Clear light red. Warm sweet raspberry, roasted plums. cigarette tobacco, varnish and wood. Very dry warm berry and tobacco flavours and a very acid driven finish.
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Wow!!! What a treat... We could not believe this was a zinfandel. It is amazing what age can do to this powerful wine. Tons of ripe fruits with the right amount of acidity. Wonderfully drinking now. Enjoy!
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This is still singing. Just a lovely wine. Wonderful brambly zin fruit, with some nice acidity to lift the flavors. I wish I had realized this was my last bottle! Curious to see this again in an few years.
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PnP. Very nice color. Still a bit purple on the edge. Piercing nose of brambly raspberry – and the smell you get when you have water up your nose (I really cant think of another way to describe it!); slight amount of band aid/brett, but not off putting. Some nice spices, including cinnamon. I agree with Studleytrey – I could just smell this all night. Strong fruit in the mouth (dried cranberry) at first, then opening up to more of that zinfandel brambly/prickly flavor, but extremely smooth. Some herbs, thyme, in the background. A finish that goes on, and as a friend recently said, it makes me want to take another sip. Some nice acidity. Very soft tannins. Wow, this is much much better than I was anticipating. While I know Turley makes wines for young consumption, this is a great example of how they can hold up over time. Will come back later in the evening to see if it collapses, holds up, or gets better with ox. A few hours later, still a really lovely wine. Nice bright color. The brambly flavors have settled and the brett disappeared. The flavors have all come together for a more laser like consistency. I am glad I have one more bottle of this!
Day 2: Still really really good. None of that bitter flavor from a wine opened for more than a day. Still a 93, but consistently so!
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Purchased this bottle in July from the winery as they were having a '97 Zinfandel horizontal when we stopped in for a regular tasting. Tasted fantastic at the winery, so we purchased one of these in addition to some recent Ueberroth and Dusi vineyard zins. Cellared at a perfect 55F for the past 3 months once back at home, this bottle was undrinkable. The cork was in surprisingly good shape and came out without a hitch, with wine only encroaching about halfway up the cork. Orange brick color throughout with a clear ring at the edge, this wine smelled of nothing but baked raisins. A real shame since it tasted so good at the winery. If you also bought one of these in July/August this year, I hope your luck is better than ours. No rating due to it being flawed.
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This was a real treat. Funny how CT avg. drinking window ends at 2006...the winery just happened to be doing a '97 zin horizontal the other day when we stopped in, and this was the best of the set for me so we grabbed a bottle. Cork snapped for me too, and it was slightly fizzy on the pop, but things settled in with a short bit of air, and I actually ended up popping half the bottle in the hotel fridge for the night and consuming over the next 2 days, part of which being roadside in Big Sur with a breathtaking backdrop.
Anyway, cloudy crimson color, with light (less than I would expect) bricking. Phenomenal nose showing complexity and age, with notes of dried red fruits, apricots, flowers, cinnamon, herbs, cedar, and honey. Would love to bottle this, as I could smell it all day. Smooth yet still noticeable tannins, good acidity and length still, and flavors of fresh and dried cherry and cranberry, flowers, iodine, and leather. I loved this.
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Crumbly cork had me a bit anxious. Decanted 1 hour before drinking. The bottle did not disappoint. Rich, round, good grip. Cherries and dark fruit. Leathery lingering finish. I'd suspect that it is pretty much at peak. Not a fan of a young Turley, but appreciate how graceful, (comparatively) it gets over time.
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Cellared at 55 since release; med dull ruby, oxidized sweet alcoholic nose, old stewed strawberries and alcohol on the structureless palate; nice acidity for such an overripe wine keeps things clean and minimally interesting.
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Bocce at Bills (Vancouver, BC): Nose is sweet and warm with dark fruits and some subtle spice. The profile is much sweeter and riper on both the nose and palate compared to the Renwood. There is good acidity, not much tannin and decent length. This was equally as enjoyable as the Renwood, just quite different. This would pair well with a cheese dish. Bottle says 15.7%. Very good.
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By all accounts this wine was gone, long past its useful, pleasurable age. In fact, it was perfect -- a fine balance of sweet strawberry and raspberry, infused with attar of rose, and enough acid to match its graces to grilled meat. Alas, I thought its pleasures were past and consumed it alone. Now it is gone.
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Cork had some seepage - Nervous Ruby with slight bricking, but still clear and colorful Some spritz, but not the heavy oxidation I expected. Spritz settles quickly and a nice, if over the top older Zin. I think the fruit is tempered a bit, the complexity and acids balance the heat. Acids, some bright red raspberry, hints of VA, but not off (even with teh secondary induced spritz). More tannic than when younger. finish is old wine. I dont miss the fruit on this old wine, but maybe a tiny bit too old. Was great with nicely seasoned, grilled, dry aged NY Strips I should update this. After evacuating the bottle to preserve the remaining wine I left it for the night. Next dinner ,I tasted it and was surprise at the VA. In to the vinegar barrel.
