Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Tensley – Syrah – 2023
Colson Canyon Vineyard – Santa Barbara County – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
100% Syrah from the high-elevation Colson Canyon Vineyard, a benchmark site that consistently delivers powerful yet balanced fruit. This vintage shows tension between ripeness, structure, and freshness.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, blackberry, cracked pepper, violet, licorice, and a subtle smoky undertone. Dark, spicy, and focused.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus body with sleek acidity and fine, integrated tannins. Concentrated but not heavy, with a long, peppery finish that lingers.

Food Pairings
Grilled lamb, beef skewers, duck confit, pepper-crusted steak, or roasted mushrooms.

Verdict
A balanced, expressive Syrah with depth, spice, and length – a great example of why Santa Barbara continues to challenge the top Rhône-style regions.

Did You Know?
Colson Canyon sits at nearly 1,500 ft elevation, producing small berries with thick skins, a key reason these Syrahs show intense color, aromatics, and age-worthy structure. — an hour ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

Another good bottle of this $25 favorite — 2 months ago

with Sarah

Ron R

9.2

Rhône white blend on Cali steroids. Plush, rich and weighty. Nearly 10 years in, you can’t touch this in terms of quality and value. Oily, viscous and decadent with notes of roasted pineapples, white cherries and marzipan complementing very soft acidity and exaggerated sweetness. This is high-octane fuel. — 6 months ago

with Anne-marie

Tegan Marriott

8.9

Santa Barbara highlands radiance in a glass! Yo, I'll pretend I'm rolling through da Wine Ghetto! — 9 days ago

Chris Zitzman

9.4

While clearly a labor of love from a family who cares to express it, the 2021 Santa Barbara County Syrah needs time to breathe and allow to open itself up. While a little pour right from the rip is never a bad idea, this particular Piedra Sassi benefits and blossoms from a thorough decant and a smidge of patience. It must be said : I’m getting not only getting good gobs of both wholehearted and heartfelt tones of ‘home’, but deeper notes of some brilliant wine-making going on. This one’s going to be tough to beat for the $. — 4 months ago

with Beth

Jenks

9.2

That’s good. Glycerin, nice acid to complement, pineapple and lemons. Continue to be impressed with SB from this region. — 7 months ago

Tholyer Sartoni

9.1

Yummy light pinot noir. Taste of dark, ripe berries — 8 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Solid value but not a ton of energy — 2 months ago

with Sarah

Jake Hajer

9.2

Dark complex blend. Lots of different varietals and muddled coffee, cherry, dark fruit flavors. — 5 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

One of the best american Rieslings out there. The Riesling was planted in 2007. Kick On Ranch is just a few miles West of Los Alamos (CA) , getting close to the ocean and Vandenberg Air Force Base. 120 cases. 13.5%. Plenty of acidity, 🍯 , botyris? , fresh cut garden hose. Quite herbal. Oregano. Tatomer’s top of the line offer. He learned the trade in Austria 🇦🇹, Wachau region. This 2019 is very very good. Not Mosel just different - and perhaps quintessential Californian. — 7 months ago