2010 Turley Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard

A seemingly weightless, gracious wine, the 2010 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard impresses for its superb balance and pure class. Layers of sweet, floral infused nuances add complexity to the expressive red-toned fruit. Saline notes appear later, giving the finish an attractive tension. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2025. This is a thrilling set of wines from Larry Turley, Ehren Jordan and Tegan Passalacqua. Tasting this wide a range of 2010 and 2011 Zinfandels and Petite Syrahs is like taking a master class in California terroir. The house style favors an expression of Zinfandel and Petite Syrah built on aromatic intensity and elegance, which Jordan credits to gentle extractions. At times, the wines come across as quite Burgundian in the way they express richness but not excess heaviness. Over the last few years, the wines have become a little more laid-back and less overtly ripe, which is a net positive given that the starting point for all of these wines is fruit of exceptional quality. The Petite Syrahs in particular are noteworthy because they are among the few wines that find the elegance Petite Syrah is capable of, while avoiding the massive tannins that are so typical elsewhere. The 2010s are strong across the board, although Turley did not bottle a few of their wines from sites that got scorched by the heat spikes, which includes the Highway 101 and Zampatti. The 2011s are more variable, as befits a vintage that had much less favorable conditions overall. Tel. (707) 963-0940

(16.1% alcohol; from a crop level around 1.5 tons per acre, according to Jordan): Medium ruby. Aromas of kirsch, blackberry and gunflint. A juicy, extremely primary infant, with urgent, very intense crushed berry flavors dominating. Offers compelling fruit sweetness, and the superb whiplash of a finish, featuring serious but fully ripe tannins, suggests that this will reward cellaring.