2011 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard

Proprietor Larry Turley and his team have turned out a gorgeous set of wines with their 2011s and 2012s. Winemaker Tegan Passalacqua is one of the brightest young stars in California. Passalacqua has a deep passion for the state's heritage sites that comes through loud and clear in these expressive Zinfandels and Petite Sirahs. The team is rounded out by Christina Turley, who has recently joined her father at the winery, and is now much more actively involved in running the sales/marketing piece of the family business. Turley fans will note a number of additions to the ever-expanding range, including the winery's first Cabernet Sauvignon. There are plenty of gems in 2011, a vintage that has come together nicely over the last year. The 2012s are still a bit raw and not fully formed at this stage. Readers who want to learn more might enjoy this short video shot in September 2013.

According to Larry Turley, all of the 2011 zins I tasted came from fruit harvested before the rains started on October 3.Turley admitted he could have waited to pick with higher sugars but these brisk wines offer compelling vibrancy and should age longer than the more forward 2010s.For those who think of through-the-roof alcohol levels and residual sugar when Turley zinfandel is mentioned, there has been a distinct change in philosophy here in recent years."We used to be the last to pick," noted Turley."Now, when we're able to do our own vineyard work, or direct that work, we're among the first to harvest."The wines are all aged in 20% new oak (and 20% American barrels), added Turley, so "all differences are of terroir."Wet weather on June 3 and 4 affected the flowering in a lot of mountain vineyards, according to winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, but botrytis was not an issue at harvest time.This is a very strong collection.

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.