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A full frontal assault. Amazingly wide nose. Very floral. The aromas of red fruits and flowers keep coming. In the mouth the alcohol is well balanced by good acidity and lots of fruit. For me, this is horizontal, where the Ridge is vertical.
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Nice dark, purple color. Dark fruits on the nose, with a little spicyness. On the palate, a little dark fruit - but not much. Excellent structure and feel to the wine - still very powerful and a solid, powerful finish. But, unfortunately, it's seen better days, as the fruit has faded into the background. Too bad, as I really liked the feel to the wine, but without fruit, hard to really enjoy it. Sealed up and placed into the cellar, so maybe it'll have a day 2 recovery, but I won't hold out much hope. Bummer.
Day 2 Update: amazingly, 24+ hours later, the wine has put on significant weight. It's not a fruit-bomb by any means, but it is now a dark fruited, powerful, structured wine, with a beautiful finish. Originally rated 86 last night, it's improved enough to merit an outstanding rating. It resembles the wine of last night from a structure and power perspective, but the fruitiness on the palate has changed completely. I would never have guessed that a 10 year old zinfandel would need decanting, but, in this case, I think it would have helped considerably.
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<Press, Napa - RJB, Monene, Elise> Rich Blackberries, and blackpepper and nice plum/berry finish. I think this was slightly overshadowed tonight for me. Primarily because of the complexity and interest presented by the other 2 wines. On its own, on a different night I think it would've rated higher.
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1997 - quite amarone like - cut pears and a tight lean mouthfeel with structured fruit. this is a zin that seems as if it can take a couple of years. nothing like the rich opulent wines of aida and hayne and moore vineyards. i respect the fact that the wines show such difference from yineyard to vineyard.
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10/27/2023 - HDTVDinner wrote: flawed
Cork rotted - Wine Spoiled
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11/1/2019 - David J Cooper wrote: 92 Points
Clear light red. Warm sweet raspberry, roasted plums. cigarette tobacco, varnish and wood. Very dry warm berry and tobacco flavours and a very acid driven finish.
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10/26/2016 - Cf_robert Likes this wine: 92 Points
Absolutely delicious
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5/24/2016 - Martin@LGagnon.ca wrote: 94 Points
Wow!!! What a treat... We could not believe this was a zinfandel. It is amazing what age can do to this powerful wine. Tons of ripe fruits with the right amount of acidity. Wonderfully drinking now. Enjoy!
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11/29/2015 - Ron Slye wrote: 93 Points
This is still singing. Just a lovely wine. Wonderful brambly zin fruit, with some nice acidity to lift the flavors. I wish I had realized this was my last bottle! Curious to see this again in an few years.
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3/7/2015 - VU83 wrote: flawed
Cork fine, wine undrinkable
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10/18/2014 - Ron Slye Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP. Very nice color. Still a bit purple on the edge. Piercing nose of brambly raspberry – and the smell you get when you have water up your nose (I really cant think of another way to describe it!); slight amount of band aid/brett, but not off putting. Some nice spices, including cinnamon. I agree with Studleytrey – I could just smell this all night. Strong fruit in the mouth (dried cranberry) at first, then opening up to more of that zinfandel brambly/prickly flavor, but extremely smooth. Some herbs, thyme, in the background. A finish that goes on, and as a friend recently said, it makes me want to take another sip. Some nice acidity. Very soft tannins. Wow, this is much much better than I was anticipating. While I know Turley makes wines for young consumption, this is a great example of how they can hold up over time. Will come back later in the evening to see if it collapses, holds up, or gets better with ox. A few hours later, still a really lovely wine. Nice bright color. The brambly flavors have settled and the brett disappeared. The flavors have all come together for a more laser like consistency. I am glad I have one more bottle of this!
Day 2: Still really really good. None of that bitter flavor from a wine opened for more than a day. Still a 93, but consistently so!
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10/17/2014 - aidyl wrote: flawed
Purchased this bottle in July from the winery as they were having a '97 Zinfandel horizontal when we stopped in for a regular tasting. Tasted fantastic at the winery, so we purchased one of these in addition to some recent Ueberroth and Dusi vineyard zins. Cellared at a perfect 55F for the past 3 months once back at home, this bottle was undrinkable. The cork was in surprisingly good shape and came out without a hitch, with wine only encroaching about halfway up the cork. Orange brick color throughout with a clear ring at the edge, this wine smelled of nothing but baked raisins. A real shame since it tasted so good at the winery. If you also bought one of these in July/August this year, I hope your luck is better than ours. No rating due to it being flawed.
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9/1/2014 - Sugarb Does not like this wine: 78 Points
Borderline corked, way past it's window.
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8/13/2014 - studleytrey Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was a real treat. Funny how CT avg. drinking window ends at 2006...the winery just happened to be doing a '97 zin horizontal the other day when we stopped in, and this was the best of the set for me so we grabbed a bottle. Cork snapped for me too, and it was slightly fizzy on the pop, but things settled in with a short bit of air, and I actually ended up popping half the bottle in the hotel fridge for the night and consuming over the next 2 days, part of which being roadside in Big Sur with a breathtaking backdrop.
