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.
Tegan Passalacqua owns and farms Kirschenmann vineyard. The ungrafted vines were planted in 1915 in the silica-rich sandy soils of the east side of the Mokelumne River AVA in Lodi.
Crimson in color. 15.3% ABV. Tremendous nose of black and red fruits, peach cobbler, licorice and pepper. Medium body with perfect acidity. Remarkable balance. Raspberry liqueur, peach, strawberry and pepper on the palate. The finish is long and plush. Awesome Zinfandel that is aging beautifully. Without question, the best Zinfandel I have had from Kirschenmann Vineyard. Drink over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 95 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 scale of the operation is second to none. 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 fared well in The 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.