Turley Zinfandel Pesenti Paso Robles 2021

Description

Turley Wine Cellars is a second-generation family winery that has the reputation for producing the finest Zinfandels in California from small parcels of extremely old, dry-farmed vines. We have been extremely fortunate to have worked with them since the mid-1990s.

Larry Turley with his director of winemaking, Tegan Passalacqua, continue to produce a fantastic range of wines from some of California’s oldest, headpruned, dry-farmed Zinfandel vineyards.

Along with Larry’s daughters, they have managed to persuade the owners of some of California’s finest old vineyards to let them take total control of viticulture; farming organically, reducing yields to extremely low levels and picking earlier to retain acidity.

All wines are fermented using only indigenous yeasts. The wines are matured for 12-15 months in 80% French, 20% American oak, (10-20% new) and bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

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, savoury spices and high tone pepper.

I was so impressed with the 2021s I tasted at Turley last fall. The 2021s are absolutely gorgeous. There are moments when wine transcends the usual descriptors. That happens often at Turley because the wines are more than just wines, rather they are little snapshots of California history in a glass…….Best of all, the Turley wines offer exceptional value, something that is increasingly hard to find in today’s world. Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2023)

The 2021 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard is packed with dark fruit, candied plum, spice, lavender and leather. This opulent, flamboyant Paso Robles Zinfandel from vines planted in 1923 is a wine of extremes. Jammy, opulent fruit and searing acids are all dialed up. Then again, that is Paso. 92-94 Points, Antonio Galloni