Anyway, cloudy crimson color, with light (less than I would expect) bricking. Phenomenal nose showing complexity and age, with notes of dried red fruits, apricots, flowers, cinnamon, herbs, cedar, and honey. Would love to bottle this, as I could smell it all day. Smooth yet still noticeable tannins, good acidity and length still, and flavors of fresh and dried cherry and cranberry, flowers, iodine, and leather. I loved this.
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5/5/2013 - FrankAR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Crumbly cork had me a bit anxious. Decanted 1 hour before drinking. The bottle did not disappoint. Rich, round, good grip. Cherries and dark fruit. Leathery lingering finish. I'd suspect that it is pretty much at peak. Not a fan of a young Turley, but appreciate how graceful, (comparatively) it gets over time.
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10/30/2011 - Tgood wrote: 82 Points
Cellared at 55 since release; med dull ruby, oxidized sweet alcoholic nose, old stewed strawberries and alcohol on the structureless palate; nice acidity for such an overripe wine keeps things clean and minimally interesting.
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6/11/2011 - godx wrote: 89 Points
Bocce at Bills (Vancouver, BC): Nose is sweet and warm with dark fruits and some subtle spice. The profile is much sweeter and riper on both the nose and palate compared to the Renwood. There is good acidity, not much tannin and decent length. This was equally as enjoyable as the Renwood, just quite different. This would pair well with a cheese dish. Bottle says 15.7%. Very good.
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5/18/2011 - monzell wrote: 94 Points
By all accounts this wine was gone, long past its useful, pleasurable age. In fact, it was perfect -- a fine balance of sweet strawberry and raspberry, infused with attar of rose, and enough acid to match its graces to grilled meat. Alas, I thought its pleasures were past and consumed it alone. Now it is gone.
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9/24/2009 - VRago wrote: 89 Points
Cork had some seepage - Nervous
Ruby with slight bricking, but still clear and colorful
Some spritz, but not the heavy oxidation I expected. Spritz settles quickly and a nice, if over the top older Zin. I think the fruit is tempered a bit, the complexity and acids balance the heat. Acids, some bright red raspberry, hints of VA, but not off (even with teh secondary induced spritz). More tannic than when younger. finish is old wine. I dont miss the fruit on this old wine, but maybe a tiny bit too old.
Was great with nicely seasoned, grilled, dry aged NY Strips
I should update this. After evacuating the bottle to preserve the remaining wine I left it for the night. Next dinner ,I tasted it and was surprise at the VA. In to the vinegar barrel.
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3/22/2008 - kiichli wrote:
A full frontal assault. Amazingly wide nose. Very floral. The aromas of red fruits and flowers keep coming. In the mouth the alcohol is well balanced by good acidity and lots of fruit. For me, this is horizontal, where the Ridge is vertical.
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12/26/2007 - jsebiri wrote: flawed
let these wines sit too long , much sour stewed fruit >not worth trying later
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9/10/2007 - Greg W wrote: 90 Points
Nice dark, purple color. Dark fruits on the nose, with a little spicyness. On the palate, a little dark fruit - but not much. Excellent structure and feel to the wine - still very powerful and a solid, powerful finish. But, unfortunately, it's seen better days, as the fruit has faded into the background. Too bad, as I really liked the feel to the wine, but without fruit, hard to really enjoy it. Sealed up and placed into the cellar, so maybe it'll have a day 2 recovery, but I won't hold out much hope. Bummer.
Day 2 Update: amazingly, 24+ hours later, the wine has put on significant weight. It's not a fruit-bomb by any means, but it is now a dark fruited, powerful, structured wine, with a beautiful finish. Originally rated 86 last night, it's improved enough to merit an outstanding rating. It resembles the wine of last night from a structure and power perspective, but the fruitiness on the palate has changed completely. I would never have guessed that a 10 year old zinfandel would need decanting, but, in this case, I think it would have helped considerably.
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9/19/2005 - lorenzo wrote: 90 Points
<Press, Napa - RJB, Monene, Elise>
Rich Blackberries, and blackpepper and nice plum/berry finish.
I think this was slightly overshadowed tonight for me. Primarily because of the complexity and interest presented by the other 2 wines. On its own, on a different night I think it would've rated higher.
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8/5/2005 - buckeye76 wrote: 92 Points
PLUMS, BLACK CHERRIES, AND CASSIS IN THE NOSE WITH DEEP RICH FRUIT IN THE FLAVOR, PLUMS & BLACK CHERRIES. MEDIUM TO LONG FINISH.
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2/14/2004 - dbg wrote:
excellent-outstanding
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10/23/2003 - dbg wrote:
excellent-outstanding
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6/28/2000 - Marc wrote: 89 Points
1997 - quite amarone like - cut pears and a tight lean mouthfeel with
structured fruit. this is a zin that seems as if it can take a couple
of years. nothing like the rich opulent wines of aida and hayne and
moore vineyards. i respect the fact that the wines show such difference
from yineyard to vineyard.
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