Bachelor Party trip to Napa/Sonoma (Sonoma, Napa, SF): Medium plus ruby. Herbal nose with pine, black pepper, developed raspberry, and savory tart blackberry. Dry, medium plus body, feels 14%, med plus acid, med tannins. Zippy and crisp on the palate with some earth.
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Bachelor party (Napa Valley, CA): Light ruby, moderate bricking appropriate for its age; nose is moderately aromatic, plenty of red fruit, a bit thin for Turley, slight spice; palate fleshes out to a moderate bodied palate, integrated light tannin, nice light red fruit, medium to medium-plus acid; medium finish. Lighter than a normal Turley but also arguably better balanced. 87-88
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2005 was a lighter body year for Turley….but I think they are drinking really well right now! Had the 05 Hayne and Tofanelli recently at the Winery…and both were drinking really well…very similar to this Cedarman! First thing you notice is the cloudy medium bodied red berry color. This Cedarman is darker than the other two…but still not the dense dark berry you usually see in Turley. HUGE dusty pepper, sawdust spice here……lighter and drying red berry fruits….brambly and rustic, but still plenty of sweetness to hold up with structure of the wood spices, minerality and sour skin acidity. Although the fruit is not your typical Turley glycerin style….I really like it in this being in the back ground, and the spices, earth and dried florals in the foreground. Damp forest, licorice, chocolate covered cherries with white pepper……..tasty with complexity, restrained Zin! Like it!
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Enjoyed this very much. Nice, subtle spice on the tongue and the finish, with a very pleasant, smooth taste of cola and cherries in the middle. Not as much spice as Black Sears fruit that I've tasted from Howell Mountain, but still excellent and recommended.
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Baking spices and cedar notes on the nose. Muted fruit but still a bit of tart cherry on the outside of the palate. A bit hot with alcohol. Unfortunate - was expecting more, nose was promising.
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After corked bottle. Still muted. But pepper and spice. Matches its name with some cedar and forest. A bit green still. Probably missed the best time but still fruit and pleasant quaff.
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Opens up with a distinct meaty/game/stewed tomato melange that fortunately enough blows of with just minimal airtime. In line with prior bottles - peppery, a touch thinner than the average Turley, void of signature brambles. Probably better paired with the right food. I probably am enjoying this style less tonight than during some previous outings. Just not in the mood for this tonight.
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med. intense color. Med. intense , developed cherry / berry nose. Ripe and with a spicy (cinnamon) touch. Medium intense palate , with developed light red fruit. Out of balance with rustic tannins and rather short finish. Gone. Maybe a single bottle problem, did expect much more.
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Opened on a whim to celebrate a friend's new job. PnP'd @ 55 degrees. Dark, but not opaque, color. The nose, apart from a bit of musty cedar, is unremarkable. Light in mouthfeel, despite fairly thick legs. Plenty of acidity throughout, but on the back the tannins are subdued and the finish is short. Palate comes across initially as something like a gently mulled cherry cider...with an appreciable hole in the middle. With air & time the wine picks up a little weight, the hole in the middle subsides, but a lack of Zin-spiciness persists. Our 3rd Turley from `05. All have been similar in style. And quite frankly, I don't get the hype. Is it good? Sure. Is it Forty Bucks worth of good? Hell No. [15% abv.; $40.00].
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A zin spiced raisin nose, with both raisin and spice continuing in the mouth and the finish. But not much else going on. Good enough, but I can't really appreciate this.
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Pop/pour. I probably like this better tonight than I usually would because a) my expectations are more in line with what this is going to be and b) I've had a couple oddball, high acidity wines earlier in the weekend. If I tasted this blind, I'd guess something from Italy, perhaps a Casavecchia (e.g the Trebulanum I had this weekend) or a Cesanese.
That said....on the nose, a depth that suggests some amount of Turley typicity....medium dark fruits, some brambles and a bit of a resinous cola quality. Nose - good. On the palate, a level of acidity that's not suggested by the nose, and throws this off in terms of my thinking regarding a typical Turley experience. But, as mentioned above, I wasn't expecting a big bold blast of Zin fruit with this one. Two ratings for this - a) for a Turley experience - 85-87 points. It just doesn't measure up in terms of fruit depth and "typical" Turley signature. On the other hand, 88 points plus, in a blind tasting where other high acidity reds are served (eg the 2004 Michele Alois Trebulanum I've been drinking over the last couple of days). On balance, I'd say this is "ok", but somewhat disappointing given the promise suggested by the nose (relatively rich) that is not matched by the palate (relatively acidic). I'm not overjoyed that I still have 3 bottles of this in the cellar.
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Plum, lavender and berry nose with ripe flavors of cherry, pepper, raspberry. No matter how much I try, I have yet to find cedar in this particular bottling so I remain perplexed by the name. Finishes just a tad hot to score higher. Almost a searing burn in the back end.
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Lovely nose of rose petals and pepper, with notes of thyme. It's short, very short on the finish and somewhat stingy on the fruit. I wouldn't call this a zin in a blind taste. I think I waited too long, but a Turley should have held on longer.
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Nose- hints of sugary candy... (sweethearts). After decanting it seemed to mellow out and open up a little. Taste - cranberry, a little wine barrel oak, lots of fruits, very smooth and simple. I expected a lot more from this one. I bought this at the winery in 2008 and my previous notes say it was peppery. I didn't get any pepper this time around. Overall nice and simple, but was hoping for more of a kick.
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PnP. Some sweetness and molasses in the nose--lots of depth and no signs of alcohol. Palate is not nearly as aggressive, fruit driven and alcoholy as the 20 other Turleys I've had. In fact, if drinking this blind I would not have guessed Turley or similar. Medium to full bodied and very soft. It has a little sweetness but that quickly changes to dry and slightly vegetal in a medium finish. The weakest element in dimension but other than that, it's very pleasurable.
