I stopped by the winery yesterday to see Tegan during my travels through the Valley and he asked me if I had time to taste. Silly question. He had a number of wines racked into tanks for bottling and he pulled some samples. As a bonus I got to meet Larry Turley and Tegan gave me a tour of the property along with a readers digest history lesson. What a beautiful spot in the Valley. Notes from memory.
2019 Turley Bechthold Cinsault - Spiced strawberry nose, bright, refreshing, easy Summer gulper. Now I have to pop a Sandlands Cinsault and see what he did there.
2018 Hayne Zinfandel - Complex nose of blackberry, tar and blood orange, powerful yet finessed with crunchy fruit and lively acidity, tannins fairly tame considering the source. Wow!
2018 Hayne Petite Syrah - Nose is unforgiving and tight but the fruit on the palate is tremendous with a ton of depth. Great acid lift, layered, chewy, chewy, chewy. Another wow.
2018 Estate Cab Sauv - A different Napa Cab beast, minimal new oak, mid 14s alcohol, some cassis and cedar, kinda nondescript at this point. Needs some time to develop.
2018 Montecillo Cab Sauv - All the goodness of mountain Cabernet, 86 yr old dry aged vines from the West facing slopes of Mt Veeder. Minerally (is that a word?) and herbal, old school palate cedar and rosemary, reddish fruit, nice balance, good grip. Will surely benefit from sideways time. Both Cabs will get some time in bottle before release.
125yr old olive orchard
14yr young head trained Estate Zinfandel Vineyard
He also sent me home with a Turley Amador Vermentino and a Sandlands Kirschennman Zinfandel. Notes on those in the coming days