Dear Friends, Welcome to the fall release of the stellar 2013 wines It may be difficult to imagine the cooler weather to come with temperatures still high as all get-out at the moment, but it s just around the corner, and these wines are exactly what you want to help keep cozy and warm when the time comes. Classics like the Hayne Zinfandel & Petite Syrah, both elegant and deeply satiating wines; Dogtown, with its savory flavors and lush textures; and Cedarman, the quintessential mountain-man wine, powerful and dark. Though fall hasn t come early, the harvest certainly has, beginning in earnest in late July. While 2014 s crop was lighter than years previous, so far 2015 has been even smaller, with some vineyards as much as 40% down. We ve found a few gems to help offset this significant loss, but there s still no denying the drought s effects on our old, dry-farmed vines. With that in mind, we recommend stocking up on the tremendous 2013 wines, to keep your whistle wet through these all-too-dry seasons. We have some other exciting news to share as well our Amador tasting room is now open 7 days a week If you still haven t visited, it s high time you hightailed it over. We re nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, just an hour east of Sacramento. It s former Gold Rush country, with some of the oldest vineyards in Library Vineyard harvest, Aug 15 the state in fact, the whole area is ripe with California history Oh, and the wine ain t too bad either. Secondly, we ve re-launched our website, which is now mobile-friendly We ve added some other cool new features, like an events calendar and a mailing list FAQ, and you can now make reservations for focused and library tastings in Amador and Paso Robles online as well. We re pretty proud of it; indeed, we re proud of the whole dang kit & caboodle, from the vineyards and wines to the staff and you, the fine folk that comprise our extended friends and family. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts. Old Vines Young Love, Turley Wine Cellars
Winemaker s Notes 2013 The White Coat White Wine, California Though the blend has changed over the years, White Coat (named for Larry s past as an Emergency Room physician) comprises rich, textured Roussanne from Rattlesnake Ridge on Howell Mountain moderated by acidity and structure of Grenache Blanc from Pesenti Vineyard. Recently we ve added a bit of Vermentino from Amador, as well as some extra Grenache Blanc and a little Verdelho from Lodi. The result is a unique, dynamic white wine that is truly California. New to the fall mailer, but familiar in many hearts; the 13 White Coat is as multifaceted as ever, with ripe stone fruit, white flowers & crushed rock on the nose and great viscosity tempered by lean acidity on the palate. 2013 Cedarman Zinfandel, Howell Mountain Cedarman is a proprietary blend of fruit from both Rattlesnake Ridge and Dragon Vineyards. Although primarily Zinfandel, we use a small amount of Petite Syrah from the Rattlesnake vineyard as well. The result is a truly powerful, dense and wild wine, long on flavor. A true Howell Mountain wine; dark fruit and wild spice on the nose, while the palate is full, feral but rounded and well-structured. 2013 Dogtown Vineyard Zinfandel, Lodi Planted in 1944, the Dogtown Vineyard is farmed by Turley Wine Cellars. This headtrained, own-rooted vineyard is within the Clements Hills AVA, which has more topography than the rest of Lodi. The rolling hills are composed of clay and volcanic soils, and vine yields are consistently the lowest of all our vineyards. Lifted aromatics of tea, earth and dark chocolate on the nose give way to richness, lush fruit and great acidity on the palate. 2013 Fredericks Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley This certified organic vineyard, owned by Dick Fredericks, was planted in 1937. Though technically within the Sonoma Valley appellation the vineyard is actually located about 900 feet up along very steep contoured terraces. We feel lucky to work with such a unique vineyard, as it is very rare to find hillside head-trained old vines. The fragrant nose has multiple spices as well as pure, dark blue fruit. The gnarly old vines lend lots of texture & great tannin to the palate, making this an excellent food wine, with a long, profound finish.
