I spent last weekend in Santa Barbara County and I can tell you the 2020 vintage is spectacular and this area should be on everyone’s radar!
Frequency Wine: If you haven’t heard of them you need to check them out! Zac Wasserman is the assistant winemaker at Tensley and he is killing it with all of his wines. I tasted the debut of the 2021 Rose (Grenache with Graciano) and it is year in and year out one of my favorite Rose’s. His single vineyard designate Syrah’s from Zotovich Vineyard, John Sebastiano Vineyard, and Watch Hill Vineyard are very cool climate and N. Rhone like. His second label, DiPalermo (mother’s maiden name) are some of my favorite Chardonnay’s and Pinot Noir’s from the area.
Andrew Murray: I visited them for the first time last year and I became a club member, which was a no-brainer. Did a tasting this weekend to pick up my club shipment, and ended up staying for two hours. In my opinion, Andrew is producing some of the best Syrah’s in California right now! The 2019 Roasted Slope, 2019 Watch Hill Vineyard, and 2019 Estate Syrah’s are elegant in the glass with depth and complexity.
Tensley: I made a tasting appt. at 11am and we were the only ones in the tasting room. Joey Tensley pops in and pours our entire tasting for us! He then hung out and talked with us for an hour. My favorite wines from SB County and the 2021 100% Marsanne is spectacular along with the 2020 Colson Canyon Syrah of course.
Holus Bolus: Amy and Peter were both in the tasting room and poured our entire flight for us. They are hilarious and I loved the friendly and easy going atmosphere they produced.
Story of Soil: Great Rose, Great Gamay!! Jessica was in the tasting room and poured for us as well. I guess it was winemaker’s day in Los Olivos on Saturday!