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 50 separate wines from 47 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.
Rattlesnake Ridge is situated on Howell Mountain above St. Helena.
Purple through and through. 14.8% ABV. Tremendous nose of black fruits, menthol, licorice and flowers. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Exceptionally well balanced. Black cherry, blackberry, barbecued meats and pepper on the palate. The finish is long with soft and supple tannins. Some of the Turley wines from this era where a little over the top for my taste. Not the case here. Super Petite Sirah. This will surely age longer but it is hard to imagine it showing any better. Best over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 93 points.
With all due respect to Carlisle, Turley is arguably the best Zinfandel producer in California. Certainly the scale of the operation is second to none. 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 fared well in The 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.