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| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | California California (Central Coast) |
| Winery: | Turley |
| Grape Type: | Zinfandel |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2022 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Certified organic, ungrafted vines over 130 years old; a "grand cru" site of Paso Robles. Transcendent. Lovely sweet red fruits, loads of spice and pepper, violets, chalk, even a hint of pineapple grass on the nose. White stones and wild strawberries in a lovely pas de deux on the palate, with vibrant energy and finesse. What a knockout.
Review:
Broad-shouldered and powerfully structured yet detailed and stylish, with deep flavors of blackberry and cherry accented by bittersweet chocolate, orange peel and fruitcake spices that gather tension and richness on the slightly firm finish.
-Wine Spectator 95 Points
Turley Wine Cellars was founded in Napa Valley by former emergency room physician Larry Turley in 1993. Under the direction of winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, Turley now makes 50 different wines from over 50 vineyards across California, primarily Zinfandel and Petite Syrah, with many vines dating back to the late 1800s. By farming organically and focusing on old vine vineyards of these varieties, Turley aims to both create and preserve California’s unique winemaking culture.
Born in Tennessee and raised in Georgia, Larry has spent the better part of his life on a farm. This being the south, they were primarily tobacco and dairy farms; nevertheless, his respect for the land and its cultivation began at a young age. As an adult, Larry channeled this passion for preservation towards people, studying medicine and working as an emergency room physician. After moving to California in the mid-seventies, Larry came home from the ER one night to discover someone camped on his property. After first driving his motorcycle through the tent (this was, after all, the 1970’s in the “wild wild west”) he met its occupant, John Williams, the soon-to-be winemaker at Spring Mountain. After sharing a glass of wine, they became friends; a few bottles later, they became business partners. Frog’s Leap Winery was begat in 1981, with Larry on a tractor by day and suturing by night.
The winery enjoyed quick success; however, much like Athena originated as an ache in Zeus’ head, the impetus for a smaller, more focused project began to take shape in Larry’s mind. He’d taken a shining to the wines made from Zinfandel & Petite Syrah, growing particularly fond of those made from old vine vineyards. Eventually he sold his half of Frog’s Leap to John and started Turley Wine Cellars in 1993.
Because Larry has never met an old vine vineyard he didn’t like, Turley now makes 47 separate wines from over 50 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s. Often weak and decaying, these old vine vineyards require extra care and attention in order to restore them to their former glory. After twenty-five years in the emergency room, Larry can now focus his resuscitative skills on the various old vineyards that comprise the wines he loves.
Walt Clos Pepe Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Deep ruby in color, the wine carries luscious fruit aromas of blackberry preserves and dark cherry, infused with exotic notes of spice, black tea and pomegranate. The palate opens to a dense and velvety texture laced with flavors of barrel char and salinity, leading to a structured and focused finish.
Review:
Big and rich, with luscious spiciness to the plush dark fruit and berry flavors that are supported by medium-grained tannins. There's plenty of creamy and toasty accents on the open-textured finish.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Another Sta. Hills release, the 2019 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard saw 10% stems and 10 months in 40% new French oak. It's a little more focused and firm, with classic ripe black raspberry, red plum, and cherry fruits as well as orange blossom, spice, and floral nuances. It too is medium-bodied, textured, and beautifully balanced.
-Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
- The Clos Pepe Vineyard was founded in the late 1980s by Steven and Kathy Pepe. The vineyard is located just east of Lompoc in the Santa Rita Hills appellation. The 2019 ‘Clos Pepe’ revels in its aromatic range from peat moss and pipe tobacco to bright red fruits and wild blackberry. The palate is dense and fresh with beautiful red florals alongside orange rind with sandy soil undertones. Gorgeous now, this has a long way to go in the cellar.
-Owen Bargreen 95 Points
Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc.
Stunningly deep ruby in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with heady aromas of brambly black cherry, vanilla, warm brioche, and crème de cassis. As the wine warms on the palate, notes of red cherry, graphite and fennel emerge, as very polished, refined tannins carry the wine into a long, fragrant finish. Layered flavors, good tension, and a perfect integration of wine and oak interact to create this classic expression of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon.
Review:
This shows notes of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of licorice, cloves, walnuts and chocolate. It has full body and a velvety tannin structure. Juicy and vibrant fruit on the palate with a touch of earthiness. Smooth and delicious. Long, fruity finish. Very pure fruit. Try after 2024.
-James Suckling 95 points
Paul Hobbs George Menini Estate Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
Brilliant ruby red in the glass, the 2022 vintage follows the color with matching aromas of wild mountain strawberry, raspberry, and cherry infused with hints of black tea. On the palate, this wine has the texture of thick satin, evolving seamlessly with subtle energy and pleasant tension. Elegant, fine-grained tannins run through a lingering, juicy finish.
