California - The Wines of Turley Tasting Flight Friday 5th November
We are really pleased to be able to announce a tasting we have been looking forward to for over a year now! The global shipping issues were felt way back to this time last year when our shipment was expected - it took 10 months longer to get itself from sunny California to Harrogate!
Turley needs little introduction to any serious lover of Californian wine and are no strangers to this shop. Indeed we have had a strong and loyal following for many years now and have always had access to many of the rare and wonderful wines in Turley’s portfolio. Turley are one of the leading cult producers primarily of Zinfandel but they also excel with Petit Syrah. While Zin will feature heavily many of the single vineyards come from ancient vineyards and are true field blends (so can have many different grape varieties). Turley vineyards can be scattered into the furthest deepest corners of California. Their style is one of fruit forward, flavoursome wines. To gain this level of fruit goes hand in hand with higher alcohols but they really do wrap and smother the alcohol in fruit to remain in balance.
We will look at two of their Zinfandels made from multiple vineyards and then we will look at four more single vineyards very different in style including their Petit Syrah from their flagship Hayne vineyard.
These are big wines so we will offer cheese and charcuterie sharing boards to go with the wines.
We’ll kick the night off with a glass of Californian fizz.
Juvenile Zinfandel, California - Juvenile is made up of a variety of young vines that have been replanted in several of the old vine sites. The younger vines are then picked separately to make a distinct wine. Juvenile vines range in age from about 6-25 years, and come from a selection of Turley’s best vineyards across California, including Hayne, Pesenti, Salvador, Vineyard 101, Fredericks, and Kirschenmann.
Old Vines Zinfandel, California - Old Vines wine comes from a variety of old sites in California that are either too small to be made into single vineyard wines or are “new” to the Turley family (and way of farming). Vines are anywhere from 41 to 129 years old, and a true representation of California old vine Zinfandel, coming from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lodi, Contra Costa, Amador and Paso Robles.
Fredericks Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley - Dating from 1937, these organic vines are are planted 900ft up along steep, contoured terraces in what is the new Moon Mountain AVA on the Sonoma side of the Myacama Mountains. Bursting with black fruit flavour and aromatic herbs with hints of pepper and chalk. There is a volcanic perfume, nice structure and poised and elegant tannins
Kirschenmann Vineyard Zinfandel, Lodi - Winemaker, Tegan Passalacqua, owns and farms this vineyard. The ungrafted vines were planted in 1915 in the silica-rich sandy soils of the east side of the Mokelumne River AVA. Thanks to the river’s cool waters and delta breezes, these head-trained vines are constantly protected from the heat. In the grand tradition of old-vine field blends, the vineyard has small amounts of Mondeuse, Cinsault, and Carignan.
Ueberroth Vineyard Zinfandel, Paso Robles - One of the oldest of Turley’s Zinfandel vineyards. The ungrafted head trained vines are planted on very steep limestone slopes, so close to the Pacific Ocean you can smell it from the vineyard. The high pH of the soil makes for a very high-acid wine, elevating the ripe fruit flavours from this historic organic vineyard.
Hayne Vineyard Petite Syrah, Napa Valley – One of the most unique wines in California, the Hayne Petite Syrah vineyard was planted in 1953 by Otty Hayne and is dry farmed and organic. Powerful and inky in its youth, the wine becomes more feminine and refined with age and will outlive us all.
PRICE: £37 includes aperitif, 6 x50ml tasting flight and cheese and charcuterie board, tasting notes.
Tables available to book from 6pm
