Tensley Wine Co - Los Olivos, California

jack D.

Had an amazing experience at Tensley. Sabrina (the tasting room associate) was amazing. She described the wines to a tee and gave a great experience. The grenache rose was phenomenal and the flagship syrahs were elegant and delicious. 10/10 recommend

Faye W.

It takes a winemaker with true soul to bring the combination of soil, climate, environment, and technology into each release. At Tensley, each bottle holds a narrative of the place from whence it came. I had heard of Tensely--through the grapevine, so to speak--when professing my love for syrahs. My expectations were high. My experience in the tasting room broke free of those preconceived notions to reach new dimensions.
In the Los Olivos tasting room, we were greeted with a smile and an array of bottles. The flagship Colson Canyon offered dark cassis berries and savory olive tapenade on the tongue, with enough hidden spice elements to keep you wondering what will open up in the next sip. Little did I know that winemaker Joey Tensley made more syrahs from the Santa Maria Valley AVA than I had ever dreamed possible. Santa Barbara County is almost an Eden lost and found in terms of its viticulture, with a vast array of microclimates that are suited to hundreds of different varietals. Even more so, the grapes from each particular place hold their own enchanting essence. Each unique offering brought its own balance of sweetness and solidity to the table. From the SBC blend to the vineyard-designated Thompson, all were fit for a king.
Since that tentative first taste of Tensley, I've had the pleasure of meeting multiple members of their winemaking family. Amanda does a fantastic job of running operations in the city of angels (shout-out for introducing me to these fine wines!), just as Sabrina creates a welcoming environment in the LA getaway of Los Olivos. They speak of their coworkers with a heartwarming level of trust and affection that brings out the best in those who are listening. You'll leave the tasting room not only looking forward to the fruits of their labor, but also wanting to be part of their family-fueled collaboration.

Roman J.

Disappointed with the service. We have enjoyed the Colson Canyon in the past and made it a point to book a stop here. Our host Ulysses failed to ask the most basic questions of us (e.g., “Where are you from?”, “How did you hear of us?”). After being seated outside, we were given one-sentence descriptions and then he left, even though we were the only ones tasting. The wine was served too warm to showcase it properly. (They were on the counter on a 113° day.) Other wineries have asked if we wanted to revisit or if we had questions. We were told after the last pour we could meet him inside where we could check out.

The wines are good and the tasting fee very reasonable. However, after doing hundreds of tastings around the world and have purchased dozens and dozens of wine for my cellar, this was one of the worst tasting room experiences I’ve had. The message we got was we don’t care about our wines and your experience. I love Tensley wines but would not recommend this at all.

Michele M.

Such a great experience last weekend at Tensley! Sabrina was an amazing hostess and spent time talking with us about each wine, the vineyards, harvest etc…all of the wines were so enjoyable truly loved their Syrahs!! Can’t wait to visit again soon!

Michelle

Ulysses was our host and offered amazing service! The wines were incredible and I so wish we could’ve spent more time here!

Phillip O.

What a find!
On my flight to Santa Barbara, I had the most recent edition of Wine Spectator identifying the top 100 wines of the world for 2018 and decided that if I had any spare time in my work schedule, I would commit to going to Tensley to try the #25 wine - the 2016 Colson Canyon Syrah.
I was in luck ... time permitted ... and I was able to visit at 4:15 in the afternoon. Located in a neighborhood of small tasting rooms in Los Olivos, I wished I had time to visit more wineries (they close at 5pm), but I was on a mission.
Rose, the tasting and wine club manager, welcomed me to taste the following 4 wines (regrettably, the 2016 Syrah was already sold out): 2017 Fundamental White, 2017 Syrah, 2017 Estate [GSM, Rhone] Blend, and 2017 Colson Canyon Syrah. Keep in mind that this is Pinot Noir country and Joey Tensley (the winemaker/owner) is making Rhone wines! I was very intrigued as Rose told me the story.
Of the 4 wines, I found the Estate Blend and the Colson Canyon Syrah both to be standout quality, but both still very young (I think they can both age well for another 5-10 years). With some decanting/aeration, we were able to soften both of the wines and I found them to be so irresistible (at just $34 and $42 respectively) I bought them to pack in my luggage to bring back to Virginia.
If you are in the area, Tensley Wines should absolutely be on your itinerary. Their wines are small batch, artisan-crafted, and still affordable. I will be back as soon as I can!

Chris O.

Sabrina was so friendly. Anyways stop when we are in the area. Tensley specializes in Syrah wines like no other.

Ken S.

Went to tasting room in Los Olivos and had a great experience. The ladies, including Mrs T, we're awesome .... As we're the wines. So awesome that I joined the cellar club. Very high quality. Highly recommended.