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.
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.
Purple in color. 15.1% ABV. Sensational nose of red and black fruits, licorice and flowers. Full bodied with ample acidity and impeccable balance. More rich and lush than I typically expect from Kirschenmann Vineyard. Black cherry, raspberry liqueur, blood orange and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Absolutely delightful Zinfandel. Best over the next 1-2 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 2020 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings.