2016 Tensley Vineyard Syrah

Whilst the new releases are incredibly popular every year (helped no doubt by consistent near-perfect scores from the critics), we have recently gone back to the 2016 vintage (one of the greatest California has experienced in recent years) and his flagship Santa Barbara Syrah. A wine that Jeb Dunnuck called a “no brainer that over-delivers admirably”, this beauty is perfect for drinking now. Over-delivering is a theme that comes up again and again with Tensley, and every time we come back to these wines we are astounded at how polished, expressive, concentrated and impressive they are. The first impression is great power and complexity in the glass, with vibrant blueberry, crème de cassis and black cherry mingling with smoked meat, black pepper and wild Mediterranean herbs. More red fruit notes come through with air, along with liquorice and crushed rocks. Silky and smooth on the palate, with ample freshness to balance the power, this has settled into a really gorgeous stage of its life. Extremely drinkable.