Tensley and Vaynerchuk Talk About Parker, Syrah and Wine.

Tensley and Vaynerchuk Talk About Parker, Syrah and Wine. – Episode #141

December 6, 2006

Wines tasted in this episode:

Today Gary welcomes his special guest Joey Tensley of Tensley Wines. Gary tastes three of his wines and the two discuss ratings and wine making.

83 Responses

December 6, 2006

Jason G.
early
December 6, 2006

Portland Guy
Nice episode — love those guests.
December 6, 2006

Italian Stallion
DAMN #2
December 6, 2006

Italian Stallion
sooooooooooooooooooo close
December 6, 2006

Mets fan 13
Nice ad in today’s Ny Times.
December 6, 2006

Joe F
Top 5….now what?
December 6, 2006

Steve B
wow – early today………..
December 6, 2006

Susan
Top 10???
December 6, 2006

Todd Blankenship
top 10…sorry chief, had to do it!
December 6, 2006

hinrgman
another fantastic episode
December 6, 2006

hinrgman
Gary

Great job again
December 6, 2006

rob b
top ten
December 6, 2006

Justin
These wines sounds yummy, and the price on that is great! Gary, keep brining in great winemakers like this one.
December 6, 2006

thorazine
Top 10, firs time!
December 6, 2006

Ken
Great episode.

QOTD: Joey Dee (Joey Dee and the Starlighters)
December 6, 2006

Susan
Gary-
QOD:
Favorite under the radar winery?
Gary- you know this one!
Biltmore Estate Winery!
Here is their link:

http://www.biltmoreestate.com/

The Biltmore Estate Winery was started in the mid 1960’s.
So that means their oldest vines are about 35 years old.
They have great wines!
December 6, 2006

Rich
Hey Gary, ever think of making a video podcast of WLTV? I’d love to take your show with me on my commute!!! Not to mention all of the people you’d lure into the community through iTunes. You’ve probably already thought of it, but just mentioning it.
December 6, 2006

canadian-kid
i lose
December 6, 2006

damon
great episode! Just what I’ve been looking for. I want one of each. Keep us posted on the two that aren’t in yet.

Joey? can’t think of any
December 6, 2006

SeanM
I don’t know any Joey’s.

Nice episode, They have a good little website for their winery, you should have put it up as a link.
http://www.tensleywines.com/
I am wishing, yet again, that the state of MD changes their policies on shipping.
December 6, 2006

KAHUNA
Gary,
Love the winemakers they are the best- especially for us home vitners- dessert wines- I made a muscat last year and it went from 8 brix to 1 in 2 days – So that style is a tuff thing to make requires alot of attention- Also curious if you could ask him if he used native wild yeast or did he add in his own yeast for fermintation

QOTD: Joey from Airplane

http://www.classicmovies.org/sounds/naked.wav
December 6, 2006

KAHUNA
Just copy and paste the link
December 6, 2006

Lawrence Leichtman
Thanks for bringing another interesting wine maker. Tensley is in Santa Barbara county I assume. should put some directions out there if they have a tasting room. Favorite Joey, why Ramone off course.
December 6, 2006

Rick "The Model" M
QOD- Joey Butafuco.

Awesome show, I would love to try that dessert wine. Sounds awesome.
December 6, 2006

Italian Stallion
Gary no joke……GREAT EPISODE. Jeoy has a great personality and made the show incredibly fun to watch
December 6, 2006

Joyce
Gary…..yes, that’s right, your team plays in NJ! As do the ‘NY’ Giants….

QOD: Joey Tribbiani!
December 6, 2006

joeydamush
JOEYdaMUSH of course.
December 6, 2006

Jaye
Rich (comment 17), there is an ITunes podcast. That is how I get my “fix”.
December 6, 2006

Tom T.
Joey Ramone
December 6, 2006

Dan G.
very cool show. Nice to see the wineries owners in the house. QOTD. Joey from friends. How you doin?
December 6, 2006

Ricky
Is winelibrary going to carry the dessert wine? I didn’t see it but would like to purchase it..
December 6, 2006

hugh
Joey Tribiani…..how you doin?
December 6, 2006

Dan C.
Gary- Thanks for another great small winery guest. The wines sound super.

QOD- Favorite Joey Tensley type story not named Joey is Mike Officer.
December 6, 2006

E-Rock
Nice show Vaynerchuk! It’s definitly cool to hear the behind the scene stories that go into the wine making.
December 6, 2006

Dominus
A fan of dessert wines so let us know when its available with a “Red Zone” comment.

