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 was sourced from Bohan Vineyard in Cazadero on the Sonoma Coast.
Light red in color. Just a shade darker than a Rosé. 13.4% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, rose petal, blood and earth. Light to medium body with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing on the palate. Flavors of black cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and black tea. Exceptional length on the finish. Just perfect served at cellar temperature on a warm Summer night. Best in the next year or so.
My rating: 91 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.