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.
Hailing from several head-trained vineyards dating back to the 1920s, these vines are planted at around 1500’ in the granite and quartz-rich soils of the Shenandoah Valley AVA. Ken Deaver, who farms each of these sites, can trace his family’s history in the Foothills back to the mid-19th century. The family planted their first grapevines in 1854, selling their harvest primarily to fellow homesteaders and amateur winemakers.
Bright crimson in color. 15.1% ABV. Charming nose of red fruits, citrus, baking spices and flowers. Medium body with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing with vibrant fruits. Bing cherry, cranberry, blood orange and soil on the palate. The finish is long and supple. I always enjoy the contrast of the Turley Zins from Amador vis a vis the rest of their portfolio. Unfortunately Turley only made a few vintages of this wine. Best over the next 1-2 years.
My rating: 94 points.
2020 and 2021 were the only bottlings of Turley from Deaver Ranch.
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 and if you are not on the mailing list, this is an easy way to secure bottles while sampling a few wines.