2014 Tenshen White Blend 750 ml

Joey Tensley’s 2014 “Tenshen White” … Wine Spectator’s Top 100. 256 words

We’ve been doing a rope-a-dope. Ducking and dodging. Keeping elbows in to protect our mid-section. But finally, yesterday, the hammer came down.

Moving forward, we were told, we’re “on the clock.” We’re spending too much time writing “too many offers where there’s too little to sell!” Beginning today, November 19th, 2015, we are prohibited from publishing a single story with more words than there are bottles to sell. That means on days like today, we’re limited to 324 words … and we’ve already wasted 88!!

We met Joey Tensley in the summer of 2009. Since then, the Bakersfield farm boy turned superstar winemaker has been on an unprecedented run, turning out a series of 94- to 99-point Colson Canyon Syrahs. In the fall of 2015, Tensley turned his attention away from the red varieties of the Rhône to the white. One more time, Joey blew the critics away.

Joey Tensley’s 2014 “Tenshen White” is a spectacularly lush blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Chardonnay. 80% barrel-fermented in neutral oak and 20% in stainless steel. Brilliant pale-gold in color, infused with a mouthwatering blend of white peach, orchard fruits, and beeswax. Ultra-rich, dense, and weighty, packed with apricot, peach, and anise — despite all the opulence, finishing with excellent vibrancy and persistence.

One more time, the inimitable Mr. Tensley lit up Wine Spectator’s scoreboard, finishing #29 on the list of the Top 100 wines of 2015.

$19/bottle. 324 are up for grabs. Shipping included on 6.