Family-owned winery Tensley Wines is looking to make its Los Angeles debut in Brentwood, located at 11677 W San Vicente Blvd.
Currently, the company’s tasting rooms can be found in the scenic towns of Los Olivos and Santa Maria, the latter being temporarily closed. Now, owner Joey Tensley is getting ready for a Los Angeles debut with a 1,041 square-foot wine bar with indoor seating on the ground floor of the Brentwood Gardens Plaza, according to documents submitted to the Los Angeles Planning Department. The new tasting room will sit between Madison Los Angeles and a Sweetgreen restaurant with 40 interior seats and eight outdoor seats.
Tensley launched this wine company in 1998 to start a well-priced, Syrah-driven brand that lets the unique vineyards of Santa Barbara County speak for themselves. Today, Tensley Wines is a 5,000 case-a-year business with Syrah’s that has made the Wine Spectator’s Top 100, scored 99 points with Robert Parker, and won Food and Wine Magazine’s award for the “Top Syrah in America over $20.” If approved, this new Brentwood location will be the company’s first time entering Los Angeles County.
Joey’s first experience with wine took place when he was just twelve years old, and his soccer team toured a winery while taking part in a tournament in France, according to the company’s website. Joey vividly recalls the chill of the old caves and the aromas of wines fermenting in barrels. From that moment on, he knew he wanted to be a winemaker. “Which pretty much made me the only kid in Bakersfield with that particular dream,” Joey says.
