2020 Tensley Syrah Laird Vineyard Santa Maria Valley 750 ml

Joey Tensley’s wines are an obsession at Wine Access. The 100-point winemaker’s blockbuster bottles absolutely crush the Wine Access member-ratings with their off-the-charts quality and rock-steady consistency. 

With his 2020 Laird Vineyard Syrah, Joey—a longtime friend of ours—throws down the exact kind of hedonistic, high-toned bottle that made him a superstar, not to mention landed him in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 for four years in a row.

Vibrant, fruit forward, and deep, this wine delivers tons of blackberry and plum aromas wrapped in cassis, purple flowers, and spice. The mouthfeel is bold yet complex, with sun-baked dark fruit and velvety tannins leading into a long finish. Showing off Joey’s mastery in its refined balance and its pure, sunny fruit, this is California red wine at its finest.

Like all of Tensley’s reds, this bottle is a fantastic blend of site and skill. Thanks to his two decades on the Central Coast, he’s gotten access to prime vineyard sources, including the Laird Vineyard in Santa Barbara. Located on the southern plateau above the Santa Maria Valley, its cool climate and free-draining sandy soils help produce grapes with a beautiful balance of concentration and acidity.

Joey’s consistently excellent Rhône-style wines have garnered huge praise from Wine Advocate, which said that he’s "flirted with perfection" with "high-end, super-duper wines" that commonly land mid-90s scores.

He made only two barrels—48 cases—of this Syrah, so when you pop a bottle, make it a special occasion. It’ll pair excellently with a nicely marbled steak straight off the grill, a charcuterie board laden with your favorite meats, or a simple hunk of aged Gouda.