Review:
Wow, a super well-structured, vital wine with oodles of generous black fruit flavors on a firm frame that will help it age well and improve with time. Black cherries, blackberries, blueberries, forest floor nuances and a slight smoky, stemmy character from using mostly Calera-clone grapes, with 15% whole clusters and 30% new French oak. Great interplay between layered fruit and a fresh, crunchy texture. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.
-James Suckling 98 Points & #54 in Top 100
Dark plum in color with abundant aromas of dark chocolate, black cherry, and sun-ripened blackberry with a hint of cedar. Layered flavors of blackberry and raspberry pie filling, accompanied by notes of cinnamon, chocolate, and nutmeg play on the palate. Smooth and focused with refined tannins and a medium finish.
Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose NV is made Pinot Noir from 10 crus in the Montagne de Reims
The Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier is the most recognized rosé champagne in the world. The house uses its proprietary maceration technique and the wine is crafted for a fragrance and not mixed for a color. Held in an elegant bottle inspired by King Henri IV, it has been widely acknowledged for its consistent high quality for more than 40 years, and it is the benchmark for rosé champagne around the world.
Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé is truly remarkable for its highly expressive bouquet, stemming from very careful preservation of fresh fruit aromas during the wine making. Made with 100% Pinot Noir from 10 different "crus " (or villages), from the North and South areas of the Montagne de Reims, as well as the famous village of Bouzy. Grapes from carefully selected plots are meticulously sorted and de-stemmed before going into the vats, and the controlled maceration helps with the color extraction and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.
Intensely fruity flavors, clean and slightly sharp, the wine opens to the sensation of freshly picked red berries: strawberries, Morello cherries, black currants and raspberries. The finish is supple and rounded.
Its aromatic depth makes it ideal for pairing with marinated raw fish, grilled prawns, exotic dishes, Parma ham and red fruit desserts. Those who are more daring will try it with Asian or Indian cuisine.
Review:
Generosity no less than grace defines this 100% Pinot Noir from ten different crus primarily in the Montagne de Reims. Slightly coppery salmon-pink in the glass, it displays a radiant nose of ripe red berries that pop against glimmers of spiced biscotti and roasted cashew. On a broad palate of pure silk, raspberry and black cherry are underlined by blood-orange rind and crushed rock before a long, almost voluptuous finish that's slightly savory with dried mint.
-Tasting Panel 97 Points
Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Vineyard Pinot Noir is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The Clark & Telephone Vineyard was established in 1972 and planted with “own root” Martini clone vines. Located just 13 miles from the ocean and situated on a west-facing slope, this vineyard experiences weather patterns that pull from west to east to bring cool fog and coastal breezes inland until August when Santa Ana winds begin.
We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still cool to preserve their vineyard-fresh flavors. After destemming (but not crushing) the berries, we cold-soaked the must for 14 days to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both punch-down and pump-over techniques to extract color and phenolics. We aged the wine in 100% French oak (60% new) for up to 12 months. After the wine underwent malolactic fermentation, we racked it twice before bottling.
Deep ruby red in color with lush aromas of ripe cherry, nutmeg, dark chocolate and holiday baking spices. Bold and complex flavors of black plum, crushed raspberry and blueberry pie linger on the palate. The texture is rich and lively, and leads into a warm and structured finish.
Review:
Burnished black raspberry and graphite form a bond on a foundation of dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. White pepper outlines rose petal on the well-structured palate before perky acidity and a creamy weightiness highlight the lengthy finish.
-Tasting Panel 95 Points
After working with the fruit for over a decade, Turkey is proud to present the first single-vineyard bottling for Turley from the Del Barba Vineyard. Contra Costa is a delta where the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers meet, and these head-trained vines are planted in deep dehli blow sand, made up of decomposed granite coming down from the Sierra Mountains. The resulting wine embodies the best the delta has to offer: silken textures, ultra fine tannin, and dark saline fruits.
Review:
"The 2023 Zinfandel del Barba is ripe, boisterous and super-expressive. Floral overtones and bright acids run through a core of red/purplish fruit. Sandy soils confer lovely aromatic presence to this pure Zinfandel. This is an especially accessible offering from Turley."
-Vinous 91-93 Points
The sage, autumnal older sister to the spring verve of the Juvenile, Old Vines encompasses everything we stand for at Turley. Teeming with dark berries, currants, baking spices, earth, and a sprinkle of petrichor on the nose. The palate is brooding yet supple, serious yet satisfying. Inherently embodies the depth, complexity, and grace that can only come from old vines.
Review:
As with the Juvenile bottling, the 2022 Zinfandel Old Vines punches above its weight in this vintage. The nose is considerably deeper, fuller and more polished, opening with aromas of crushed plums, wild berry preserves, tobacco leaves and similar autumnal accents to its younger sibling. The palate is light- to medium-bodied, carrying through the polished quality of the nose and melds it with a subtly dusty tannin structure and bright acidity. The finish is straightforward and easy to drink, offering generous layers of fruit, spice and floral notes.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 92 Points
A gutsy little red, with intense yet zesty flavors of raspberry, cranberry, savory anise and black pepper that finish with briary tannins.
