Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

2016 Turley Zinfandel Rinaldi Vineyard – Bottle Notes

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.

Rinaldi Vineyard is one of the most significant ancient vineyards in the Sierra Foothills. Known historically as Eschen vineyard, there are still a few remaining vines from the original planting in the 1860’s. The bulk of the Turley block dates back to 1910. The vineyard is located in the Fiddletown AVA and sits at 2000 feet elevation.

Dark crimson in color. 15.9% ABV. Heady nose of red fruits, anise and pepper. Full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Notable balance all things considered. Raspberry liqueur, mulberry, ruby port and pepper on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. Big wine but certainly enjoyable. Best over the next 1-2 years.

My rating: 91 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.

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