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Los Olivos Tasting

Tasted August 8, 2011 by cpsmith33 with 648 views

Introduction

Went to Beckmen first thing, then Tensley, then over to the Los Olivos Tasting Room & Wine Shop. Great day overall, can't wait to go back!
Beckmen had great staff, beautiful setting and a highly recommended stop - bought the Roussanne.
Wine Shop great too, bought the Tyler Pinot N Block 2009.

Flight 1 - Tensley Tasting Room (4 notes)

Tensley solid, wish it was out in the vineyards, am a member so waiting for fall shipment.

White
2010 Tensley Blanc Camp 4 Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
89 points
65% Grenache Blanc, 35% Roussanne. Floral nose. Refreshing and crisp, the Grenache Blanc "tames" the Roussanne a bit. Nice tropical fruits, melon.
White
2010 Lea (Tensley) Chardonnay USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
87 points
Oak and pear on the nose. Lemon and apple in the mouth, crisp finish. Nice style chardonnay. Look forward to Jennifer's future wines.
Red
2009 Tensley Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
91 points
Still so young. Big rich Syrah. Fruity on the nose and palate - dark fruits of plum, blackberries, etc. Earthiness I like too. Needs time, tannins too powerful.
Red
2010 Tensley Syrah USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
90 points
5 different vineyards (Camp 4, Moorman, Thompson, Tierra Alta, Colson Canyon). Bottle 2 months before tasting. 245 cases. Great nose, has all the balance I like in a Syrah, good fruits but not over the top.
Really good at $25, can't beat it I don't think.

Flight 2 - Los Olivos Tasting Room and Wine Shop (7 notes)

Great stop, very friendly, small unique wines to taste and discuss. Definitely worth the trip.

Red
2009 Herman Story Syrah Nuts & Bolts USA, California
91 points
see other notes. dark fruits, some spice and tannins. very tight still.
Red
2007 Ken Brown Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
90 points
nice nose - fruity and spice right away. solid complexity and mouth feel. very nice fruit.
Red
2008 McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
91 points
80% Syrah. Very nice bottle. Agree with other tasting notes. Nice dark fruits and great pepper and earth. Not huge wine though, in a good way. Could use a few years.
Red
2008 Kenneth-Crawford Pinot Noir Babcock Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
89 points
Nice pinot fruit. Smooth with little tannin, can drink now. Not overly complex and a touch sweet but overall pleasing bottle.
Red
2005 Waltzing Bear Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
90 points
Nice chance to taste this. 300 cases. Very nice cherry fruit, cola and earthy tones I love in pinot. Agree with other note on the very nice nose.
Red
2010 Luli Pinot Noir USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
88 points
150 cases, Gary Pisoni son makes this I believe. Really nice smooth fruit. Seems ready to drink right now. A bit simple.
White
2009 Talbott Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
88 points
Nice nose, good fruit of pear and some vanilla. Not oaky which is great. Not too complex.

Flight 3 - Beckmen Vineyards (7 notes)

Beautiful setting to taste the wines. Great friendly staff and solid selection to taste.

White
2007 Beckmen Vineyards Roussanne Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
91 points
This is a very nice bottle of Roussane. Unctous nose, floral. Pear, honeysuckle. Great texture. Bought a bottle and with some cheese later. Very nice.
White
2010 Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Estate USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
88 points
Nice simple sauvignon blanc. Crisp, grapefruit. Great in that $15 range.
Red
2007 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
92 points
Tried next to '08 and like this a touch better. Similar fruits of strawberry, cherry. Floral nose a bit too. Spice. Very nice effort.
Red
2008 Beckmen Vineyards Grenache Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
91 points
Very nice Grenache, potentially the best coming out of Central California. Touch of Syrah blended in. Nice ripe strawberry and cherry. Pomegranate. Some spice as well.
Red
2008 Beckmen Vineyards Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
90 points
Very nice Syrah from this area. Nice black fruit. Big but not over the top. Meat and earth flavors and some decent complexity. Needs a bunch of time.
Red
2008 Beckmen Vineyards Syrah Clone #1 Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
91 points
Darker than the regular Purisima. More meat, chocolate, coffee than the fruit as much. Really like this style, needs so much time through. Really tight and nose not showing great right now.
Red
2008 Beckmen Vineyards Syrah Block Six Purisima Mountain Vineyard USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Ynez Valley
92 points
Probably the Purisima Syrah I like the most. Still way too tight to be drinking right now it seemed. Tons of meat, chocolate, dark dark fruits. Great finish. Will last a very long time.
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