2014 Tensley Red Wine Los Padres Central Coast 750 ml

Wine Spectator Cover Boy: Decadence on Central Coast

In 2009, we were just getting our sea legs. That spring, we got our first call from Joey Tensley. Joey is a gregarious guy with an oh-shucks farm-boy demeanor that all but hides the disarming intelligence that lurks behind the scenes. But with the country locked in the throes of the Great Recession, even the fun-loving Tensley needed a boost. His Santa Barbara Syrahs were making quite a stir among the critics, but Syrah sales were soft and Joey had made more wine than he should have. He took us on a drive up the coast so we could eyeball a 20-acre parcel planted on red volcanic soil, set on a rugged 120-acre perch high up in the Santa Maria foothills.

Most young winemakers of Joey’s celebrity would have played their cards close to the vest, taking their time before deciding how much wine they were willing to part with. Not Joey. Tensley cut to the chase. “The country’s going to hell. How much can you guys MOVE??” A couple weeks later, a 300-case purchase order arrived in Jennifer Tensley’s inbox, immediately solidifying what is now a six-year partnership.

For members who have been collecting Tensley reds over the last five vintages, you’re well-acquainted with the astounding concentration and high-toned vibrancy of these absolutely hedonistic reds. But you also know that Tensley — as much as any winemaker on the coast — crafts wines that speak to the nuances of each growing season.

The 2007s were big, broad, and voluptuous. The 2010s were classically structured, refined, more Saint-Joseph than Santa Barbara. The 2011s are keepers and more restrained. The 2012s were dark, juicy, and round. And this just-released 2014? “2014 is a monster,” Tensley told us, “the brawniest reds I’ve ever made.” Here’s why.

This was the third consecutive drought vintage on the coast. A mild winter led to unusually early budbreak. In a region known for its unusually cool climate, 2014 was quite warm, compressing the time between veraison and harvest. While yields were fairly high, the hot, arid conditions made for thick skins and berries with high skin-to-juice ratio. Tensley’s 2014s are opaque purple in color, dense, and, yes … utterly decadent.

The 2014 Tensley “Los Padres” is purple-black in color, infused with luscious primary-fruit aromas of sweet black and red fruits, black cherry, and sweet spice. Big and bold on the attack, thick and dense texturally, packed with blackberry and black raspberry jam and licorice, finishing with sufficient tannic backbone to keep the massive opulence of the vintage in perfect check.

90 points from Wine Spectator. If you crave big, rich, full-throttled reds that straddle the line between New World extravagance and northern Rhône “cut”— do yourself a favor and clear out a corner of the cellar for the 2014 “Los Padres.” At $19/bottle, it doesn’t get any better on the Golden Coast. Shipping included on 6.