Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah

Beautiful Syrah. Pipe tobacco, blackberry, perfumed coffee. Savory but what a balance between fruit and savory. Need to drink more of my older Tensleys.

Wrinkly label, and I know it's early to open this vintage but it's such a great bottle! Tons of bright berry fruit.

This vineyard (for me) was one of the lesser Syrah vineyards in Santa Barbara County that Joey used to work with, and usually came across as a somewhat lighter fruit, usually good acid, but still high ABV (this is 14.6%), so good to very good, but never my favorite, this is still drinkable, but clearly in the “drink me soon (now??)” category.

Mostly blue fruits, crisp acidity, smells mature, but palate is still pretty fresh, medium-long finish, time to drink up!

Black and blue fruit aromas and flavors, solid acidity, a bit of ABV (14.5%) shows in the longish finish, close to, if not fully mature, very good!

Blue and black fruit aromas and flavors, rich but not overripe, nicely balanced, color shows some browning, this seems mature, should hold for a few more years at least, long finish.

Blackberry, anise, wood smoke, hints of blueberry, a thread of olives throughout. It’s Cali Syrah putting off a little N. Rhône vibe.

Floral and dark-fruited aromas and flavors, nicely balanced, surprisingly lithe on the palate, lovely!!

Spice, red and black fruit aromas and flavors framed by a kiss of oak, this seems at peak now, medium-long finish, solid Syrah!

Cherries, licorice, still a big wine, fruit is fading though