Turley Wine Cellars: A $22 Zinfandel and Now Open in Amador County!
My first experience with Zinfandel left me wanting a cabernet. Many I tried were very single dimension, high alcohol with little depth. I never had much appreciation for prunes, and many were reminiscent of that flavor profile. That is until I met Turley. Smooth, rich and easy drinking with more complex flavors – my Zin relationship changed for good, and I wanted to have more.
Larry Turley founded Turley Wine Cellars in 1993. Turley produces terroir-driven single vineyard Zinfandels & Petite Syrahs from some of the oldest and most historic vineyards in California. Each terroir lends its own character to the wines, and they are given separate labels according to the location of each vineyard. With the purchase of Karly in Plymouth, CA, the vineyards are now located in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Lodi, Howell Mountain, Contra Costa, and Amador. In fact, at last count, there were 26 vineyard-specific Zinfandels to enjoy.
Turley has two blends of their Zinfandels — one is called Old Vines and the other is the Juvenile (you guessed it, younger vines!). Both are very delicious wines. The Juvenile is not to be ignored. It is a serious wine and a great value. This past year, the 2011 Turley Juvenile garnered a 91-point rating from Wine Spectator, and the best part is that it’s $22 a bottle!
The challenge is availability. The majority of their wines are available through their mailing list. I personally had to wait almost two years to get an offer to buy. Today, their website states it is a year wait. May I say though, it is worth the time invested. Their retail distribution is limited, yet those wanting it now have a couple of options. They have two tasting rooms where the wine is available to taste and purchase.
Turley’s original tasting room is in Templeton, CA, near Paso Robles. And, for those in the Sacramento area, you have a new Turley option in Plymouth!! Turley has opened a second tasting room located in Amador County. They purchased Karly and have integrated those wines currently into the options to explore. Time to get out there and taste!
Here’s some information about visiting Turley in both Paso Robles and Amador County.
Enjoy!!
The tasting line-up during our recent visit to Turley in Amador County:
