2011 Turley Petite Sirah Library Vineyard

(from a vineyard originally planted in the 1890s; a field blend of 14 red and 12 white varieties, including a good amount of muscadelle): Very bright deep ruby. Bright nose dominated by strawberry and licorice. Expressive and powerful, with chewy, slightly exotic black fruit, strawberry and spice flavors complicated by a sexy stone fruit element (the white grapes comprise 10% to 15% of the blend, according to winemaker Passalacqua). Hugely tannic and primary, but with captivating, almost muscaty perfume. Really one of a kind.

Turley's 2011 Petite Syrah Library Vineyard proves why this great site simply must not be abandoned. A magnificent wine, the 2011 Library boasts stunning depth and purity. The balance of fruit and tannin, so hard to get right with Petite Syrah, is on the money. Although still an infant, the 2011 is immensely promising. I can't wait to taste it again next year.

Turley’s 2011 Petite Syrah Library Vineyard proves why this great site simply must not be abandoned. A magnificent wine, the 2011 Library boasts stunning depth and purity. The balance of fruit and tannin, so hard to get right with Petite Syrah, is on the money. Although still an infant, the 2011 is immensely promising. I can’t wait to taste it again next year. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2021. 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