4/22/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Not a bad well-balanced, smoothly-drinking Napa Cab for $25 a bottle, especially if you qualify for the Total Wine additional $10 per bottle discount.

4/18/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Delicious. Abundant fruity nose, powerful pleasant well-balanced flavors of earth and blackberry predominate in the taste, and an aftertaste that refreshingly lasts for minutes on end. No history for this cuvee (this 2021 vintage is its year of birth) but should definitely have a long and tasty lifetime in vintages to come.

4/12/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

My prior notes on this cuvee remain the same with one addition. The fruit and spice in the nose jump out in abundance and are even more pronounced then before. Definitely can peg it though as a Turley Zin with Amador County upbringings. For those of you who have the pleasure (honor ??) of having in your cellar this cuvee as well as other Turley Zins from grapes stemming from the various regions that the Turley family has used in their zin development, let me suggest tasting them all in a blind tasting to appreciate the nuances of zinfandel that the Turley family has brought to the forefront.

4/5/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Bought it at Total Wine upon their recommendation. Not a bad bottle of wine but definitely not worth its $50 price tag.

3/16/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Three more bottles for me since my last write up and all I can say while watching the Indian Wells semis is DELICIOUS and deserving of one more point since my last rating.

3/14/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

I do not know what those rating this cuvee in the high 80s were drinking, but this is the fourth bottle for me and all of those bottles were consistently and memorably enjoyed by all when served at 60 degrees or so. Both the nose and the palate revealed lots of well balanced fruity jam and spice. Long aftertaste as well. Cannot beat the price either. I always load up the truck on this one and it very rarely (if at all) disappoints. A go-to wine that I enjoy with anything or with no food at all.

3/10/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Still drinking well, while watching the 2024 Oscars and eating sauced chicken wings, mac and cheese balls, mozzarella sticks and other finger food. My previous notes on taste continue to hold true.

2/22/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Came across this bottle in the cellar. Still drinking great.

2/12/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Drinking somewhat well upon popping the cork, although if I had hindsight I would have allowed it one more year of cellaring. Little harsh upon popping the cork and for about one hour afterwards, although I could taste the fruit and spices wanting to jump out. Recorked about three quarters of the bottle, and drank more pleasantly on day 2.

2/1/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

Smooth-drinking Zinfandel that impresses from the git-go. Memorable nose and taste with lots of spice and fruit.

12/31/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Enjoyed with my New Year's Eve dinner of filet mignon. This wine remains tasty and impressive. My notes from the past continue to hold true. I decanted for 1 hour and then served. Had to strain from the bottle due to a rebellious cork.

1/26/2024 - cultdrinker wrote:

WOW. This impressive well-balanced Napa Valley cuvee is pleasantly smooth and delicious when drank at about 57 degrees. Reminds me of the legendary Turley Zins near the turn of the century. Lots of spice and fruit shoot out to the palate from the first sip and refreshingly linger in the mouth for much time afterwards. Dried herbs, black pepper, chocolate, berries, and apricot to name a few. Enjoy while you can. I do not see how this wine can get any better with age. No need to let it breathe. although 5 to 10 minutes of air time would not hurt.

11/12/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Lovely smooth wine when tasted slightly chilled. Just pop and pour. Fruit and spices galore.

11/5/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Delicious, tasty, and smooth.

9/1/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Reached blindly into my cellar and came out with this cuvee. Glad I did. This wine is phenomenal, reminiscent of Turley spices and flavors of some of the best years past. Chocolate, granite, and lava rocks which jump out in the taste and remain for minutes thereafter. Wow.

8/17/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Just found this bottle in my cellar. With about 20 cases of Turley in my cellar, guess I have to work better on my inventory accounting. LOL. The peach that I tasted in my prior notes on this cuvee has gotten more pronounced. Smooth and refreshing tastes.

8/12/2023 - cultdrinker Likes this wine:

All rise for the Judge. This 2017 cuvee is delicious. Larry and his crew said it best when they described its attributes as "Savory Provencal herbs, rosemary, mint and dark flowers on the Nebboilo-like nose." I had a bottle or two of this about 4 years back and my notes of then lead me to conclude that it is only getting better as it ages. If you are lucky enough to have some of this juice in a well-maintained bottle, I'd make sure when you pop the cork it is served at 57 degrees or so with about 1 hour of breathing time. I respectfully believe that the other reviewers from 2023 may have missed this point. Having drank more than my share of Turley Zins over the last 25 years or so (I think I have personally enjoyed the lion's share of more than 1,000 bottles), I continue to maintain that Turley Zins are most memorable when they are served slightly chilled at 53 to 57 degrees.

