2012 Zinfandel Rattlesnake Ridge

Last year I tasted two vintages at Turley in one sitting. I survived, but just barely. This year, I was a little smarter, and broke up the tastings into two sessions, which turned out to be a great idea, as the lineup here continues to expand. What else is new? Overall, I found the 2012s to be a bit soft and lacking the depth that is typical, although many wines show healthy acidity and brightness. I expect most of the 2012s will drink well early. The 2013s, on the other hand, have quite a bit more energy, tension and overall richness. That said, there is plenty to admire and look forward to in this stellar set of wines from Larry Turley and winemaker Tegan Passalacqua. Today, it has become quite fashionable to resurrect California's old, heritage sites. That is of course a very positive development, but sometimes lost in that excitement is that Larry Turley was among the first, if not the first, person to give value to vineyards that could have long disappeared had it not been for his ability to understand their inherent potential and passion to show the heights these vineyards could reach if farmed with diligence.

In contrast to the tricky growing season of 2011, the harvest of 2012 brought a larger crop by 20%, with no rot or rain until the end of October, and Larry Turley and his team kept on dropping crop to get the rest fully ripe. The harvest took place over a full two months, from August 28 until October 28, and if alcohols here can be on the high side in '12, pHs are generally healthy and the wines finished totally dry. Larry Turley has never met an old-vines zinfandel parcel he doesn't like, and winemaker Tegan Passalacqua has been doing his best to track down yet more ancient vines. Thanks to the team's work in the vineyards, Turley is now getting ripe fruit earlier, at lower sugars, a development that may well attract a new audience for these wines. Passalacqua described the 2012s as "our second most perfumed vintage after 2011." The zins here are aged in about 20% new oak, from 12 different coopers.

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.