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Rather pedestrian, a decent upfront hit of ripe, blue fruit, moderate tannins, nose of horsey stink. There does seem to be just a hint of stink on the back end, sulfur-like, either brett or maybe sulfur added to the grapes. This was pretty ho-hum for $40 including shipping. I think I am ending my Turley relationship come the spring.
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Lacks the vigor and richness in fruit that you would expect from Zinfandel ... this wine drinks more like an Italian Primitivo. It was cool and taut filled with plummy fruit and loads of mixed peppercorn. Almost salty ... definitely a food wine
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The wine improved with a little air time. It started out big, mean alcoholic at cellar temps. However, it settled down after an hour and improved by coming to a warmer temperature. It reminded me a little bit of a good Spanish garnacha. The flavor and aromatics were dominated by peppery red fruit, maybe a little leather in the back ground, big bodied and openly aromatic.
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Solid zin, but didn't wow like majority of Turleys of the past...perhaps not as extracted as previous vintages (more common for Cedarman in my experience). On that note, was probably a better food wine (with custom Tacos) than the bigger fruit bombs.
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I think this is about as good as zin gets. Nice red cherry and raspberry with pepper, cedar and minerality. it's quite velvety with spectacular balance. Great stuff.
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This really sucked on opening, but with air and warming it became European, and in a good way. Nose of sage, charcoal and dried blueberry. Flavors are slatey mineral, blueberry, quite tannic but missing something in the mid-palate. This feels like it is drying up and on the way to deadsville, so I think it is worth drinking. Recommend 30 minute aeration.
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Very peppery and a touch thin on the palate, with noticeable acidity and a slight metallic note on the finish. This does pick up a bit of needed weight with some time in the glass, but not enough. Not up to Turley standards.
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15% ABV. Dark garnet, mostly opaque in the glass. Reticent nose of balsa wood, earth, and dry herbs/garrigue. Medium-full bodied and a little firm/hard with an interesting and slightly off-putting flavor of molasses. Okay. Not my favorite Turley by a wide margin.
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Not my favorite Turley. A lot of pepper initially then it lives up to its name with a lot of cedar. This style is not typical of your standard Turley. Subdued black fruits. More Rhone in style than a California Zin fruit bomb.
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This is not my favorite Turley. Too much tobacco, cedar overwhelms the grape. Appears to be consistent across all Cederman's so maybe there really is a cedar tree in or near the vineyard. The score is against all other Turley's.
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I don't know if it was just the extra bit of time in the cellar, but this was not the stereotypical Turley fruit bomb. Classic pepper notes with some overtones of cedar.
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This has smoothed-out since last time I had it ... cigar wrapper is most predominant flavor on the palate. A very nice wine that is starting to enter its prime drinking window.
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Typically of the Turley style, well structered and nice balance of the big, dark fruit, terroir, and oak. Big and bold like you would expect, but surprisingly sophisticated as well. Could use some more time in the cellar, as still a bit hot and tannic
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Lots of pepper on the nose and initial taste, followed by black and blue fruits. Not your typical Zin, more Rhone in style than any Turley I've had. I should have let it open up a bit, it improved with time.
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Best showing yet. Spicy peppery nose with hints of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, palate the same...balanced but not the typical Turley fruit bomb. Reminds me of a Crozes Hermitage...Perfectly acceptable and ready to start drinking these...
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When I first opened this bottle I started sneezing from all the pepper that came out of the bottle. I have never had that much pepper on the nose from any wine. The night went on and the tight edge on this wine started blend into a nice in your face zinfandel.
I really think about Howell Mountain when I drink this wine because I have gotten similar carecteristics from Lader's Cabernet from Howell Mountain after a little bit of age. I am not sure if its the soil, climate or both. Overall a intersting wine and my frist turley I am going to try others soon.
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Medium to dark purple and a tart nose of ripe dark fruit and white pepper. Tight, tight, tight...unlike before this just did not want to open up. Obvious substance, but unresolved and unrealized potential...did give it some time, but to no avail.
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Good briar patch fruits with tons of pepper on the nose and flavor. Rich and full with some alcohol that blows off the longer it's open. Another solid Turley.
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Typical Turley (high alcohol, complex for Zin) but since mountain fruit, a tad more acidity on the back end. I've never been that blown away by Turley's wines but they are interesting (and novel) enough to always stock up when I visit the winery. I must say that I was expecting more richness but I'm not currently "that into" Zin and so that likely tainted my evaluation.
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Dinner at Blue in SLO- Xmas Eve (San Luis Obispo, CA): Drank 2 bottles X-mas Eve at Blue in SLO. Like other reviewers- lots of pepper! Was a hit at the dinner table and went very well with food. With all the pepper this isn't a drink on its own wine, there are some black & blue berry fruit as well.
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Popped and poured, but I probably should have waited/decanted (as forewarned below). Seemed disjointed at first, but started to come together pretty nicely after about 30 minutes (at which point, the bottle was gone... unfortunately).
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Did not decant. This was my first 2005 Turley. Cherry, plum, pepper and quite mellow for a Turley. Needs about 2 hours of air at this point to open up. Slightly tannic but with some air this was resolved. Needs at least one more year, but two would be even better. Drink next bottle late 2010+.
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Terrific nose of graphite, green peppercorn, tumeric, and raspberry. Rather Chateauneuf-like at first, but after being open for 2 hrs it showed more Zin character w/ cherry and raspberry dominating. Still a bit grainy on the finish. Very enjoyable.
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Grapefruit spice notes, medium to high acidity, light on the fruit, drinkable, but the grapefruit aspect was still distracting. Age these another year...
