2008 Anniversary Series Colson Canyon Syrah SOLD OUT


In making this year's Anniversary Series Colson, Joey followed exactly the same program he used for the 10th Anniversary. He started by selecting the very best fermenter of 2008 Colson grapes. Those grapes were then punched down by hand three times daily for three weeks. The juice was pressed to 100% new French oak (a first for us) where it aged for 16 months (another first). The result is a big, velvety inky-purple wine full of jammy black and red fruits complemented by hints of chocolate, pepper, smoked meats and toasty vanilla. This wine has a solid tannic structure and a long, complex finish. Age this Colson Syrah up to 15 years.

Price: $50.00
Cellar Club Price: $42.50
Cases Produced: 47

2008 Colson Canyon Syrah Sold Out


Colson Canyon Vineyard’s original 8-acre planting of Clone 7 is the backbone of the Tensley Wines program. More than half of our 2008 production comes from this highly sought-after parcel. These grapes were picked over a period of six days for maximum complexity. The first couple of picks were for acid and bright raspberry nuances; later picks showed increasing notes of pepper, smoke, and chocolate. The wine was then aged in 20% new French oak and 20% one-year-old French oak to add a bit of sweet vanilla and coffee to the finish. Being so big yet so balanced, this Syrah will age gracefully over the next 8 to 10 years yet is still quite approachable and appealing now.

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club Price: $32.20
Cases Produced: 1820

2009 Camp 4 Vineyard Blanc – 65% Grenache Blanc; 35% Roussanne


We like to say that these two varietals complement each as well and Jennifer and Joey do. The Grenache Blanc and Roussane for this unique blend come from continuous blocks in the Camp 4 vineyard and were pressed together to neutral French oak barrels. The wine was then aged on the lees and bottled early (in January) to retain freshness and crisp acidity. The berries for this blend were intensely flavored due to low yields caused by frosts. The Grenache Blanc brims with steely minerality and bright notes of green apple that balance beautifully with the rich, tropical fruits and lush mouthfeel of the Roussanne. Pair this Blanc with spicy Thai dishes, fish dishes, or chilled shellfish. This complex wine is enjoyable now but should age well over the next 3 to 4 years.

Price: $28.00
Cellar Club Price: $23.80
Cases Produced: 180

2009 Lea Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah Rosé


Jennifer makes her rosé from a single vineyard and a single clone, in this case the Tablas 99 clone from Tierra Alta vineyard. Jennifer and her six-year-old son Oliver crushed the grapes for this Rosé with their feet (their very clean feet). Half of the fruit remained on the skins for only three hours before being pressed to neutral French oak barrels. The other half stayed on the skins overnight before going into barrel. The resulting wine is rich in color with a silky, rounded mouthfeel and a crisp, refreshing finish. Look for notes of rose petals, strawberries, and guava complemented by hints of earth and minerality. This wine pairs beautifully with spicy Mexican or Asian dishes as well as the Cajun cuisine of Jennifer’s hometown, New Orleans – who dat! It should be enjoyed over the next two years.

Price: $20.00
Cellar Club Price: $17
Cases Produced: 162

2008 Lea Tierra Alta Syrah Rose SOLD OUT


The grapes for Jennifer “Lea” Tensley’s Rosé come from a single vineyard, Tierra Alta, and a single Syrah clone, Tablas 99. Yields in the vineyard were only about three tons per acre. In 2006 Robert Parker awarded Jennifer’s Rosé 90 points. She feels the 2008 Rosé may be her best vintage yet. Jennifer and her five-year-old son, Oliver, crushed the grapes for this wine by foot. Half of the fruit remained on the skins for only three hours before being pressed to neutral French oak barrels. The other half stayed on the skins overnight. The resulting wine is rich in color with a silky, rounded mouthfeel and a crisp, refreshing finish. Look for notes of rose petals, strawberries, and raspberries complemented by a hint of minerality. This wine pairs beautifully with spicy Mexican or Asian dishes. It should be enjoyed over the next two years.

