A Big Zin and No Win

It is Sunday night, and I am in despair. I’m a big San Francisco 49er fan. The game was intense; and, in the end, well you know. They lost by three points. It was close and, to make it through, I had a little refreshment along the way.

It was a 2009 Turley Zinfandel from the Cedarman Vineyard. I will stick my neck out here and say that Turley is one of the best Zinfandel producers in California. I will also say that I am not sticking my neck out very far by saying that. Turley predominately makes single vineyard wines and is prolific in their production.

I was never quite taken by the varietal until I tasted Turley, and then I had to have more. They sell predominately through a mailing list and through their tasting room in Templeton, CA. I waited four years after submitting my name to the waiting list to get an offer. Their wines are big, jammy, and full of mouthwatering fruit. And the prices are very good.  They sell a wine called the Juvenile, and it’s from their young vines (perhaps only 20 years old). Purchasing from the tasting room or the mailing list, it is $22. Let me also say that the prices are good when you buy from the winery. Their tasting room is just a few miles off Highway 101 in Templeton and worth the stop, or you can join the mailing list. They have several different vineyards from which they pull grapes, including in Lodi, Sonoma, and Napa.

Let’s talk a little about Zinfandel. It’s an exotic black grape of Croatian origin that is predominately grown in California. Zinfandel is so prolific in California that some folks have tried (unsuccessfully) to make it the state grape. In fact, it was the most widely planted grape in the state until Cabernet Sauvignon passed it in 1998. The grape itself performs well in warm (not hot) climates and thrives in well-drained soils such as on hillsides. Generally speaking, a wine like Turley lends itself to being a vigorous red with an optimum life span of 4-8 years in bottle, yet it can be approached young.

This is not the same as White Zinfandel. There is no such grape, and White Zinfandel is made from Zinfandel grape juice that has had very little contact with the skins. (All grape juice is clear, and wines take on the red color from the juice soaking with the skins – more to come on that at a later date.) White Zinfandel is wine that has a rose color and residual sugar with low alcohol.  Historically, it was discovered by accident when a wine maker’s yeast died out prematurely and he left it to sit. He came back a few days later and liked the sweetness.  Hence, White Zinfandel was born. It’s a starting point for many wine drinkers and can be quite refreshing. We all must start somewhere!

Let me close by saying there is always next year for the Niners. No regrets for the team. They are young with a bright future — like a Turley Zinfandel Juvenile!

Cheers!