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-- popped, decanted, and poured -- -- tasted non-blind -- -- consumed over 4 hours --
NOSE: This is a very peppery zin with a thick sheet of taragon as the canvas for the brooding aromas of blueberry and bright blackberry that sit in the background. After a few hours a spearmint/citrus oil hint of V/A starts to come forward -- taragon still dominates, however.
BODY: dirty garnet color of moderate depth; incredibly fine particulate matter is suspended in the wine; medium bodied.
TASTE: Upon first sip, and throughout, I was pleased to find this to be more tannic than all of Turley's Paso-based '05 Zins. Although this wine is just a bit too tannic to be perfectly balanced, a nice dose of acidity makes this much more "Turley" than many other '05 Turleys. As far as flavors go, this wine features flavors of black pepper and plum, as well as a lingering sense of cigarbox. The attack is full-on, but the palate gradually weakens from front to back, ending with a short finish. This wine does wear its 15% abv quite well, as the alcohol wasn't noticeable on the palate. Behind the Ueberroth, this is my favorite '05 Turley.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 7 = 90
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Deep, dark purple. Pretty tight at first. Nose of white pepper and dark fruits (blackberries?) Palate was silky and earthy. Medium finish with moderate acidity and tannins. Definitely not sweet and not a lot of fruit -- not a typical Turley -- I liked this.
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This was one of the better Turley wines I have had recently. Amazing aromas of deep, dark fruits, with loads of blackberries and a hint of cedar on the finish. Not an overwhelming wine, yet had pleasant complexity.
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Raspberries and spice. Silky smooth texture and wonderful finish. Style was somewhat suprising given that the grapes were sourced from Howell Mountain and such wines typically are big and brawny.
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Again a medium purple color, and we gave this more time in the decater than last pop and pour. It helped alot showing a wandering nose of ripe plum, some dark raspberry and some earthy undercurrents with a litte spice. Easy entry and a medium to full fruit grip at mid palate, good balance and as been mentioned, a nice pepper component that had a nice counterpoint to the fruit texture. Just right with fresh slow grilled baby back ribs...
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THis is the first Turley I have had. I found this to be one of the best Zins I've had in years. Immediatley liked the color - deep purple. Nose was peppery with fruit and that cedar note. As it sat on table for a while it opened up more. Mouth feel was silky. Taste was excellent spicy, peppery note that I really like in Zins, but tempered with good fruit that was not too jammy. Nice berry aspect,wtih some plum. The wood wasn't overpowering, but added a nice note to the taste. At 15% alcohol (per label) this was also not hot. To me one of the most well balanced wines I've had recently. Long finish that was most enjoyable. Enjoyed this wine with venison loin and it was an excellent complement. I will be looking for more Turley's.
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Given the reviews, I was anticipating a very mediocre bottle of wine. There is something to be said for low expectations. Surprisingly, the bottle was very good. Decanted for approx. an hour. Not as fruit forward for a Turley, a bit thinner, with pepper, oak, and berries. Nice balance.
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Very hollow mid-palate...almost no fruit what-so-ever. The only thing that kept me from rating it 79 or less was the decent peppery, spicy finish. The nose was dull and univiting as well. Unless I had an off-bottle (believe me...I was hoping to detect something), this wine is just not there.
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Good, juicy raspberry and pepper. A bit medium bodied for a Turley, which meant the under-fruited-ness allowed the alcoholic sensations make themselves known; especially on the second glass. Seemed to have filled out a bit on the second day.
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Deep ruby color. Interesting nose of earth, smoky spice, dry leaves, flowers and blueberries. On the palate it had good acidity, definitely full bodied as one would expect from Turley, but a bit subdued. Some ripe beets, spices; ripe tannins. Nice wine.
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Disjointed on opening; spicy and very peppery. Not a lot of fruit. Pepper intensified as it sat and other flavors melded, but any hints of fruit were a distant memory.
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On Opening 88pts: I like this for a lot of the same reasons others don't....it is more "correct" than some of the other Turleys. On opening, huge pepper, spice and brambles on the nose. The palate is a bit thinner than is the Turley norm, but in some ways also better balanced. Moderate but noticeably fine tannins on the finish. I think this could develop into something very similar to the '02 Dogtown from earlier in the week, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and in the process gain a few points.
Update - after 5 hours in the decanter: if anything, the peppery nature of this is amplified. Reminds me of a deeper version of a Bonny Doon Clos Gilroy from years ago that I had described to my wife as "pot wine" (read cannabis). I can see where an earlier reviewer noted similarities to a CdP. Clipped, tannic finish. Not sure there's enough fruit for elegant aging.
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i liked this a lot. reminded me of the outpost Zin (both howell mtn). more of a pepper profile with the berries added in, closer to grenache than a jammy liqueur like some other turleys.
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Clear ruby red, nose of zindandel spice (pepper) and some red berries, light, flavors of acid and pepper, no fruit that I could find. I can see why Parker rates this vintage so poorly for zinfandel. Short finish, unacceptable for a wine of this price. Left in an open decanter overnight, and the wine rounded out significantly, with moderate weight, hints of fruits and zinfandel spice. Age another year and it might merit an 86. Sorry, but that is the way I see it.
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with french asian cuisine. this zin was very rough initially, it smoothed out but did not do well against the spices in lamb, duck and pork dishes that it was tried with
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Medium purple color...hesitant nose showing a tad of spice and some dark berries. Not a firm entry or grip that I am used to with Turley, but rather a bit thin. Some fruit on the mid palate and a quick finish...not bad, but not showing a firm personality. I will wait to check future bottles before making a definitive note on where this is...
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I continue to not be wowed by the '05 Turleys, although they are closer to being "correct" than typical vintages. This showed decent fruit, decent structure, but came across a bit thin in the mid-palate and the finish was too short.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Not nearly as fruity as most Turleys and there was no hint of alcohol. Would probably have guessed this was a CDP in a blind tasting. Lots of Howell Mtn. pepper and a well balanced wine. It was good, but different from the Turley norm.
