December 2006 Wine Tasting Notes: "Do y'all have any sweet wine?"
2005 Tensley Late Harvest Syrah, Tierra Alta Vineyard, Santa Barbara County.
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Dense and dark, inky crimson in color with a purple hue. The nose displays blueberry and black licorice with a hint of pepper and confected blackberries. The palate is focused around dense blackberry flavors with a hint of chocolate. There are distinct prune and pepper notes. The prune character persists into the medium finish but gives way to blackberry. The mouthfeel is dense, richly viscous (not syrupy) and satiny, with well-proportioned alcohol, acids and tannins. Dark, bittersweet chocolate accentuates the prune element somewhat, giving it a briary edge, but does not bring out or embellish the fruit notes. |
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RWB Score: 91 breakdown 16.9% Alcohol $18.00 Retail (from winery); 170 cases produced |
A sweet, sultry gem brought about by the unplanned convergence of circumstances and winemaker. The nose is more expressive and multilayered than the palate but the smoky prune character is as tasty and interesting as it is unexpected. Joey Tensley smartly curtailed the alcohol levels for a rich and diverse treat. The juxtaposition of fruitiness and port-like chocolate and prune will hold wide appeal for at least five and possibly ten more years. |
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More Tensley reviews. More on Santa Barbara County |
100% Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah harvested December 27th (!!!). Fermentation was arrested to give a 5% residual sugar.
Joey Tensley never planned to make sweet, dessert wines. When a buyer backed out of the purchase at the last moment, the grapes were left on the vines to concentrate. John Belfy, who manages the Tierra Alta Vineyard among others, approached the reluctant Tensley. They finally agreed that Joey would take the fruit and if he was happy with the resulting wine, he would buy the fruit. If he was not happy, no harm no foul. There is no 2006 offering and since Joey does not want to make this style of wine the focus of his label, fans should stock up and enjoy!
Syrah is an ancient varietal proven by DNA analysis (in part at UC Davis) to be a native of the northern Rhône region of France. Prior to this evidence, its origin was disputed between the Rhône region and that around the Persian city of Shiraz – hence the two names for the grape. Syrah gives tannic and spicy red wines with significant longevity. Because of its weight, it contributes body and structure to blends with the softer, fruitier Grenache and Mourvèdre. In the southern Rhône, these varieties make up the core of Châteauneuf du Pape reds. Syrah not only needs hot climates but thrives in them - as its rapid propagation in California and Australia demonstrates. It is also widely grown in the southern portion of Oregon, Washington and South Africa. It was first planted in California in 1971 from cuttings from the Hermitage appellation in northern Rhône and Australian Shiraz cuttings (which are said by some to be of Hermitage origin themselves). Current reports indicate total California Syrah acreage to be approaching 13,000 acres. The thick-skinned, very darkly pigmented grapes give inky, deep colored wines described as violet or nearly black. Syrah is very tannic, rich, chewy and textured and is typified by high alcohol and a spice-over-fruit character. The latter tends to be more accentuated in cooler climates where the grapes develop a higher skin-to-pulp ratio. This can be nicely demonstrated by tasting Syrahs from growers spanning the north-south gamut of the Central Coast regions. Although expressivity may vary slightly between different clones, Syrah typically shows black (sometimes white) pepper, licorice, clove, thyme and bay leaf as part of its spice component. The dark fruit typically expressed are blueberries, black currants and blackberries. Syrah may also show cedar or sandalwood notes. As with just about all wines, bottle age brings out terroir and cedar, tobacco, earth and leathery notes.
The 2005 year saw an increase in crops over the preceding years. The year is being compared to the acclaimed 1997 vintage because of a very long and generally cool growing season without heat spikes. This long season resulted in extended hang times in even temperatures which gave the fruit good extraction but lower sugar levels. The slow ripening of the fruit is expected to make for elegance and balance in the wines of this vintage. This is part of the 'circumstances' element of the equation that gave rise to this wine. With a large crop, the original buyer may have had more than enough grapes to make their wines. The climatic nature of the year - long, even, cool temperatures were probably a contributor to the grapes lasting on the vine until the end of December without becoming completely dried out and raisiny.
The Tierra Alta Vineyard is located in the Ballard Canyon area of the Santa Ynez Valley, just outside the town of Los Olivos. The vineyard is situated on the crest and steep slopes of one of the highest hills (elevation of 1,200 feet) that frame Ballard Canyon to the northeast. This area, known as Ballard Canyon or Ballard Corridor, is the source of the most sought after Syrah, grown by the likes of Larner Vineyard, Purisima Mountain Vineyard (Beckmen family), Rusack estate vineyard and Stolpman Vineyard. This southwest facing vineyard is one of the newer arrivals on the scene, planted to some 45 acres planted mostly to Syrah. There are also small lots of Grenache, Rousanne and Viognier. More recent plantings include Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Tempranillo. Sauvignon Blanc is also grown here (for Brander). The climate of Ballard Canyon is subject to the marine influence of the ocean - just 15 miles to to the west. The soils are thin and contain limestone - a unique feature. The vineyard is under the care of John Belfry - reputed to be one of the best in the state of California. John also manages the Rio Vista, Mt. Carmel, Great Oaks and Rodney’s vineyards. There is no "Tierra Alta Winery" because, as John Belfry is often often quoted saying: the "owner doesn't make wine, just wants to drink wine". Other prominent names to source from this vineyard are: Departure Wines, Curran Wines and Kaena Wines.
Joey Tensley, originally from Bakersfield, is a promising, wine maker and a member of the Brian Babcock-influenced group of young winemakers in the area who focuses on the vineyard, proclaiming: "Great wines are made in the vineyard". He cut his winemaking teeth at Fess Parker Winery, Babcock (as an Assistant Winemaker) and Beckmen Vineyards where he gained experience with Rhône varietals and launched his own label. He makes vineyard-designated Syrah wines which he describes as "feminine wines, but with nice fruit and backbone". His wines consistently show intense, complex character with deep extraction. Secondly, he keeps all his wines in the same price range regardless of style. He applies the same winemaking methodology (but varying cooperage regimens) to the wines of different blends and from different vineyards. Recently, he has added a white (Grenache Balnc and Roussanne) blend to his Syrah-based program. He sources his Syrah from Turner Vineyard (Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Colson Canyon Vineyard ( AVA), Three Creek Vineyard ( AVA), Thompson Vineyard (AVA) and Tierra Alta Vineyard. In addition to his own label, Joey makes wines for Carina Cellars which has a broader lineup of wine varieties but very similar styling.
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5 points |
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Nose |
4 points |
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Palate |
3 points |
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Finish |
3 points |
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Tannins |
5 points |
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Acidity |
5 points |
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Alcohol |
5 points |
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Aging potential |
3 points |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
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