QOD: Favorite Joey? The only one that comes to mind is Joey Bishop. Now that ages me.

Cheers!
Dom

Go Colts!
December 6, 2006

ihatesteve
Amazing episode Gary!
December 6, 2006

Ken
Gary,
You’re in a difficult position. On the one hand you have a fine palate, on the other, you’re virtually boxed in by the marketplace to generate ratings, mere numbers. I’ve watched you balance these two requirements long enough on WineTV to observe you do it well, very well, in fact. I work in the California wine industry and I have seen first hand the Parker effect, both good and bad, and I can tell you just how important your independant voice is. You have started a great technological transformation in the education of the wine consumer. It may seem quaint now but when the first blogosphere historian looks back to benchmarks and turning points your efforts will be noted.
On a slightly different tack, could you do a Northern Rhone show? And, perhaps, a Southern Rhone as well. I would love to hear your take on Hermitage, Cote Rotie. Maybe Bandol?
December 6, 2006

Brandon M
Great post Ken…nice to hear your perspective on Gary.
December 6, 2006

garyv
Has anyone here had any Tensley wines?
December 6, 2006

Joe P.
No Tensley before. Would love to try some though. Joey was a great guest, perhaps your best yet. No offense to any previous guests, but normally I prefer it when it’s just you. This time, though, it was fun to watch both of you play off one another. Thanks for highlighting a fun and creative winemaker!

I was my favorite joey until about age 7… jp
December 6, 2006

gordoyflaca
Great episode, great guest. Ties as my favorite guest: the other was C.P. Lin.

Thanks for supporting the smaller producers, keeping it real.
December 6, 2006

QueSeraSyrah
Great episode Gary as I’ve enjoyed a few of the Colson Canyon and Tierra Alta Vineyard Syrah’s in the past. These wines definitely get better with a little age. Currently drinking the 2002 Colson Canyon Syrah and it’s absolutely singing. C’mon now, this shouldn’t be a surprise… I wouldn’t be living up to my moniker now would I? =P

QOD- Joey Tribbiani mos def.
December 6, 2006

johnm
Never tasted Tensley, but hope to soon. Good guest, seems to be a great guy. Joey? Ramone, natch. gabba gabba hey!
December 6, 2006

joe
Gary:

I have tasted Tensley – - now that I live in SoCal, I am in SB wine country a lot (and Paso) and have visited almost almost everything in Santa Rita Hills and Santa Ynez. I prefer SB sryah to Paso Robles Syrah (like Garretson – - which I find too over the top and hot). You nailed it – Tensley is indeed very nice juice. I have to admit though – when in Santa Barbara I am more into the Chards, Sauv Blancs, and Pinots (Fiddlehead and Sea Smoke are favorites)

Joe
December 6, 2006

Jack:)
Good show.
QOTD: My favorite joey? the little guy who sits in his momma’s pouch.
December 6, 2006

Bill Ross
Nice episode and great job by Joey. I picked up a couple of the ‘05 Colson Canyon back in late Sept, and rec’d it a few weeks ago. Watching this will move one up to the front of the list to try.

elbowroom
December 6, 2006

Darlene O.
Great as always, Gary. Interesting episode. My favorite ‘Joey’ is Joey on ‘Friends’. :}
December 6, 2006

ChrisR
Fun Ep. More playful and entertaining than the South African interview. You are getting better at interviewing guests, keeping it moving along and asking interesting questions. So glad you asked about the Robert Parker effect on the brand. Exactly what I was thinking as I was watching!
December 6, 2006

cgf
Joe (comment 44),
What are your favorite wineries to visit in Paso and why. I am going to be out there this summer and would love some recs. If you are on the forum, a thread would be interesting.
thanks
December 6, 2006

Jennifer
Cool interview,
I saw on localwineevents.com that Joey Tensley is having a wine tasting
dinner at The Tasting Room in Manhattan.
I just emailed to see if there is still room.
I can’t wait to try those wines!
Thanks Gary for keeping it all fun!
December 6, 2006

Mark
Great show as always! Can’t wait to try these wines.
Joey pots and pans of course.
Go Jets!!!!!!
December 6, 2006

Denise
WLTV at it’s finest today, Gary. Great interview skills! What a treat to enjoy your discussion with a small family winemaker. Loved hearing the Tensley story and especially appreciate Tensley’s commitment to customer relationaship management (”CRM”). Very inspiring…

QOD: Yo, Gary, how YOU doin’?! Joey Tribbiani, for sure. My Scottish girl heart melts for Italian Americans (typically, the ones from Brooklyn…there are probably still pieces of my heart scattered over parts of Canarsie!)
December 6, 2006

cgf
Gary,
Awesome epidose. I love when you have guests. It was great to hear Joe talk about his wines. I have never tried his wines, but i love the sound of the first one. Great prices too.