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Nice fruit an bramble flavors with some herbal notes. Packed with glycerin and more enjoyable by far than he disappointing 05 OV. A bit lighter than typical Turley Howell Mountain.
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Very jammy. A bit yeasty on the nose, which blew off later in the evening, maybe opened too early per the other note below. Very good, but the alcohol wasn't well integrated, so not great. Medium finish.
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Probably drank too early -- not as jammy as others in the Turley lineup. Flavors and aromas seem to be a bit muted, but probably needs more time.Solid value, and pleasant to drink.
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Tasted this at Turley's pickup party. A little disappointed, fruit restrained, lack of a black pepper in aromas and taste as this should have some evident as this wine does have some of the "Peppery" Dragon vineyard in it. The alcohol is sensative to spicy food, as turley had some cajon shrimp and spicy lime wings. Candied cherry, raspberries, spice and good earthiness on the nose. Almost fullbodied, smooth, firm tannins, medium-long finish, and good complexity with blueberries, cherries, wild berries with a balanced amount of oak, earth and spice. Might get better with age, Decent wine for $33 but Old Vines is a little better for less.
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4/8/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
Bachelor Party trip to Napa/Sonoma (Sonoma, Napa, SF): Medium plus ruby. Herbal nose with pine, black pepper, developed raspberry, and savory tart blackberry.
Dry, medium plus body, feels 14%, med plus acid, med tannins. Zippy and crisp on the palate with some earth.
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4/8/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 88 Points
Bachelor party (Napa Valley, CA): Light ruby, moderate bricking appropriate for its age; nose is moderately aromatic, plenty of red fruit, a bit thin for Turley, slight spice; palate fleshes out to a moderate bodied palate, integrated light tannin, nice light red fruit, medium to medium-plus acid; medium finish. Lighter than a normal Turley but also arguably better balanced. 87-88
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2/6/2016 - Rhone Rick wrote: 93 Points
Tobacco and smoked oak, smooth acid and classic raisins-zins profile to boot. Excellent...
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3/10/2015 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 92 Points
2005 was a lighter body year for Turley….but I think they are drinking really well right now! Had the 05 Hayne and Tofanelli recently at the Winery…and both were drinking really well…very similar to this Cedarman! First thing you notice is the cloudy medium bodied red berry color. This Cedarman is darker than the other two…but still not the dense dark berry you usually see in Turley. HUGE dusty pepper, sawdust spice here……lighter and drying red berry fruits….brambly and rustic, but still plenty of sweetness to hold up with structure of the wood spices, minerality and sour skin acidity. Although the fruit is not your typical Turley glycerin style….I really like it in this being in the back ground, and the spices, earth and dried florals in the foreground. Damp forest, licorice, chocolate covered cherries with white pepper……..tasty with complexity, restrained Zin! Like it!
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11/17/2014 - SLOFred wrote: 88 Points
Decent wine. Not great. Certainly not worth the price.
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10/29/2014 - creativ1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyed this very much. Nice, subtle spice on the tongue and the finish, with a very pleasant, smooth taste of cola and cherries in the middle. Not as much spice as Black Sears fruit that I've tasted from Howell Mountain, but still excellent and recommended.
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5/24/2014 - ACR16719 Likes this wine: 80 Points
disappointing. Not the Big Turley I was expecting. I'll stick with the individual zins
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10/6/2012 - bryesh wrote: 85 Points
Pronounced fruit/raisin, also felt a bit hot.
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8/16/2012 - dlopiel wrote: 89 Points
Baking spices and cedar notes on the nose. Muted fruit but still a bit of tart cherry on the outside of the palate. A bit hot with alcohol. Unfortunate - was expecting more, nose was promising.
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6/28/2012 - kscopela wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/27/2012 - Beachgrub wrote: 85 Points
After corked bottle. Still muted. But pepper and spice. Matches its name with some cedar and forest. A bit green still. Probably missed the best time but still fruit and pleasant quaff.
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5/27/2012 - Beachgrub wrote: flawed
Corked
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5/19/2012 - goldgarf wrote: 81 Points
Jammy, but too much alcohol flavor and nothing unique.
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3/18/2012 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a bit young and a tiny bit green! Good fruit and a tad vegetal
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1/12/2012 - Rhone Rick wrote: 88 Points
A bit flat given other Zins of theirs I've had. Had some characteristic dried fruit acid and aged wood but not enough backbone to impress.
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12/20/2011 - vanpe003 wrote:
Opens up with a distinct meaty/game/stewed tomato melange that fortunately enough blows of with just minimal airtime. In line with prior bottles - peppery, a touch thinner than the average Turley, void of signature brambles. Probably better paired with the right food. I probably am enjoying this style less tonight than during some previous outings. Just not in the mood for this tonight.
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11/19/2011 - MFC wrote: 85 Points
Note to all: ALWAYS drink your Turley's young.
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10/30/2011 - Chris Bo wrote: 85 Points
med. intense color. Med. intense , developed cherry / berry nose. Ripe and with a spicy (cinnamon) touch. Medium intense palate , with developed light red fruit. Out of balance with rustic tannins and rather short finish. Gone. Maybe a single bottle problem, did expect much more.
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9/27/2011 - kscopela wrote: 88 Points
A little disjointed but has mellowed a little since the last bottle. Big spicy zin with lots of dark fruits.
