To say we look forward to every release of Sandlands is a bit of an understatement. The full range of '21 reds is here – let's dig in.

Head winemaker at Turley (the reference point for single vineyard Zinfandel), Tegan Passalacqua started Sandlands as a more personal exploration into some of California's oldest vines.

California's (the world's?) oldest Cinsault, planted in 1885; photo via Turley Wine Cellars

These are places and varieties on the fringes of archetypal California wine: hot sites in cool regions. Cool pockets in hot regions. Grapes like Mataro, Trousseau, and (the world's oldest!) Cinsault.

Aside from the wine itself which is consistently thought-provoking and delicious, his contribution to our wine culture is as a cartographer, a historian keeping these fragile places on the map.

So much intention goes into caring for these old vines and bringing our their best. Organic, dry farming allows terroir to shine through; all native fermentations, little new wood (if any), and a judicious use of stems keeps fruit intact.

Ultimately, the goal is the purest expressions of this ancient fruit and these historic but somewhat forgotten terroirs.

The 2020 release was relatively small; wine is a great reflection of its environment, and with the wildfires and other pressures of the year it simply wasn't possible to have a complete vintage. But, 2021 is a return to the full expression of what Tegan has set out to do.

Every wine in the lineup is a fascinating portrait of a unique place.

'21 is tasting great:

'21 MATARO: aka Mourvèdre, from 100+ year old vines in Contra Costa County. It's heady like you'd expect from this grape; but so lifted, fresh and elegant.

'21 TROUSSEAU: practically from the end of the world, in a little pocket just above the fog line on rugged Bohan Dillon Road. Otherwise surrounded by Pinot country, it's hot here, and the soil retains its heat - but Trousseau thrives here. Very fragrant, blood orange scented, beautiful Trousseau.

'21 CINSAULT: arguably the world's oldest Cinsault plantings, from Bechthold vineyard in Lodi (planted in 1886, and pictured above). It's a fun reminder that Tegan is also the masterful hand behind Turley's Cinsault.

'21 CARIGNANE: from Lodi's Spenker Ranch vineyard, planted in 1900. It's grippy, a touch salty, and absolutely bursting with energy.

'21 SYRAH: From Stolo vineyard; surrounded by hot San Luis Obispo, this site lives in a wind gap just 3 miles off the coast, which makes this a truly cool climate wine. Olive-scented, elegant style that puts freshness over ripeness.

'21 RED TABLE WINE [LODI]: Look closely - Tegan makes a Red Table Wine blend from both Lodi and Contra Costa. This is not leftover fruit - each bottling is extremely intentional, with equal parts from several vineyard sites in the county; with the goal to express these otherwise poorly-represented counties. Lodi is a blend of Bechthold Cinsault, Spenker Ranch Carignane, and Kirschenmann (estate vineyard, planted 1915) Zinfandel.

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