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The October 2016 Distinguished Cellar Auction, Part III
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1 / 2Lot 35
Estimate: $120
2 x 2cm.
Sold:
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Collection name
Reviews
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 Iāve 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 ā which changed the face of and consumerās reaction to Zinfandel ā has achieved for nearly 25 years. This wine should drink well for 10-15 years, but I wouldnāt 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 Frogās 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 heās quick to admit heās never met an old vine heās 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 ā first Ehren Jordan and more recently Tegan Passalacqua. I have praised these wines from the beginning and . . . [they] have aged remarkably well.
Region
Red
Country
Score
"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 Iāve 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 ā which changed the face of and consumerās reaction to Zinfandel ā has achieved for nearly 25 years. This wine should drink well for 10-15 years, but I wouldnāt 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 Frogās 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 heās quick to admit heās never met an old vine heās 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 ā first Ehren Jordan and more recently Tegan Passalacqua. I have praised these wines from the beginning and . . . [they] have aged remarkably well.
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The fourth-largest wine producer in the world, led by California. American fine wine is defined by ripe, expressive fruit and a spirit of innovation, with Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon among the most sought-after wines globally.
California's most prestigious wine region, celebrated worldwide for opulent, structured Cabernet Sauvignon. Diverse soils and mountain-to-valley-floor sites yield wines of remarkable ripeness, power and longevity.
A high-elevation Napa AVA above the fog line, producing intensely concentrated, firmly structured mountain Cabernet built for long aging.
California's heritage red, producing bold, brambly, high-alcohol wines of jammy dark fruit and spice, often from old vines.