Product Review
Turley’s 2014 Zinfandel Juvenile Vineyard is an assemblage of bits and pieces from different parcels, but overall from the younger vine portion of the multiple terroirs they exploit. The wine is a big, juicy, classic Zinfandel with a dark ruby/purple color, hefty power (15.5% alcohol), without a trace of heat or burn. It has loads of briary blue and red fruits, medium to full body, vibrant acidity, impressive purity and texture. This is a strong effort and one of the largest cuvées Turley produces. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.
All told there are seven Zinfandels from Napa Valley, ranging from Atlas Peak in the south, to Howell Mountain in mid-valley, to the estate vineyard just north of St. Helena. As one might expect, all of these are remarkable Zinfandels.
Something new from Turley are their three cuvées of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Dragon Vineyard from Howell Mountain, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Turley Estate Vineyard and the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard f
For a long time, Zinfandel's history has been much disputed. Originally thought to be a descendant of Puglia's Primitivo in southern Italy, extensive DNA profiling by UC Davis have established that Primitivo and Zinfandel are actually offspring of Crljenak Kaštelanski, a virtually extinct variety recently identified on the Croatian island of Kaštela. Planted widely by miners turned farmers in California’s gold rush, it thrived in the warm, sunny, and dry conditions. While it grows well across most of California, some of the finest examples come from Sonoma, Paso Robles and the Sierra Foothills in particular. A good Zin should be bursting with big, ripe, jammy fruit, peppery spices and have good levels of tannin and acidity giving it backbone and structure.
California is one of the most diverse wine producing regions of the world. Although it has a history spanning over 200 years, it has experienced most of its growth in the last fifty years. The regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma County have become as renowned as France’s Bordeaux and Burgundy. While Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are by far the most popular fine wine varieties, producers in the Golden State have also experimented with an unparalleled array of diverse varieties, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo.
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Red wine is wine made from dark-coloured grape varieties. The color of red differs based on the grapes variety or varieties used.Interestingly, black grapes yield a juice that is greenish-white. The actual red color comes from anthocyan pigments (also called anthocyanins) from the skin of the grape (exceptions are the relatively uncommon teinturier varieties, which produce a red colored juice). Most of the production centers around the extraction of color and flavor from the grape skin.