8/10/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Came across this bottle in my cellar. Not among the best Turley wines I have enjoyed. Not much fruit or spice in the nose or tasting upon opening or after 45 minutes of breathing.

P.S. Opened up on day 2, more to my enjoyment but still below what this wine from other years was. Think it might just be this bottle. I have one bottle of this 2017 left and will let you know when I pop its cork in the next few months.

7/10/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Excellent go to wine for everyday drinking. Have already gone through two cases of this cuvee and cannot beat the dependability and value. My notes from before stand true every time. Remember though. This wine tastes a lot different when served at about 60 degrees versus when served warmer. I think those raters who pegged this cuvee in the 80s have yet to appreciate that.

6/27/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Just went through my 15th or so bottle of this cuvee and my notes remain the same. Remember guys and gals, you have to serve this cuvee slightly chilled. Makes a big difference.

6/24/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Not sure what the other reviewers to date have been drinking but this is a special long-legged find at Costco for $35 a bottle. Very pronounced Cabernet Sauvignon tastes both in the nose and in the mouth, the latter of which linger in the mouth for a long time. Definitely can taste a well balance of red and black cherry, coupled with other distinct fruits. My intuition says this will be drinking even better in two years or so. Might want to stock up.

6/22/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

When I popped this wine at around 57 degrees, I rated it as an 89 with little character unlike its sister Turley wines. After about 30 minutes and a lowering of the internal temperature by about 3 or 4 degrees, my view changed. Tasted alongside a seared chicken quesadilla dinner, this is a remarkable well-balanced, medium bodied wine that drinks pleasurably with a lot of different pronounced flavors that one should appreciate and enjoy. Boysenberries, cherries, cranberries, and raspberries. Granite, anise, and spice.

6/17/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Wow. WA gave this a 95. I have to disagree. True, this wine does have much character with well balanced, long lasting citrusy chardonnay tastes that made it a pleasant accompaniment to my seared scallops served with a butter, garlic, white wine, and chive sauce made in the cooking pan. But I have drunk more than my share of better low 90-rated white wines that would have put this wine to shame. Then again, at $15 a bottle at Costco, as opposed to a whole lot more for those other bottles, this wine is a fantastic find and buy.

6/16/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Popped at 54 degrees internal temperature. Took a few whiffs over the next 15 minutes and then poured, swirled, and dove in. This cuvee is definitely a treat. Long legs in the glass show off its hefty (yet not overpowering) alcohol content. Pronounced fruit and spice that jump out in the nose. Balanced flavors of thick jammy ripe fruit (e.g., blackberry and cherry) and side kicks of spice (e.g., white pepper and cinnamon) in the taste that linger in the mouth for sixty seconds plus. Went well with a braised beef rib dinner. Unfortunately for me, I only have two bottles left. But then again, can it be that a few more bottles are only a phone call away. LOL.

6/13/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Popped my second bottle and my reaction from the first remains the same. It's a smooth drinking wine with a lot of pronounced black fruit tastes but my liver tells me to spend the extra money for a wine that is more memorable.

6/11/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

A few so called experts rated this at 90 or more but I have to disagree. Bought two bottles at Costco for $19 each and popped the first to taste nothing special. Nice balanced tastes of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon flavors that that some may find memorable but I am not part of that some. Am interested to read what others have to say. All that said though, worth the $19 per bottle cost although I can find a lot of other similarly priced wine that taste better.

5/29/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

This wine is drinking well. I have one bottle of this cuvee left and will wait until next year to think about opening. Meaty and chewy with well balanced tones of ripe fruit and pronounced terroir. Popped and decanted for about 30 minutes and enjoyed at an internal temperature of about 60 degrees with some Kansas City 8 oz filet mignons.

5/22/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Nice Napa cab for only $24 a bottle. Pronounced cabernet tastes that were raved by all.

5/22/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Just popped my third bottle of this cuvee. Remains dependable as always as a nice cuvee when drank at an internal temperature of about 60 degrees. A lot of taste at an inexpensive price. Ripe fruit with well balanced spice, chocolate, and tobacco overtures. Have yet throughout the years to find anything that does not go well with this wine. Also tastes great without any food accompaniment.

5/13/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Nice wine. Thanks for the memories Larry. Bad news for me. I only bought three bottles of this wine. Sure I can ask for and get more but now turning to my stash of Petite Syrah from the 1990s.

