2010 Turley Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard

Turley’s 2010 Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard, from one of the top sites in Paso Robles, strikes a gorgeous stylistic middle ground. Complex and beautiful, the 2010 possesses gorgeous mid-palate pliancy while remaining light on its feet. Blackberries, plums and exotic spices are all layered into the round, perfumed finish. I can’t wait to see how this ages. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. 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

(15.8% alcohol): Dark red. Knockout aromas of dark fruit cocktail, crushed rock and licorice, along with a whiff of exotic fruits. Dense and saline on entry, then chewy and deep in the middle, with pungent minerality giving punch to the smooth blackberry flavor. Wonderfully expansive yet focused zinfandel, conveying a powerful impression of rocky minerality. The impressively long, palate-staining finish features great penetration and ripe, fine-grained tannins. Disturbingly good zinfandel