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The October 2016 Distinguished Cellar Auction, Part III

Auction # 420 | View Auction Schedule and Details
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Auction Ends: 10/27/2016 6:00:00 PM PDT

Lot #35. Turley Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge 2013

Description: Consists of 2 Bottles, 0.75L
Score: 98+ RP.
"A Howell Mountain Zinfandel that many afficionados of Turley Zinfandels know so well is the 2013 Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge. From an organic vineyard at the very top of Howell Mountain, I think this may well be the highest elevation vineyard that Larry Turley farms (2600 feet). Because of that elevation, this is a relatively cool site, but well above the fog line and certainly the recipient of intense sunlight. One of the greatest Zinfandels I’ve ever tasted from Larry Turley, this wine (15.7% alcohol) offers super-concentrated blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit, some floral notes, an underlying firm structure, but lavish (if not luxurious) fruit, texture and a full-bodied mouthfeel. The finish goes on for a good 45+ seconds. This is an absolute tour de force in winemaking and a great example of what this winery – which changed the face of and consumer’s reaction to Zinfandel – has achieved for nearly 25 years. This wine should drink well for 10-15 years, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see bottles still strutting their stuff 20-25 years from now. Probably no one in Northern California has done more for the renaissance and resurrection of old vine Zinfandel than Larry Turley. He started Turley Cellars after selling most of his interest in Frog’s Leap Winery to his original partner, John Williams. The Turley Cellars project was founded in 1993, and is now over 20 years of age. The great thing about Larry Turley is that he’s quick to admit he’s never met an old vine he’s not fond of. As a result, they farm and buy fruit from 35 different vineyards, with some of them dating back to the late 1800s, long before Prohibition. There are at least 30-plus separate wines, and some super-talented winemakers have worked for Turley – first Ehren Jordan and more recently Tegan Passalacqua. I have praised these wines from the beginning and . . . [they] have aged remarkably well. eRobertParker.com #218, Apr 2015
Provenance: El Palo Alto, Part V
Lot Location: Orange County
Estimate: $120

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