2023 Turley - Zinfandel Napa Juvenile (750ml)

Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by Larry Turley in St. Helena and has built its reputation on some of California's oldest, head-pruned, dry-farmed Zinfandel vineyards. The team, led by winemakers Tegan Passalacqua and Karl Wicka, has convinced the owners of many of these historic sites to hand over full control of the farming, favoring organic practices, low yields, and late picking to coax out maximum character.

Unlike Turley's single-vineyard bottlings, Juvenile is blended from a mix of younger vines replanted within several of the estate's historic old-vine sites. Winemaking stays hands-off, with gentle extraction and no manipulation of the fruit. The wine is matured for fourteen to sixteen months in a mix of mostly French and some American oak, a quarter of it new, then bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve its natural texture.

The 2023 Juvenile is bold and juicy, with bright red and purple fruit, lavender, spice, and a touch of new leather. Dark raspberry and blue fruit carry through a soft-tannined, mid-weight palate built for easy drinking. It pairs well with barbecue ribs, spicy chili, or a casual cheese plate.