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6/29/2011 - Bacchant wrote: 87 Points
Opened on a whim to celebrate a friend's new job. PnP'd @ 55 degrees. Dark, but not opaque, color. The nose, apart from a bit of musty cedar, is unremarkable. Light in mouthfeel, despite fairly thick legs. Plenty of acidity throughout, but on the back the tannins are subdued and the finish is short. Palate comes across initially as something like a gently mulled cherry cider...with an appreciable hole in the middle. With air & time the wine picks up a little weight, the hole in the middle subsides, but a lack of Zin-spiciness persists. Our 3rd Turley from `05. All have been similar in style. And quite frankly, I don't get the hype. Is it good? Sure. Is it Forty Bucks worth of good? Hell No. [15% abv.; $40.00].
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6/25/2011 - pgm wrote: 87 Points
A zin spiced raisin nose, with both raisin and spice continuing in the mouth and the finish. But not much else going on. Good enough, but I can't really appreciate this.
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5/14/2011 - vanpe003 wrote: 87 Points
Pop/pour. I probably like this better tonight than I usually would because a) my expectations are more in line with what this is going to be and b) I've had a couple oddball, high acidity wines earlier in the weekend. If I tasted this blind, I'd guess something from Italy, perhaps a Casavecchia (e.g the Trebulanum I had this weekend) or a Cesanese.
That said....on the nose, a depth that suggests some amount of Turley typicity....medium dark fruits, some brambles and a bit of a resinous cola quality. Nose - good. On the palate, a level of acidity that's not suggested by the nose, and throws this off in terms of my thinking regarding a typical Turley experience. But, as mentioned above, I wasn't expecting a big bold blast of Zin fruit with this one. Two ratings for this - a) for a Turley experience - 85-87 points. It just doesn't measure up in terms of fruit depth and "typical" Turley signature. On the other hand, 88 points plus, in a blind tasting where other high acidity reds are served (eg the 2004 Michele Alois Trebulanum I've been drinking over the last couple of days). On balance, I'd say this is "ok", but somewhat disappointing given the promise suggested by the nose (relatively rich) that is not matched by the palate (relatively acidic). I'm not overjoyed that I still have 3 bottles of this in the cellar.
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4/27/2011 - guitarguy wrote: 88 Points
Plum, lavender and berry nose with ripe flavors of cherry, pepper, raspberry. No matter how much I try, I have yet to find cedar in this particular bottling so I remain perplexed by the name. Finishes just a tad hot to score higher. Almost a searing burn in the back end.
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4/23/2011 - Colia wrote: 88 Points
Lovely nose of rose petals and pepper, with notes of thyme. It's short, very short on the finish and somewhat stingy on the fruit. I wouldn't call this a zin in a blind taste. I think I waited too long, but a Turley should have held on longer.
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4/10/2011 - mr.spock wrote: 88 Points
Nose- hints of sugary candy... (sweethearts). After decanting it seemed to mellow out and open up a little. Taste - cranberry, a little wine barrel oak, lots of fruits, very smooth and simple. I expected a lot more from this one. I bought this at the winery in 2008 and my previous notes say it was peppery. I didn't get any pepper this time around. Overall nice and simple, but was hoping for more of a kick.
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2/19/2011 - drphil wrote: 88 Points
Black fruit with a clean, fresh, red cherry aroma. Heavy tannis but pleasantly dry. Oak and dark cherry on the palate.
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2/2/2011 - plitton wrote: 89 Points
PnP. Some sweetness and molasses in the nose--lots of depth and no signs of alcohol. Palate is not nearly as aggressive, fruit driven and alcoholy as the 20 other Turleys I've had. In fact, if drinking this blind I would not have guessed Turley or similar. Medium to full bodied and very soft. It has a little sweetness but that quickly changes to dry and slightly vegetal in a medium finish. The weakest element in dimension but other than that, it's very pleasurable.
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11/2/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 84 Points
Rather pedestrian, a decent upfront hit of ripe, blue fruit, moderate tannins, nose of horsey stink. There does seem to be just a hint of stink on the back end, sulfur-like, either brett or maybe sulfur added to the grapes. This was pretty ho-hum for $40 including shipping. I think I am ending my Turley relationship come the spring.
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10/30/2010 - BigTarheel wrote: 86 Points
Lacks the vigor and richness in fruit that you would expect from Zinfandel ... this wine drinks more like an Italian Primitivo. It was cool and taut filled with plummy fruit and loads of mixed peppercorn. Almost salty ... definitely a food wine
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10/2/2010 - cookie7 wrote:
Green peppers, seems a bit underripe - my weakest bottle of this. Seems to be on the downside. Drink up.
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7/13/2010 - Roentgen Ray wrote: 89 Points
The wine improved with a little air time. It started out big, mean alcoholic at cellar temps. However, it settled down after an hour and improved by coming to a warmer temperature. It reminded me a little bit of a good Spanish garnacha. The flavor and aromatics were dominated by peppery red fruit, maybe a little leather in the back ground, big bodied and openly aromatic.
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6/30/2010 - bluedog wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Tobacco, hint of black pepper, and subtle fruit. Solid zin.
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6/12/2010 - zoeldar wrote: 90 Points
Solid zin, but didn't wow like majority of Turleys of the past...perhaps not as extracted as previous vintages (more common for Cedarman in my experience). On that note, was probably a better food wine (with custom Tacos) than the bigger fruit bombs.
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5/31/2010 - Patches wrote: 91 Points
I think this is about as good as zin gets. Nice red cherry and raspberry with pepper, cedar and minerality. it's quite velvety with spectacular balance. Great stuff.
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5/27/2010 - cabrnay wrote: 82 Points
Extremely over rated Zin. Poor balance, odd flavor profile
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4/27/2010 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
One of the better Turleys from the 2005 line-up and still going strong. Big nose and modest palate of plums, pepper and cigarbox. Nice acid.
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4/12/2010 - guitarguy wrote: 89 Points
This really sucked on opening, but with air and warming it became European, and in a good way. Nose of sage, charcoal and dried blueberry. Flavors are slatey mineral, blueberry, quite tannic but missing something in the mid-palate. This feels like it is drying up and on the way to deadsville, so I think it is worth drinking. Recommend 30 minute aeration.
