What... A Cabernet from Turley? You read that right, so come and get it while you can, because production on this wine is so small that we have not been able to offer this in four years!
The story is that Larry Turley once told Robert Parker (Maybe 25 years ago), he would NEVER put the name Cabernet on one of his labels, even though some of the winery's vineyards lie on Howell Mountain, just about as good as a location as Cabernet can have. About a decade ago, Larry acquired a vineyard that use to supply Frog's Leap with Cabernet. His initial intention was to graft it over to Zinfandel, but after spending some money and time cleaning up the vineyard, he realized it just might make some pretty solid wine. Yeah... and Picasso was a "decent" artist!
Flashforward to today, and Turley has several Cabernet vineyards, and this bottling comes from their estate in St. Helena. Planted in 1989 on the volcanic and alluvial soils found in northern Napa Valley, this vineyard forms the eastern border of the Turley estate and is framed on two sides by ancient, majestic oak trees and a 150-year-old olive grove. This vineyard is certified organic and dry-farmed. The Mayacamas Gap / Chalk Hill Gap periodically spills cooler coastal air and moisture into the northern Napa Valley just west of the Turley Estate. This consistent pattern of afternoon cooling during the hottest months of the year tend to slow the rapid development of sugar while allowing the fruit to naturally develop more intense flavors than it does in other hotter regions.
While the Turley Zins are somewhat hedonistic, this Estate Cabernet is more classic in style, reminiscent of Frog's Leap, Chateau Montelena, Heitz, or even some Bordeaux. However, it is distinctly Napa in the abundant amount of fruit that it emanates with aeration. Matthew Luczy of Wine Advocate scored this at 94 points writes this wine is "expressive" with "violet, dried bay leaves and turned earth floating above a core of pure black and red fruits".
Small production, haven't had it in four years, high score... sounds like this is going to disappear fast!
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 94+ POINTS - "The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Turley Estate Vineyard is expressive and light on its feet, opening with classic and alluring scents of charred cedar, pipe tobacco, tomato leaf, violet, dried bay leaves and turned earth floating above a core of pure black and red fruits. The palate is suave, generous and full-bodied, with no shortage of finely grained tannins and bright, vibrant acidity. The finish is long and laced with delicate spice and earth-driven tones, gaining additional structure and sturdiness with time and becoming more detailed and expressive as it spends time in the glass."
The story is that Larry Turley once told Robert Parker (Maybe 25 years ago), he would NEVER put the name Cabernet on one of his labels, even though some of the winery's vineyards lie on Howell Mountain, just about as good as a location as Cabernet can have. About a decade ago, Larry acquired a vineyard that use to supply Frog's Leap with Cabernet. His initial intention was to graft it over to Zinfandel, but after spending some money and time cleaning up the vineyard, he realized it just might make some pretty solid wine. Yeah... and Picasso was a "decent" artist!
Flashforward to today, and Turley has several Cabernet vineyards, and this bottling comes from their estate in St. Helena. Planted in 1989 on the volcanic and alluvial soils found in northern Napa Valley, this vineyard forms the eastern border of the Turley estate and is framed on two sides by ancient, majestic oak trees and a 150-year-old olive grove. This vineyard is certified organic and dry-farmed. The Mayacamas Gap / Chalk Hill Gap periodically spills cooler coastal air and moisture into the northern Napa Valley just west of the Turley Estate. This consistent pattern of afternoon cooling during the hottest months of the year tend to slow the rapid development of sugar while allowing the fruit to naturally develop more intense flavors than it does in other hotter regions.
While the Turley Zins are somewhat hedonistic, this Estate Cabernet is more classic in style, reminiscent of Frog's Leap, Chateau Montelena, Heitz, or even some Bordeaux. However, it is distinctly Napa in the abundant amount of fruit that it emanates with aeration. Matthew Luczy of Wine Advocate scored this at 94 points writes this wine is "expressive" with "violet, dried bay leaves and turned earth floating above a core of pure black and red fruits".
Small production, haven't had it in four years, high score... sounds like this is going to disappear fast!
ROBERT PARKER'S WINE ADVOCATE 94+ POINTS - "The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Turley Estate Vineyard is expressive and light on its feet, opening with classic and alluring scents of charred cedar, pipe tobacco, tomato leaf, violet, dried bay leaves and turned earth floating above a core of pure black and red fruits. The palate is suave, generous and full-bodied, with no shortage of finely grained tannins and bright, vibrant acidity. The finish is long and laced with delicate spice and earth-driven tones, gaining additional structure and sturdiness with time and becoming more detailed and expressive as it spends time in the glass."
