2024 Turley - Zinfandel Napa Juvenile (750ml)

Larry Turley spent twenty-five years as an emergency room physician before founding Turley Wine Cellars in Napa Valley in 1993, channeling his restorative instincts toward saving California's oldest, most neglected Zinfandel vineyards instead of patients. Many of the sites he sought out have vines dating back to the late 1800s, planted by immigrant farmers whose own histories mirror the vines' resilience. Under winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, who started at Turley as vineyard manager in 2003, the estate now produces around fifty distinct wines from more than fifty vineyards across California, farming everything organically and fermenting exclusively with native yeasts to preserve the character of each site.

Juvenile draws on the youngest vines, generally between six and twenty-five years old, planted to replace or complement Turley's ancient plantings at sites like Hayne, Pesenti, Salvador, and Vineyard 101, pulling fruit from a broad selection of vineyards across California. First made in 1999, the wine ferments with native yeasts and ages about twelve months in a mix of mostly used French and American oak, then is bottled unfined.

The wine shows crushed flowers, sweet red berry, spice, and mint, layered with dark cherry, blackberry, and raspberry over savory spice. The palate is mid-weight and perfumed, with silken tannins and a delicate yet full character. It pairs well with barbecue ribs, grilled sausages, roast lamb, or aged Gouda.