Dear Friends,
Tasting through the lineup of Fall wines is one of the main perks of being at Turley, as these are some of our favorites. In fact, it’s so enjoyable, we are often forced to do it more than once, just to reallllly get the truest sense of each of these individual wines, as well as an accurate picture of the overall vintage. It’s work, we swear. Ah, the sacrifices we make for our jobs…! (hic) These wines have benefitted from the additional few months in bottle, and will be even more ready and a-rarin’ to go by the time they reach you. As always, though, we respectfully request that you wait until the door has closed behind the delivery person before you rip into an Old Vines; it’s only fair, considering he won’t be able to do the same until he finishes his shift.
After our diligent work on your behalf, tasting through all 16 (!) of the wines on this release, it’s clear that the 2015 vintage is most reminiscent of the wines of 2013: dense, concentrated, with incredible depth and complexity. The only difference is that while the 2013 wines had some of the strongest tannins we’ve seen in a Zinfandel, the 2015 wines are more silky, approachable, and luscious. This 2013 comparison bodes well, given that it was one of the best and most well-received Turley vintages to date.
We also have a couple of introductions to make: first up, we have a new addition to the Old Vines cadre. After a long, literal dry spell here in California, in which we saw more and more old vineyards succumb to financial or weather-related challenges, sources for this beloved wine were near-impossible to find. Lucky for us, our winemaker & head vineyard manager Tegan Passalacqua has a nose like an old-vine-detecting bloodhound, and he tracked down a stellar new site from Lodi, with plantings from 1907 and the 1950’s. Finally, we have a little more of this wine to go around, which you will see reflected in your offer.
Larry is the one on the right; just read his belt
We’re also introducing a new wine with some very old roots: the Whitney Tennessee Vineyard Zinfandel, from a pre-Prohibition planting in Alexander Valley, Sonoma. Named for one of Larry’s four daughters (ever wondered what the 4 stars on the cork stood for?) the wine is an excellent addition to the family. Longstanding members may remember a wine with the same name from the mid-1990’s, though this is a separate vineyard that Turley purchased in 2009.
Speaking of new additions, Larry’s oldest daughter Christina, the winery’s Director of Sales, married fellow wino & Rosenthal Wine Merchant’s West Coast Director Ben Andersen this summer; another daughter, Nell Montana Turley, Lt. Junior Grade USCG, performed the ceremony. Christina even managed not to spill any of the ’99 Hayne Petite Syrah they celebrated with on her dress, and Larry is so very proud.
Old Vines Young Love,
Turley Wine Cellars