5/6/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Nice ripe fruity wine, Went well with seared scallops in basil butter sauce and shrimp scampi.

5/6/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Second bottle of this cuvee for me. Better than the first. At about 60 degrees temperature for this wine, and about a 30 minute breathe time, it drank well at my maternal brother-in-law's with Philly steak sandwiches. Everyone enjoyed. Its life, though, is still young.

5/5/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Popped and poured at 60 degrees. Pronounced black licorice in the nose with back hints of well-balanced herbs and minerals. Memorable in the taste. Aftertaste not as pronounced as its Turley sister Zins. Larry says decant but the nose out of the bottle said otherwise.

4/15/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Wow. Zinfandel near its best. A lot of jammy fruit and Turley spice.

4/14/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Beautiful cuvee. Has aged well and is drinking impressively and memorably at about 57 to 60 degrees from the pop of the cork through hours later. Dark pronounced well balanced jammy flavors of fruit engulfed in gritty tastes of meat and tobacco. The taste is long lasting as well. One of Larry's better vintages for Rattlesnake petites. Or is it that the rattlesnakes have preserved those grapes well? Only regret is that Dominque's up the street from the White House in DC has been closed now for thirty or so years so can not BYOB this cuvee to enjoy with that restaurant's rattlesnake appetizers. I've got two bottles of this vintage left, one that I'll pop in the near future and the other in 2026 or so.

3/16/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Second bottle for me, and my prior comments on this cuvee still hold true. Have to add, though, that one can definitely tell that this is a Turley Zin from its distinct and pronounced nose.

3/9/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Nice cuvee when tasted at 55 to 60 degrees. Well balanced spice, dark fruit, and graphite. I've written much about this wine in past years and it has throughout the years consistently been a great go to wine at a reasonable price that can be served with almost any type of food. No need to decant. And no need to let it breathe, although doing so in a cool environment for about 15 to 30 minutes should add a point or two to its score.

2/10/2023 - cultdrinker wrote:

Excellent juicy cuvee. My previous notes say it best.

12/31/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

good wine but in this bottle it is missing a taste or two. Decanted for an hour or so to see if it would open up more but no change as of yet. Easily palatable with a nice nose.

12/16/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Beautiful wine when served at 60ish temp. Equally in the color, in the nose, in the taste, and in the after taste. Solid pronounced yet well balanced Turley spices and dark gamey fruits. All rise for the Judge. Four bottles to go.

12/16/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Beautiful wine. Equally in the color. in the nose, in the taste, and in the after taste. Solid Turley spices and dark fruits. Four bottles to go.

11/24/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

We had three bottles of this Cuvee for Thanksgiving dinner, as that is what the diners selected from my cellar. This wine is drinking great now.

9/30/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Wow. Not sure what the other two reviewers were drinking but this is one fine cuvee when tasted at 60 degrees. Pronounced fruity nose and tastes of well balanced fine granite and fruit. Long aftertaste.

9/9/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Jury still out on this one. Well balanced flavors but not as pronounced or reminiscent in flavor or spice as most of its sisters. No complaints with this cuvee but guys and gals this is a Turley.

9/3/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Well balanced, smooth drinking impressive cuvee from a longtime, well-reputable winery. Enjoyed at a steakhouse with filet dinner. A lot of grapes that throw off many Napa cab scents in the nose and many Napa cab tastes in the mouth. Fruit, tobacco, truffle, chocolate, and spice to name a few. Long aftertaste as well. At just south of $40 a bottle at my wine store (although many wine stores charge more), thinking of buying a case to enjoy over the next 5 years or so. Not as impressive as the Napa cults and shall I say second tier Napa cabs in the three figure range, but worth the price as a go to wine for those every day occasions. Could also to some be the go to wine of choice for those special occasions.

8/14/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Not bad. Went well with salmon, marinated in dijon mustard, black pepper, olive oil, garlic, tarragon, and chives, and served with roasted potatoes and onions. Smooth wine with a lot of flavor.

8/10/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Delicious

8/9/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Second bottle for me and even a tad bit more delicious than the first bottle I poured about 2 months ago.

7/31/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Delicious. Lots of pronounced well balanced fruit (peach, blueberry, and boysenberry to name a few) and spice (especially cinnamon and pepper) that drinks well. Great nose and long aftertaste. Popped and poured at an internal temperature of about 60 degrees into Riedel Zin glasses.

7/29/2022 - cultdrinker wrote:

Disappointing bottle in that not as tasteful as the last bottle I just had. Think this bottle may just have been an outlier. Served slightly chilled but the wine remained closed even over time.