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. The Old Vines is a blend of 18 vineyards with an average of 80 years old. They hail from Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Contra Costa, Amador, and Paso Robles. Bright purple…
Category: Zinfandel
2009 Dehlinger Zinfandel Guadagni Bros. Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Dehlinger Winery is located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County and was founded in 1975 by Tom and Carole Dehlinger. Eva Dehlinger took over winemaking duties in 2007. Known for their Pinot Noir, Dehlinger also makes Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. The grapes for Dehlinger Wines are largely grown on the Estate Vineyard in the Russian…
Zinfandel of the Month – 2008 Black Sears Zinfandel
Zinfandel of the Month is a new feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. For background please see the first installment published last October. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list. The July Zinfandel of the Month is the…
2004 Williams Selyem Zinfandel Forchini Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Williams Selyem Winery began when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams started making wine as a hobby in 1979 in Forestville, California. Their first commercial release was in 1981, and in less than two decades they created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Setting a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking, they put Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley at the forefront…
2011 Renwood Old Vine Zinfandel – Bottle Notes
Renwood Winery was established in 1993 and is one of the most respected wine producers in the Sierra Foothills, specializing in Zinfandel. In the early to mid nineties I lived in Sacramento and my passion for Zinfandel was based on trips to wineries like Renwood, Ravenswood and Rafanelli. At the time Scott Harvey was the winemaker and the Zinfandels from…
Zinfandel of the Month – 2011 McCay Cellars Zinfandel Faith Lot 13 Vineyard
Zinfandel of the Month is a new feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. For background please see the first installment published last October. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list. The June Zinfandel of the Month is the…
2006 Carlisle Zinfandel Montafi Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Carlisle Winery & Vineyards was founded in 1998 by Mike and Kendall Officer. Their passion is clear: Small lots of Zinfandel and Syrah from exceptional, historic vineyards. Montafi Ranch, formerly Tom Feeney Vineyard, was planted in 1926 and sits on the Santa Rosa city limits. The vineyard is mostly Zinfandel but does contain a healthy amount of Alicante Bouschet and…
Three Zinfandels from McCay Cellars
Michael McCay, owner of McCay Cellars, has a simple goal: to make wine with a sense of presence and character that expresses the trueness of the vineyard. Michael is a relative newcomer to Lodi. He has only farmed there for 35 years. He came to Lodi in the early 1980s, planted a vineyard, started making wine in 1994, and launched…
2008 A. Rafanelli Zinfandel – Bottle Notes
Alberto Rafanelli, an Italian immigrant, first founded A. Rafanelli Winery in the early 1900’s. It wasn’t until the early 70’s that Alberto’s son, Americo, came out with the present day label and started selling the wine commercially. David and Patty Rafanelli now run the winery and a 4th generation Rafanelli, their daughter Shelly, is the winemaker. The winery is perhaps…
2005 Turley Zinfandel Duarte – 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. This wine is a tribute to Joe Duarte, a prominent grape grower in Contra Costa who first introduced Turley to the incredible vineyards of the area. Red in color. 15.4% ABV.…