Price: $20.00             
Cellar Club Price: $17.00          
Cases Produced: 185

2008 Lea Turner Vineyard Pinot Noir


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

2008 Thompson Vineyard Syrah

The Thompson Vineyard, established in 1990, has long been a Santa Barbara County favorite for Syrah. 2008 was our 11th vintage of this wine and is undoubtedly one of the best.  While this vineyard consistently produces low yields and high quality fruit, 2008 showed more extraction than, say, the 2005 vintage. Cool nights and great drainage seem to have something to do with the age ability of Thompson Vineyard. Collecting? Put a case away and open one a year for the next 12 years to watch it evolve.  We’re sure you’ll be impressed.                                                                                                                                   

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club: $32.30
Cases Produced: 69

2008 Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah

Our Tierra Alta parcel comes from a steep hillside planted entirely to the 99 Syrah clone. This clone is known for its mineral and earthy nuances, and you can certainly taste them in this bottling. While this vintage is very extracted, it is also very finessed and feminine. Careful farming and yield management have produced a wine that is driven by velvety flavors of plum, violet, and blueberry balanced by a strong backbone of structured acidity. Try this Syrah with duck or turkey as well as heartier meat dishes. Drink this wine now or age it over the next 8 or 9 years.

Price: $38.00
Cellar Club Price: $32.30
Cases Produced: 275

2008 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:42

2008 Colson Canyon Vineyard Grenache SOLD OUT

This is our third vintage of 100% Grenache from Colson Canyon Vineyard and the only Grenache produced from the vineyard at all. 2008 gave us another great harvest across the Santa Barbara County appellation, and this Grenache was no exception. Rich and fruity, deep and concentrated, this wine resonates with notes of spice, plums, and blackberries and raspberries. Its particularly earthy notes are due in part to a 30 percent whole cluster fermentation that brings Colson’s unique terroir to the forefront. Enjoy this Grenache with a wide array of dishes from spicy chicken entrees to rich meat dishes. Drink this wine now or age it up to 9 years.

Price: $32.00
Cellar Club Price: $27.20
Cases Produced: 73

2008 O.G.T. Syrah SOLD OUT

Our 2008 OGT Syrah is once again a blend of 50% Colson Canyon Syrah, 25% Thompson Syrah, and 25% Tierra Alta Syrah.  The Colson brings weight, inky color, and notes of chocolate, violets, and smoke while the Thompson asserts itself with bright red fruit, mouthwatering acidity and solid structure.  The Tierra Alta balances out the equation with deep berry flavors and minerality complimented by a hint of white pepper.  When we decided to name this wine for our son, Oliver Gunnar Tensley, we knew that each year we would ask ourselves – how does this wine reflect his personality?  In this vintage we’d have to say that the Colson represents Oliver’s open-heartedness, warmth and friendliness while the Thompson speaks to Oliver’s more serious, grounded side. Finally the Tierra Alta reminds us of Oliver’s quick wit and sense of fun and spontaneity.  Our final OGT blend is a fruit forward Syrah that is rich, viscous and inviting.  Its long finish testifies to the age-worthiness of this wine which should develop beautifully over the next 7 to 12 years.                                                                                                                                                             

Price: $85.00
Cellar Club Price: $72.25
Cases Produced: 122

2008 B.M.T. Syrah SOLD OUT

Unlike the OGT, this year’s BMT blend has changed.  The blend is still made up of 25% Colson Canyon Syrah and 25% Colson Canyon Grenache but the remaining 50% is Tierra Alta Syrah, not Three Creek as in years past. As with Oliver’s blend (OGT) each year we ask ourselves how this wine reflects the uniqueness of our niece, Bailey Michelle Tensley. The Tierra Alta Syrah: bright, earthy and fruit-forward reminds us of Bailey’s sense of fun and natural wittiness (seriously, she’s very funny). The Colson Canyon Syrah, bold and peppery, brings to mind her sense of adventure and her inner confidence.  The Grenache introduces a streak of loveliness and elegance that reflects our niece’s beauty as she grows into a fantastic young lady.   This wine is aromatic and jammy with rich notes of black cherry, blackberry, and plums complimented by hints of earth and spice.  Full-bodied and beautifully balanced, this wine is sure to age well over the next ten years or more.

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