core of blue/purplish fruit. Medium in body, nuanced and vibrant, the 2018 has so much to offer. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. The 2018 has all the makings of a real overachiever. (AG) Inner quote mark (9/2019)

92 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Refined and expressive, with vibrant raspberry and blueberry flavors, laced with notes of garrigue, beef and cracked pepper, taking on structure toward fine-grained tannins. (TF) Inner quote mark (9/2020)

91 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark Recently bottled, the 2018 Syrah Santa Barbara County comes from designated fruit sources as well as declassified single vineyard juice. It was 75% destemmed and brought up in neutral oak. It offers a terrific bouquet of blackberries, leafy herbs, game, and peppery herbs. Beautifully balanced, elegant, and with good acidity, it's a terrific value ... Inner quote mark (10/2019)

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2018 Tensley Santa Barbara County Syrah

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Varietal:

Shiraz/Syrah

- One of France's noblest black grape varieties, Syrah is known for its intense and distinctive perfume reminiscent of briar fruit, tar, spice and black pepper and its firm structure. One of few black grape varietals frequently vinified on its own, the best examples of Syrah come from the Northern Rhône, particularly Hermitage, but also Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph. These wines are very astringent in their youth, though some Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph can be enjoyed young, relatively speaking. Given the requisite patience, though, these wines can reveal amazing complexity and secondary fruit characteristics like plum and blackcurrant as well as subtle hints of smoke and flowers. In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is used to add structure and complexity to wines dominated by Grenache and complemented by Mourvèdre, like the more immediately drinkable Côte du Rhônes, as well as the long-lived wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In recent years, plantings of Syrah have spread throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon where it is produced on its own or blended with other varietals. Outside of France, the most important Syrah growing country is easily Australia, where it is called Shiraz. Quality levels here depend greatly on yields and geography, and the wines range from bold, fruity and easy-drinking to intense and ageable, like the famed Penfolds Grange. Often bottled on its own, in Australia Syrah is also can be blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, as in the Southern Rhône, and is increasingly combined with Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah has also been steadily increasing in popularity in California, thanks to a group of advocates called the Rhône Rangers. Its most successful iterations come from the Central and Sonoma Coasts, where winemakers are pushing boundaries and creating some incredible wines. In recent years Syrah has also found a number of proponents in Washington State, which is definitely a region to watch for this variety.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Santa Maria/Santa Barbara

- Santa Maria and Santa Ynez make up the two AVAs of Santa Barbara County, an area known for its natural beauty and temperate climate. The best grape-growing areas, however, are located on the very coastal reaches of these two appellations, and are cooled by ever-present fog and ocean breezes (it is even cooler and foggier here than Carneros!). As expected, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir thrive while the more inland zones lay claim to Bordeaux varietals and some Rhône blends.