I am guessing your favorite Joe is Namath. Mine is G.I. Joe, the real American Hero. “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.” Woah, that could be a good sign off!
December 6, 2006

good old ludwig van
QOTD: Joey Fatone (I’m ashamed I know his name) from N’Snyc or the Backstreet Boys or one of those bands . . . I love that he was the pudgiest member and his last name is Fat-one. I’m easily amused I guess.
December 6, 2006

Denise
Question for GV: I’m a huge fan of Chateauneuf du Pape. Years ago, I was very happy to discover Joseph Phelps Le Mistral at the winery (presented to me as JP’s version of CdP) when I was a student living in Napa Valley. I have a really difficult time finding it (even when I was at WL). (Is this simply a small production wine?) Would you please taste it on an upcoming episode? I would love to know what you think of it.

Thanks. : )
December 7, 2006

MarcT
Gary…does 256 refer to the amount of days until the Jets have to report for pre-season training? That is about the time when the season starts to get loose. Are you predicting something?
December 7, 2006

Brandon M
QOTD….Joey Ramone…just like Above.

I’ve never had a Tensley wine but that late harvest will be shipped to me as soon as you get it in.
December 7, 2006

wey
Very cool! I like the sincere approach of winemaking and selling. Late Harvest Syrah sounds like fun to me
December 7, 2006

Matthew L
Nice episode Gary. I like when yo have guests, and Tensley seemed really down to earth. He really fits with your goal or philosophy of demystifying wine.

QOTD: Joey? I dunno. I liked Joe Lewis, but I doubt anyone called him Joey.
December 7, 2006

woodchuck
Joey Buttafuco
December 7, 2006

Tom T.
Gary,
Never had a Tensley wine.
What was written on the white board behind Joey? I could only make out the number.
December 7, 2006

SS Chris
QOTD: Come on, this is a TomKat world…what about Joey Potter from Dawson’s Creek? She’s certainly the cutest of the other Joey’s mentioned imho

How great a guy is this Joey Tensley? I feel a new cult coming on…the “TENSLIACS”.

Gary, would you be hurt if some of us VAYNIACS also consider ourselves TENSLIACS?

1st I come up with VAYNIACS, now TENSLIACS. Come on, Gary…give me some non-SS related PROPS…You have to admit that I am good at these names.

Also,please pass this along to Joey, I get the feeling that he would enjoy…

P.S. I immediately ordered some Colson Canyon, please let us know when the others are in.
December 7, 2006

Rebecca
Great show…Haven’t had a Tensley wine but, look forward to trying them out…sound’s like he’ll be my new favorite Joey.

QOD: Joey Kocur – NY Rangers (part of the 1994 Stanley Cup Team)

Gary, I can’t wait until the day that we all turn on the tv or tune in to the WLTV to find out that you are the new owner of the JETS.
December 7, 2006

Michael
JOEY RAMONE – who else?
December 7, 2006

Rebecca
Gary,

There are so many former athletes and franchise owners that now are involved in winemaking and owning vineyards. Greg Norman, Ernie Ells, David Frost, Dick Vermeil, Tom Seaver, Joe Montanta, Peggy Flemming, the list goes on and on. I’m wondering if you will do an episode on some of their wines. Specifically, Greg Norman – I’m interested to see/hear your tasting notes on his wines.
December 7, 2006

Jim V.
I enjoyed your recent guests, and appreciate your giving these winemakers a forum to introduce their wines, Gary. I’ve got to get down to Santa Barbara and taste some wines! Jim
December 7, 2006

Nathan N
I think this is my favorite episode.

Tensley looks like a stand up guy that makes superb wines. Must be a pleasure to get to work with people like him.
December 7, 2006

Rick W.
Joey Pants
December 7, 2006

JoeB
We love Joey Tensley wines and have had them for years now. Do you know if Joey will be at Winelibrary for any of the days he is here. We where planning a trip from NY to CA March 2007 just to go see his winery in Santa Barbara.
2002 Colson Canyon was a changing point for our wine life, finally we saw what wine can be and how balance and structure are merged as one. Tensley is the real deal.

