2021 Tensley Syrah

For readers looking for a smoking good Syrah that won't break the bank and one that's always a good representation of a vintage, the 2021 Syrah Santa Barbara County sports a ruby/plum hue to go with pure black and blue fruits, some smoky, meaty, iron-like nuances, medium body, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It shines for its purity and balance and will have a decade of longevity.

Deep ruby-purple, the 2021 Syrah Tensley Vineyard has a deep core of cassis, prosciutto, warm chocolate, thyme and aniseed. The palate is full-bodied with gently chewy tannins, bursts of refreshing acidity that highlight floral perfume,and a very long, layered finish. It could use a few more years to unwind in bottle.

The 2021 Syrah Tensley Estate comes from a younger vineyard planted in Los Olivos. It has plenty of black fruits to go with notes of leather, ground pepper, cured meats, and iron, which seems to be the hallmark of the vintage. It’s medium to full-bodied, fresh, and focused on the palate, with terrific purity of fruit. This was another brilliant lineup of wines from Joey Tensley. Looking at the 2020s reviewed here, these share plenty of similarities with his 2018s, and maybe the 2019s, and are rich, powerful wines that show the warmer style of the vintage. The 2021s on the other hand, clearly come from a cooler year and show more medium-bodied, fresher styles. Nevertheless, these are still classic Tensley wines that bring plenty of texture and opulence. In addition, Tensley has launched a new P2KV lineup of wines with a focus on old, pre-2000 vines in Santa Barbara County.