2019 Turley Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard

This certified organic estate-owned vineyard in Paso Robles was planted in the 1920s on ancient marine calcareous soils. Though the vines are head-trained and dry-farmed, the soil plays the most important role in distinguishing this vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles. The wine is fermented with ambient yeast. Aged for 15 months in a mix of 80% used oak barrels, 20% new, of which 80% are French oak and 20% American. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Heady, sweet, berry nose with quite tart acidity sticking out. Quite a style to get used to but this is a faithful rendition of it. (JR)

The 2019 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard opens slowly to tar, red cherries, dried flowers and earth on the nose. Medium-bodied, the palate offers loads of fresh berry character with a soft, approachable, fresh structure and uplifted, perfumed finish. This has more to show with another year or two in bottle. 2,380 cases produced.

The 2019 Zinfandel Pesenti Vineyard is rich, exuberant and so expressive, with tons of Zinfandel character that just races out of the glass. Inky red fruit, rose petal, spice, mint and dried herbs all run through the Pesenti, a wine of unreal depth and textural intensity. At the same time, the Pesenti remains silky and so polished. The slightly lower acid profile works especially well here.