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.
Located on the top of the Vaca Mountains in northeastern Napa Valley, this vineyard sits at 1700 feet in between the southern end of Howell Mountain and just north of Pritchard Hill. The vineyard was planted in the late nineties. The vines benefit from the moderating climate above Lake Hennessey. The wines are classic Napa Valley mountain fruit with great tannin. Jay Heminway planted the vineyard with the help of his daughter’s then-Montessori teacher Alice Waters, now known as the pioneering chef of farm-to-table cuisine at Chez Panisse.
Crimson in color. 15.7% ABV. Sublime nose of black fruits, licorice, baking spices and pepper. Full bodied with medium acidity. Rich, elegant and well balanced. Cherry, strawberry, cranberry and a hint of white pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Impressive Zinfandel that may have been better a year or two ago but undoubtedly still delicious. Drink soon.
My rating: 92 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 a tasting room in Paso Robles. If you are not on the mailing list, this is an easy way to secure bottles. Not to be missed if you are in the area.