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 right around 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.
Purple in color. 16.2% ABV. Super nose of red and black fruits, licorice and pepper. Full bodied with juicy acidity and just a touch of heat on the palate. Flavors of raspberry liqueur, boysenberry, blueberry and white pepper. The finish is exceptionally long. Enjoyable Zinfandel but you have to be a fan of the Turley wines from this era. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 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 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.
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