Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by Larry Turley and specializes in small lots of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah from some of California’s most historic and treasured vineyards. Turley now makes 28 separate wines from 35 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s. Tegan Passalacqua is the Director of Winemaking at Turley and has been instrumental in revitalizing the brand.
Cedarman is a proprietary blend of fruit from both Rattlesnake Ridge and Dragon Vineyards, located at the top of Howell Mountain in Napa Valley.
Ruby red in color. 15.6% ABV. Pretty nose of red fruits, white pepper and Twizzlers. Medium body with decent acidity and just a touch of heat. Less jammy and more elegant than expected. Raspberry liqueur, pepper, cranberry and earth on the palate. The wine comes up a little short on the finish. Delightful nonetheless. Drink over the next year or so.
My rating: 90 points.
With all due respect to Carlisle and Bedrock, Turley is arguably the best Zinfandel producer in California. Exceptional vineyards sources throughout the state of California and no detail spared in the winemaking process. The wines are simply better than ever.
Turley wines are available via the mailing list and periodically at retail. Turley has tasting rooms in both Amador and Paso Robles. If you are not on the mailing list, this is an easy way to secure bottles. Both are not to be missed if you are in the area.
Turley was a big winner in The 2015 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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