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. — a month ago
A home run at the price. — 23 days ago
Yes—exactly that kind of wine: timeless, composed, and quietly authoritative.
It smells so good on first pour. Damp pine forest floor and clean mountain air register immediately. Everything else unravels from there; but that initial pop-and-pour sniff is pure magic.
On the palate, blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, and dried herbs unfold with control, carried by freshness and finely etched tannins in a medium body.
So classic, so intellectual, and deeply mesmerizing. Drink now or age. — 12 days ago
Love Alpine Pinot. Think this needs more time to be stellar, but still great now. — 14 days ago
Last had 4 years ago and was excited to check in - this didn’t disappoint. That perfect ridge mix of old world sensibility and composition with new world fruit and character. 13.8%. Finish is long with nice acid. Great pairing with steaks. Nice wine.
Happy New Year! — 6 days ago
Very consistent Paul Hobbs Dr. Crane Vineyard a great vineyard for quality 🍷 — 10 days ago
Delicious, full and smooth. Maybe a bit young but my kind of cab. Full and lacking any annoying intensity abrasive tannins. Would never d&d on this one — 13 days ago
Bought at Pine Orchard 11/25 $70 after tasting at Ridge in 10/25. Less expensive here. The 2023 is rated at 100 pts. Absolutely delicious. Floral aromas, lightly crisp, subtle oak, smooth finish. — 23 days ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2020 vintage. With @Beth Novak . Decanted and tasted after one hour. Medium body. Nose practically leapt out of the glass with plenty to discuss. Flavors a bit more subdued but definitely present. Just enough back-end, tannic presence to hold court. This should be absolute dynamite in 3-5 years. Initial visit a bit over two years ago (9.5) and was more explosive but will cede that to the last impression getting more air time. Said then that this was my fave since the 1991 vintage and sticking by that. 1.2.26. — 4 days ago