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3/27/2010 - vanpe003 wrote: 87 Points
Very peppery and a touch thin on the palate, with noticeable acidity and a slight metallic note on the finish. This does pick up a bit of needed weight with some time in the glass, but not enough. Not up to Turley standards.
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3/7/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
15% ABV. Dark garnet, mostly opaque in the glass. Reticent nose of balsa wood, earth, and dry herbs/garrigue. Medium-full bodied and a little firm/hard with an interesting and slightly off-putting flavor of molasses. Okay. Not my favorite Turley by a wide margin.
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2/16/2010 - tthorn wrote: 91 Points
Pepper, berries, rustic, great.
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1/18/2010 - Wino from Michigan wrote: 91 Points
Huge tobacco nose, and taste..., high alcohol at first, but mellows out....very interesting wine
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11/11/2009 - kkleg wrote: 91 Points
Great bottle of wine. Cracked pepper, cedar, and blueberries. Turley has a winner here!
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8/21/2009 - cookie7 wrote: flawed
Flawed bottle
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7/20/2009 - jthielen wrote: 87 Points
Not my favorite Turley. A lot of pepper initially then it lives up to its name with a lot of cedar. This style is not typical of your standard Turley. Subdued black fruits. More Rhone in style than a California Zin fruit bomb.
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6/5/2009 - Trish22 wrote: 75 Points
This is not my favorite Turley. Too much tobacco, cedar overwhelms the grape. Appears to be consistent across all Cederman's so maybe there really is a cedar tree in or near the vineyard. The score is against all other Turley's.
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5/25/2009 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 90 Points
I don't know if it was just the extra bit of time in the cellar, but this was not the stereotypical Turley fruit bomb. Classic pepper notes with some overtones of cedar.
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5/23/2009 - grafstrb wrote:
This has smoothed-out since last time I had it ... cigar wrapper is most predominant flavor on the palate. A very nice wine that is starting to enter its prime drinking window.
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5/9/2009 - MT3 wrote: 88 Points
Typically of the Turley style, well structered and nice balance of the big, dark fruit, terroir, and oak. Big and bold like you would expect, but surprisingly sophisticated as well. Could use some more time in the cellar, as still a bit hot and tannic
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5/4/2009 - jthielen wrote: 89 Points
Lots of pepper on the nose and initial taste, followed by black and blue fruits. Not your typical Zin, more Rhone in style than any Turley I've had. I should have let it open up a bit, it improved with time.
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4/2/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 88 Points
Best showing yet. Spicy peppery nose with hints of blackberry and boysenberry fruit, palate the same...balanced but not the typical Turley fruit bomb. Reminds me of a Crozes Hermitage...Perfectly acceptable and ready to start drinking these...
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3/26/2009 - lynarthur wrote: 88 Points
Good balanced zin. Took a little while to open up. Not as fruity as other Turley zins, more earthy and peppery. Didn't taste heavily of alcohol.
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3/18/2009 - E wrote: 74 Points
Definitely a poor zinfandel experience....
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3/4/2009 - moonmanvegas wrote: 92 Points
When I first opened this bottle I started sneezing from all the pepper that came out of the bottle. I have never had that much pepper on the nose from any wine. The night went on and the tight edge on this wine started blend into a nice in your face zinfandel.
I really think about Howell Mountain when I drink this wine because I have gotten similar carecteristics from Lader's Cabernet from Howell Mountain after a little bit of age. I am not sure if its the soil, climate or both.
Overall a intersting wine and my frist turley I am going to try others soon.
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3/3/2009 - burgbob wrote: 90 Points
Very nice zin without excessive alcohol, only 15%. Good balance of flavors, not as exciting as some Turley zins, but solid.
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2/28/2009 - Tejano wrote:
Medium to dark purple and a tart nose of ripe dark fruit and white pepper. Tight, tight, tight...unlike before this just did not want to open up. Obvious substance, but unresolved and unrealized potential...did give it some time, but to no avail.
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2/11/2009 - Zinister wrote: 91 Points
Good briar patch fruits with tons of pepper on the nose and flavor. Rich and full with some alcohol that blows off the longer it's open. Another solid Turley.
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2/2/2009 - dmoritz wrote: 89 Points
Lots of Recent Tastings Notes, Valentines Day, etc - SQN, Maybach, Insignia, Delas, Clape, more; 1/31/2009-2/15/2009: Pretty nice wine. Lots of cedar/cigar box on the nose. Peppery, with cherry. Nice, but not great Turley.
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2/1/2009 - jsokel wrote: 90 Points
Another great zin from Turley. Much better after an hour or so.
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12/24/2008 - golfwine wrote: 88 Points
Typical Turley (high alcohol, complex for Zin) but since mountain fruit, a tad more acidity on the back end. I've never been that blown away by Turley's wines but they are interesting (and novel) enough to always stock up when I visit the winery. I must say that I was expecting more richness but I'm not currently "that into" Zin and so that likely tainted my evaluation.
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12/24/2008 - VinoPKM wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Blue in SLO- Xmas Eve (San Luis Obispo, CA): Drank 2 bottles X-mas Eve at Blue in SLO. Like other reviewers- lots of pepper! Was a hit at the dinner table and went very well with food. With all the pepper this isn't a drink on its own wine, there are some black & blue berry fruit as well.
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11/28/2008 - MJTed wrote: 90 Points
Paired well with Thanksgiving turkey/stuffing and gravy. Peppery withplum and pomegranate fruit. Modest tannic backbone and decent finish.
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11/12/2008 - Salute wrote: 87 Points
Get ready for pepper! Very good bottle, opened up nicely.
