2021 Optik Petite Sirah French Camp Vineyard Paso Robles Highlands District 750 ml

Deep, aromatic, and lush, Dunnuck called this bottle “full-bodied, ripe, polished, and downright sexy on the palate” in his 94-point review. Antonio Galloni of Vinous weighed in too, calling it a “powerhouse red” and “a terrific debut.” 

“Now in its third vintage, this project from the Miller family (owners of Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills) and winemaker Joey Tensley is really hitting its stride,” wrote Galloni in his review of the ‘21 Optik. “These wines are impressive.”

Wine Access members know Tensley well, but perhaps not the Millers. They’re an iconic grapegrowing clan who own some of the choicest parcels in California—including Bien Nacido, one of the greatest vineyards on the West Coast. Longtime suppliers to other top-notch wineries, the Millers founded Optik to showcase their fruit and their winemaking skills. They were wise to tap Tensley to run the show. 

The French Camp Vineyard, established by the family in 1973, is a cornerstone of the Paso Robles Highlands AVA. Spanning over 1,200 acres in the southeastern corner of the region, resting in the rain shadow of Black Mountain, it enjoys a diurnal swing of nearly 50 degrees—a perfect environment to produce ripe Petite Sirah with a healthy dose of vivifying acid.

Tensley took Petite Sirah from Block 53 of French Camp and, after vinification, aged it in 30% French oak for 10 months. The result is the kind of Petite Sirah that made this variety one of the mainstays of classic California viticulture.