Wine Spectator 92 Points
Turley Pesenti Zinfandel is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
This certified organic estate-owned vineyard was planted in the 1920s on primarily limestone soil. Though the vines are head-trained and dry-farmed, the soil plays the most important role in distinguishing this vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles. The wines have a brightness, with chalk and floral characteristic aromas unique to the site, and to Zinfandel in general.
Review:
Dark and brambly, with brooding plum and blackberry flavors accented by licorice, clove and smoked pepper tones as this builds grip toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2035. 2,387 cases made.
-Wine Spectator 93 Points
Turley Zinfandel Buck Cobb is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Organically farmed head-trained vines planted at 1500' in the granite and quartz soils of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Primarily savory and red-fruited, with characteristics of black pepper, dried meats and fine-grained tannin texture.
This would be an excellent pairing with wood-fired pizza.
Review:
The 2023 Zinfandel Buck Cobb Vineyard is bold, juicy and expressive. Dark cherry, plum, gravel, spice, herbs and lavender are front and center. This shows terrific depth and plenty of character to match its exuberant personality.
Vinous 90-92
Hailing from 1937, these certified organic vines are some of the most unique we’ve ever seen. Just a mile and a half from the Napa border on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas, located in what is the new Moon Mountain AVA, the vines are planted along steep, contoured terraces. Finding old vineyards is rare enough, but ancient hillside head-trained vines located 1000 feet up? Downright extraordinary.
Review:
"The 2022 Zinfandel Fredericks Vineyard is medium to deep ruby in the glass. It opens slowly but steadily with multifaceted aromas of peach skin, dried red berries, dark spices, wafts of cooling botanicals and a lifted, vibrant floral perfume. The full-bodied palate is suave, concentrated and polished, hiding rustic but gentle tannins and seamless, mineral-tinged acidity with its long, perfumed finish. As with much of the 2022 Turley Zinfandels, this should unwind and come into itself after 3-5 years in bottle and provide more than a decade of enjoyment in the cellar."
- 94 Points Robert Parker
Turley Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel is made from 100 percent Zinfandel.
Organically farmed, own-rooted, head-trained and dry-farmed vines planted in 1915 in the silica-rich sandy soils of the east side of the Mokelumne River AVA. Marking the 10th vintage of this wine, bright ripe red fruits, raspberry preserves, and white pepper burst forth from the glass. Precise on the palate like a perfectly seasoned piece of meat, with more red berries and a sumptuously complex texture.
Review:
The 2023 Zinfandel Kirschenmann Vineyard is one of the best wines I have tasted from this site, as it has more textural depth and resonance than is typically the case. As always, the Kirschenmann Zinfandel is aromatic and lifted. In 2023, it is a bit more complex and nuanced than it often is. Bright red-toned fruit and floral overtones linger. This is such a pretty wine.
Vinous 92-94 Points
Inglenook Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc.
Stunningly deep ruby in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with heady aromas of brambly black cherry, vanilla, warm brioche, and crème de cassis. As the wine warms on the palate, notes of red cherry, graphite and fennel emerge, as very polished, refined tannins carry the wine into a long, fragrant finish. Layered flavors, good tension, and a perfect integration of wine and oak interact to create this classic expression of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon.
Review:
This shows notes of ripe blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of licorice, cloves, walnuts and chocolate. It has full body and a velvety tannin structure. Juicy and vibrant fruit on the palate with a touch of earthiness. Smooth and delicious. Long, fruity finish. Very pure fruit. Try after 2024.
-James Suckling 95 points
The Prisoner Wine Co. Blindfold Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Blindfold Chardonnay is gorgeously balanced and a true triumph. Fragrant with notes of lime zest, yuzu, jasmine, and a slight minerality, Bright on the palate with juicy green citrus, lychee, green apple and toasted hazelnut. You’ll find both freshness and soft texture from its time in oak. The finish is long and indulgent–let yourself sink into this luxurious pour.
All of the fruit was hand-picked and whole cluster pressed. Barrel fermentation took place in 100% French oak barrels, and 23% New barrels that were selected by forest or grain tightness to frame our fruit profile, bring texture, and soften acidity. Lots were tasted every other week while we stirred the lees to precisely soften the mouthfeel and achieve optimal balance. With fermentation, and subsequent elevage taking place over 11 months we have achieved this goal.
Chardonnay grapes were harvested as flavors of lime zest and green apple started to develop and before acid started to ripen away. Picking decisions were made based on acidity rather than sugar level (Brix). We want to showcase the vineyard sites and growing region in perfect balance.