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11/11/2008 - 2loyal wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured, but I probably should have waited/decanted (as forewarned below). Seemed disjointed at first, but started to come together pretty nicely after about 30 minutes (at which point, the bottle was gone... unfortunately).
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10/22/2008 - SMG wrote: 90 Points
Did not decant. This was my first 2005 Turley. Cherry, plum, pepper and quite mellow for a Turley. Needs about 2 hours of air at this point to open up. Slightly tannic but with some air this was resolved. Needs at least one more year, but two would be even better. Drink next bottle late 2010+.
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10/6/2008 - nectar14 wrote: 90 Points
Terrific nose of graphite, green peppercorn, tumeric, and raspberry. Rather Chateauneuf-like at first, but after being open for 2 hrs it showed more Zin character w/ cherry and raspberry dominating. Still a bit grainy on the finish. Very enjoyable.
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10/2/2008 - parathesis wrote: 88 Points
flavors of black pepper and plum, as well as a lingering sense of cigarbox some tannins
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9/27/2008 - dtirsell wrote: 88 Points
Oakey, tannic zin, not a typical fruit bomb, not much heat on the nose either.
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8/21/2008 - Tintin wrote: 92 Points
Medium red fruit and juicy with a brambly edge. Delicious!
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8/7/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 84 Points
Grapefruit spice notes, medium to high acidity, light on the fruit, drinkable, but the grapefruit aspect was still distracting. Age these another year...
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7/25/2008 - Geoffrey Carter wrote: 92 Points
Needs 30 minutes of air and then it sang. Well done.
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7/1/2008 - grafstrb wrote: 90 Points
-- popped, decanted, and poured --
-- tasted non-blind --
-- consumed over 4 hours --
NOSE: This is a very peppery zin with a thick sheet of taragon as the canvas for the brooding aromas of blueberry and bright blackberry that sit in the background. After a few hours a spearmint/citrus oil hint of V/A starts to come forward -- taragon still dominates, however.
BODY: dirty garnet color of moderate depth; incredibly fine particulate matter is suspended in the wine; medium bodied.
TASTE: Upon first sip, and throughout, I was pleased to find this to be more tannic than all of Turley's Paso-based '05 Zins. Although this wine is just a bit too tannic to be perfectly balanced, a nice dose of acidity makes this much more "Turley" than many other '05 Turleys. As far as flavors go, this wine features flavors of black pepper and plum, as well as a lingering sense of cigarbox. The attack is full-on, but the palate gradually weakens from front to back, ending with a short finish. This wine does wear its 15% abv quite well, as the alcohol wasn't noticeable on the palate. Behind the Ueberroth, this is my favorite '05 Turley.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 7 = 90
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6/8/2008 - timeagan wrote: 85 Points
This is definitely not a typical Turley Zin-Lots of Earthiness, LOTS OF OAKY CEDARY Characteristics to it-Not a Fruit Bomb At all. Lean
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5/29/2008 - SUN-J wrote: 89 Points
Deep, dark purple. Pretty tight at first. Nose of white pepper and dark fruits (blackberries?) Palate was silky and earthy. Medium finish with moderate acidity and tannins. Definitely not sweet and not a lot of fruit -- not a typical Turley -- I liked this.
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4/17/2008 - dtirsell wrote: 88 Points
Very good balance, not a bomb. Finish not as long as your typical Turley. I would agree with "still a bit young and restrained". Enjoyed non-the-less!
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4/6/2008 - Ryanmb3 wrote: 89 Points
Matched well with filet! Nice balance of pepper and fruit.
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4/1/2008 - Deryl wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyable. Peppery. Maybe not worth the price.
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3/30/2008 - win wrote: 93 Points
This was one of the better Turley wines I have had recently. Amazing aromas of deep, dark fruits, with loads of blackberries and a hint of cedar on the finish. Not an overwhelming wine, yet had pleasant complexity.
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3/23/2008 - Big_Al wrote: 88 Points
good balance ... notes of berry and pepper ... very smooth for 15% alc ... still a bit young and restrained
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3/10/2008 - redbaron wrote: 91 Points
Raspberries and spice. Silky smooth texture and wonderful finish. Style was somewhat suprising given that the grapes were sourced from Howell Mountain and such wines typically are big and brawny.
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3/9/2008 - rharl wrote:
Still a little green for my taste, even after 90 min in the decanter -- will wait on other bottles before passing judgement.
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3/7/2008 - gesusser wrote: 90 Points
seaons 52 @ BOCA RATON...nice & smooth..not overpowering...not heavy alcohol .. after 45 minute decantering it went fast
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3/1/2008 - Tejano wrote: 89 Points
Again a medium purple color, and we gave this more time in the decater than last pop and pour. It helped alot showing a wandering nose of ripe plum, some dark raspberry and some earthy undercurrents with a litte spice. Easy entry and a medium to full fruit grip at mid palate, good balance and as been mentioned, a nice pepper component that had a nice counterpoint to the fruit texture. Just right with fresh slow grilled baby back ribs...
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2/17/2008 - NickP wrote: 90 Points
THis is the first Turley I have had. I found this to be one of the best Zins I've had in years. Immediatley liked the color - deep purple. Nose was peppery with fruit and that cedar note. As it sat on table for a while it opened up more. Mouth feel was silky. Taste was excellent spicy, peppery note that I really like in Zins, but tempered with good fruit that was not too jammy. Nice berry aspect,wtih some plum. The wood wasn't overpowering, but added a nice note to the taste. At 15% alcohol (per label) this was also not hot. To me one of the most well balanced wines I've had recently. Long finish that was most enjoyable. Enjoyed this wine with venison loin and it was an excellent complement. I will be looking for more Turley's.
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2/10/2008 - bluedog wrote: 90 Points
Given the reviews, I was anticipating a very mediocre bottle of wine. There is something to be said for low expectations. Surprisingly, the bottle was very good. Decanted for approx. an hour. Not as fruit forward for a Turley, a bit thinner, with pepper, oak, and berries. Nice balance.