2013 Hayne Vineyard Zinfandel, Napa Valley The Hayne Vineyard is one of our most exceptional sites. Located in an idyllic warm yet breezy spot on the west side of St. Helena, we are honored to have worked with this vineyard and the Hayne family for over twenty years. The head-trained, dry-farmed Zinfandel vines were planted in 1902 and 1903, and they produce wines of power and elegance in every vintage. Year after year, this wine serves as the archetype for Zinfandel and Napa Valley. Fragrant red and blue fruits, garrigue, & floral notes on nose; restrained and elegant texture on the palate, with sleek tannins & lively acidity. Another killer Hayne to be sure 2013 Heminway Vineyard Zinfandel, Napa Valley Located on the top of the Vaca Mountains in northeastern Napa Valley, this vineyard sits at 1700 feet in between the southern end of Howell Mountain and just north of Pritchard Hill. Grown by Jay Heminway, the vines benefit from the moderating climate above Lake Hennessey. The wines are classic Napa Valley mountain fruit with great tannin. Lovely blue fruit and even some bright citrus notes on the nose, with well-integrated mountain tannin and excellent mid-weight texture on the palate. 2013 Judge Bell Zinfandel, Amador County Planted in 1907 at about 1500 feet, these head-trained, dry-farmed, and own-rooted vines come from the Picnic Hill block of the Story Vineyard in Shenandoah Valley. As our new winery is located on Bell Road, we named the wine for the eponymous (and notorious) hanging Judge Bell, who presided over the area during its Gold Rush heyday. Bright & pretty, with briary red fruit, spice and well-developed granitic tannin; a truly beautiful, harmonious wine. 2013 Old Vines Zinfandel, California Old Vines is composed of a variety of old sites from California that are either too small to be made into a vineyard designate wine or are new to the Turley family (and way of farming). Vines are anywhere from 41 to 129 years old, and a true representation of California old vine Zinfandel, hailing from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Contra Costa, Amador and Paso Robles. Dark fruits, berries, and earth on the nose; medium-bodied, with spice and wellbalanced acidity on the palate. A wine with this kind of concentrated texture can only come from truly old vines
2013 Pesenti Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles This certified organic estate-owned vineyard was planted in the 1920 s 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, and chalk and floral characteristic aromas unique to the site, and to Zinfandel in general. Perfumed red fruits, white pepper, and high-tone citrus & floral notes, with lush texture and crackling acidity on the palate. 2013 Salvador Vineyard Zinfandel, Contra Costa County Salvador Vineyard in Contra Costa County is a paragon of old vine Zinfandel. These organically farmed vines were planted on their own roots in 1896. The roots are free to roam deeply as the soil is solid sand for 40 feet down. The wine is stunning: suave, complex and powerfully elegant. More power than ever before in this year s Salvador: ripe dark berries & stone fruits on the nose, multifaceted on the palate, with smooth tannin and excellent bright acidity. 2013 Ueberroth Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles Planted in 1885, Ueberroth is the oldest of our Zinfandel vineyards. Located closer to the sea than any other site we work with, you can smell the salt air from the top of the hill. These ungrafted, head-trained vines are planted on very steep limestone slopes. The high ph of the soil makes for a very high acid wine, elevating the ripe fruit flavors from this historic certified organic vineyard. The nose has powerfully deep, layered fruits, crushed minerals, and roasted meats, balanced by lively acidity and sumptuous texture on the palate. 2013 Zampatti Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma County Located in Sonoma County, this vineyard is nearly hidden in downtown Santa Rosa. Planted in 1915 on 2.5 acres, the vineyard is farmed organically by Alida Morzenti, granddaughter of the Zampattis. The vines are planted on a cool sloping site with large rocks scattered throughout the warm Franciscan soils. The wines are balanced, aromatic, bright and beautiful. Lots of high notes in this wine: sweet-scented flowers and red berries on the nose, with excellent spices and healthy acidity on the palate. 2013 Hayne Vineyard Petite Syrah, Napa Valley Otty Hayne planted the Hayne Petite Syrah in 1953 while he was home from college visiting his grandfather. All head-trained, dry-farmed and organic, this Petite Syrah is one of the most unique wines in California. Powerful and inky in its youth, the wine becomes more feminine and refined with age and will outlive us all. Rich dark berries, Indian ink, and gravelly earth on the nose, with a deeply concentrated palate: well-integrated tannins, superb texture, and silky acidity. One for the ages.
2013 Library Vineyard Petite Syrah, Napa Valley The Library Vineyard is one of the most unique vineyards in California. Planted between 1880 and 1920 directly behind the St. Helena Public Library, the vineyard is very varietally diverse. Primarily Petite Syrah vines mixed with a myriad of others, including; Peloursin, Cinsault, Syrah, Mission, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Carignan, Grenache and Zinfandel. There are also a number of white grapes such as Muscat Alexandria, Muscadelle, Burger and Green Hungarian. We pick them all together to make a wine truly expressive of the vineyard. Violets & dusky perfume on the nose, while the palate is intricately layered with approachable tannin and exceptional structure. 2013 Pesenti Vineyard Petite Syrah, Paso Robles This estate-owned and certified organic vineyard was planted by the Turley team using cuttings from the Hayne vineyard. Head-trained, dry-farmed and planted in limestone, the wines are dark, smooth, dense and classic Petite Syrah. As the vines age the wines are increasingly expressive of the Pesenti Vineyard with minerality, savory spices and high tone pepper. Inky purple, blue & black fruited with high notes of white pepper & crushed rock on the nose; the strong tannin paired with bracing acidity on the full, complexly rich palate indicate that this wine will age tremendously.