Sandlands is the personal project of Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua. Tegan is the Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Turley. The line-up encompasses some of the forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in decomposed granite from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture. The wines made at Sandlands include Syrah, Trousseau, Carignane, Mataro and Chenin Blanc.
The fruit for this wine is sourced from the Soberanes Vineyard which is farmed by the Pisoni family.
Purple in color. 13.2% ABV. Savory nose of blue fruits, olive brine, wild flowers and pepper. Medium to full bodied with perfect acidity. Fresh, complex and well structured. Blueberries, gamey meats, black pepper and olive tapenade on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Reminiscent of a Northern Rhone Syrah. Unique and extremely well crafted. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 92 points.
Seriously consider signing up for the Sandlands mailing list. Tegan has a model of exceptional wines at extremely fair prices from impeccable vineyards. What more can you ask for?
Sandlands fared well in The 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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