| Review: |
"A killer Zinfandel, the 2013 Zinfandel Juvenile is a blend from younger vines replanted on old-vine sites. For the statisticians, this wine is made from Zinfandel vines ranging from six to 25 years of age across 15 different vineyards, including such hallowed Zin terroir as Hayne, Ueberroth, Pesenti, Salvador, and Vineyard 101. This is a stunning example that shouldn’t be discounted just because it is not a single-vineyard wine. Deep ruby/purple, with oodles of black cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant fruit as well as some pepper and spice, the wine is plump, full-bodied, sexy and delicious . . . . this is a lusty, extroverted Zinfandel that has been brilliantly put together by the Turley winemaking crew. Probably no one in Northern California has done more for the renaissance and resurrection of old vine Zinfandel than Larry Turley. He started Turley Cellars after selling most of his interest in Frog’s Leap Winery to his original partner, John Williams. The Turley Cellars project was founded in 1993, and is now over 20 years of age. The great thing about Larry Turley is that he’s quick to admit he’s never met an old vine he’s not fond of. As a result, they farm and buy fruit from 35 different vineyards, with some of them dating back to the late 1800s, long before Prohibition. There are at least 30-plus separate wines, and some super-talented winemakers have worked for Turley – first Ehren Jordan and more recently Tegan Passalacqua. I have praised these wines from the beginning and, to my surprise, older vintages . . . have aged remarkably well . . . . Turley’s Petite Syrahs are probably 50-year wines . . ." |