Tks Joe
December 7, 2006

joe
CGF (comment 49):

No I am not on the forum, but here are some recommendations – stay with what Paso does the best, Zin, Cab, and Syrah (in that order):

On the East side of 101:

1) My all time favorite: Eberle. Great Cab and Zn made in a food friendly manor. Great tasting room and awesome cellar. Call ahead and make sure you can get a tour of their cellar. Nice outdoor property for picnicing. THeir Cabs are awesome – reguest a tasting of the Researve Cabernet. It is built to age for 30+ years.
2) Martin & Weyrich – Cal-Itals
3) EOS
4) Tobin James. Free tasting. Greatest tasting room in Paso. Nice property. Outrageous Zin. Be sure to try the Blue Moon.

West Side of 101 (North to South):
1) Rabbit ridge
2) Justin – - always too crowded and too touristy. But it is Justin
3) Nadeau. Atomic Bomb Zin. Really too big (17% alcohol). But fun to taste
4) Tablas Creek. Great Rhone Style wines, owned by Perrins of Beaucastel. Wonderful place to eat lunch
5) L’Adventure. Wow, everything they do is amazing
6) Adeladia. Hdden gem. You may be the only one there. Impressive Cabernet.
7) Hunt
Turley. tasting room is small and dissapointing, but who could not visit?

Also, you have to visit the Hearst Castle on route 1.
Have fun,
Joe
December 7, 2006

Matty Van, Rochester,NY
QOD – Joey Gallo…Gambino crime family, like WLTV says its all about family
December 7, 2006

cgf
thanks alot Joe!
December 7, 2006

Wine-o
Stoked to try the late harvest… Can hardley wait. Please advise when it becomes available.
Favorite Joey? How about Joey Bag-a-Donuts…
December 7, 2006

CampingLisaB
Hi Gary,
I just found your site. I watched about 20 episodes at one time. I live in Pennsylvania. So sad some o the wines you have highly recommended are not available in this state. How sad is that! Well I sure do love your commentary and I will be sure to visit when I am in NJ.

SMILE
December 8, 2006

Kirkland M
Have to try that – used to love Kahn Colson Canyon Syrah until they went out of business.

QOTD:perhaps Joey Heatherton?
December 9, 2006

Steve H
Joey Heatherton without a doubt!! Then Dallas Cowboy Lance Renfro screwed that up!!

Why do none of Gary’s guests have access to the spit bucket? He is over there filling it up, and these guys and swallowing their goods. No wonder they are all so agreeable by the end of the espidose?

Very good show – one of your best
December 9, 2006

Jon
To lawrence L…Laat time I was in Los Olivos, Joey shared a tating room with Colson..haven’t been back since so don’t know if this still holds true
December 12, 2006

will
Tried the Tinsley and agree with you that it is not for those who seek more balance and elegance. I found it a jammy fruit bomb.

Also was similarly disappointed in the Dom. La Garrique Vacqueyras 2004. Lovely color, lots of nice, dark fruit, but very fleshy. Nothing else going on, little complexity, little “garrique” in the garrique to balance the 15% alc.

Found the 2004 Dom. Montvac Vacqueyras much more to my liking. Cedar and sage complimenting the fruit.

Enjoyed meeting you at the store! Keep up the good work. I just started working p/t at Total Wine.
March 1, 2007

Elliot
LoL… that sly close-up of the Jets Spit Bucket was money.
March 28, 2007

cyrock1
Joey Porter!!!! Even if he was let go
January 28, 2008

Andrew H.
Joe was awesome. You should definitely have him back!
November 3, 2008

Ray Barnes
QOTD – I guess taking the name literally, wrestling announcer Joey Styles. But using any derivation of Joey, it has to be the greatest musical genius of all time (IMHO), Johann Sebastian Bach.

That late harvest Syrah tasting literally had me salivating the whole time. I hope to try that wine out someday, it sounded wonderful. I think it could have been made into a heavenly port-styled wine too. Somehow I felt Gary’s 94 point score was deliberately understated.
September 26, 2009

John J.
qotd: bazooka joe

Gary how about a vin jaune episode or tackling a one aon tasting different charbono’s?