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2/3/2008 - jakearoe wrote: 83 Points
Very hollow mid-palate...almost no fruit what-so-ever. The only thing that kept me from rating it 79 or less was the decent peppery, spicy finish. The nose was dull and univiting as well. Unless I had an off-bottle (believe me...I was hoping to detect something), this wine is just not there.
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1/31/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 86 Points
Inoffensive zin, but uninspired. Some raspberry and pepper, but on the light side and overall a bit underwhelming. A bit hot on the finish.
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1/28/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
Good, juicy raspberry and pepper. A bit medium bodied for a Turley, which meant the under-fruited-ness allowed the alcoholic sensations make themselves known; especially on the second glass. Seemed to have filled out a bit on the second day.
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1/26/2008 - dougsmith wrote: 89 Points
Deep ruby color. Interesting nose of earth, smoky spice, dry leaves, flowers and blueberries. On the palate it had good acidity, definitely full bodied as one would expect from Turley, but a bit subdued. Some ripe beets, spices; ripe tannins. Nice wine.
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1/26/2008 - SFCleo wrote: 87 Points
Disjointed on opening; spicy and very peppery. Not a lot of fruit. Pepper intensified as it sat and other flavors melded, but any hints of fruit were a distant memory.
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1/19/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 87 Points
On Opening 88pts: I like this for a lot of the same reasons others don't....it is more "correct" than some of the other Turleys. On opening, huge pepper, spice and brambles on the nose. The palate is a bit thinner than is the Turley norm, but in some ways also better balanced. Moderate but noticeably fine tannins on the finish. I think this could develop into something very similar to the '02 Dogtown from earlier in the week, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and in the process gain a few points.
Update - after 5 hours in the decanter: if anything, the peppery nature of this is amplified. Reminds me of a deeper version of a Bonny Doon Clos Gilroy from years ago that I had described to my wife as "pot wine" (read cannabis). I can see where an earlier reviewer noted similarities to a CdP. Clipped, tannic finish. Not sure there's enough fruit for elegant aging.
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1/17/2008 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 90 Points
I had a glass at the local wine bar. Wow! Lots of herbal notes with wild game and cedar.
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1/13/2008 - AlexRed wrote: 90 Points
i liked this a lot. reminded me of the outpost Zin (both howell mtn). more of a pepper profile with the berries added in, closer to grenache than a jammy liqueur like some other turleys.
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1/11/2008 - ginfizz wrote: 82 Points
Clear ruby red, nose of zindandel spice (pepper) and some red berries, light, flavors of acid and pepper, no fruit that I could find. I can see why Parker rates this vintage so poorly for zinfandel. Short finish, unacceptable for a wine of this price. Left in an open decanter overnight, and the wine rounded out significantly, with moderate weight, hints of fruits and zinfandel spice. Age another year and it might merit an 86. Sorry, but that is the way I see it.
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1/5/2008 - ddarienzo wrote:
with french asian cuisine. this zin was very rough initially, it smoothed out but did not do well against the spices in lamb, duck and pork dishes that it was tried with
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12/25/2007 - Tejano wrote:
Medium purple color...hesitant nose showing a tad of spice and some dark berries. Not a firm entry or grip that I am used to with Turley, but rather a bit thin. Some fruit on the mid palate and a quick finish...not bad, but not showing a firm personality. I will wait to check future bottles before making a definitive note on where this is...
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12/19/2007 - parathesis wrote: 89 Points
Nice zin. Not a Turley norm.
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12/17/2007 - MarkC wrote: 85 Points
I continue to not be wowed by the '05 Turleys, although they are closer to being "correct" than typical vintages. This showed decent fruit, decent structure, but came across a bit thin in the mid-palate and the finish was too short.
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12/17/2007 - danseng wrote:
Decanted for 2 hours. Not nearly as fruity as most Turleys and there was no hint of alcohol. Would probably have guessed this was a CDP in a blind tasting. Lots of Howell Mtn. pepper and a well balanced wine. It was good, but different from the Turley norm.
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11/24/2007 - MJTed wrote: 89 Points
Nice fruit an bramble flavors with some herbal notes. Packed with glycerin and more enjoyable by far than he disappointing 05 OV. A bit lighter than typical Turley Howell Mountain.
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11/19/2007 - cookie7 wrote: 88 Points
Note after 24 hours. Floral nose, quite a bit of peppers and spice on this. Not sure I would have guessed this to be a Zin.
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11/18/2007 - Thralow wrote: 89 Points
Very young, could use some time.
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11/16/2007 - Gnome wrote: 88 Points
Very jammy. A bit yeasty on the nose, which blew off later in the evening, maybe opened too early per the other note below. Very good, but the alcohol wasn't well integrated, so not great. Medium finish.
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11/16/2007 - andolini wrote: 89 Points
Probably drank too early -- not as jammy as others in the Turley lineup. Flavors and aromas seem to be a bit muted, but probably needs more time.Solid value, and pleasant to drink.
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11/7/2007 - Vinfauv wrote: 85 Points
gift turley...
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11/3/2007 - LACERS wrote: 89 Points
Tasted this at Turley's pickup party. A little disappointed, fruit restrained, lack of a black pepper in aromas and taste as this should have some evident as this wine does have some of the "Peppery" Dragon vineyard in it. The alcohol is sensative to spicy food, as turley had some cajon shrimp and spicy lime wings. Candied cherry, raspberries, spice and good earthiness on the nose. Almost fullbodied, smooth, firm tannins, medium-long finish, and good complexity with blueberries, cherries, wild berries with a balanced amount of oak, earth and spice. Might get better with age, Decent wine for $33 but Old Vines is a little better for less.
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