2011 Turley Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge

(15.2% alcohol; this was the first zinfandel vineyard harvested on Howell Mountain in 2011, according to winemaker Tegan Passalacqua): Deep, bright ruby-red. Knockout nose combines blackberry, cracked pepper, dusty spices, musky coffee, minerals and earth. Dense, savory and dry, with terrific depth and texture to the rather uncompromising flavors of dark fruits, crushed rock and salty minerals. Serious zinfandel for aging, but austere in the early going.

Turley's 2011 Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge is impressive. Dense, rich and powerful, the 2011 is beautifully crafted, with great balance of fruit, acidity and structure. Layers of black currants, sweet tobacco and tar are layered into the vibrant, nuanced finish. This vivid Zinfandel should drink well pretty much upon release, but also has the stuffing to develop beautifully in bottle.

Turley’s 2011 Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge is impressive. Dense, rich and powerful, the 2011 is beautifully crafted, with great balance of fruit, acidity and structure. Layers of black currants, sweet tobacco and tar are layered into the vibrant, nuanced finish. This vivid Zinfandel should drink well pretty much upon release, but also has the stuffing to develop beautifully in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2021. This is a thrilling set of wines from Larry Turley, Ehren Jordan and Tegan Passalacqua. Tasting this wide a range of 2010 and 2011 Zinfandels and Petite Syrahs is like taking a master class in California terroir. The house style favors an expression of Zinfandel and Petite Syrah built on aromatic intensity and elegance, which Jordan credits to gentle extractions. At times, the wines come across as quite Burgundian in the way they express richness but not excess heaviness. Over the last few years, the wines have become a little more laid-back and less overtly ripe, which is a net positive given that the starting point for all of these wines is fruit of exceptional quality. The Petite Syrahs in particular are noteworthy because they are among the few wines that find the elegance Petite Syrah is capable of, while avoiding the massive tannins that are so typical elsewhere. The 2010s are strong across the board, although Turley did not bottle a few of their wines from sites that got scorched by the heat spikes, which includes the Highway 101 and Zampatti. The 2011s are more variable, as befits a vintage that had much less favorable conditions overall. Tel. (707) 963-0940