1996 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard

Representing the essence of Zinfandel, this wine boasts a dark saturated purple color, mind boggling fruit extract and concentration levels, compelling harmony and overall balance, particularly for a wine of such massive size, and a whoppingly long finish. The dominate characteristics are its blackberry/black raspberry/cherry liqueur-like flavors, voluptuous texture, and seamless integration of wood, alcohol, and acidity. I am not a great believer in the capability of Zinfandels to age, but this wine, although accessible now, should last well beyond a decade. Kudos to Turley! These are the Zinfandels of the 1996 vintage. Critics will whine that they are the most alcoholic wines of the vintage, and yes, they are among the most potent. Yet they are unequivocally the most complex, concentrated, and complete wines of the vintage - offering layers of flavor, extraordinary textures, and unbelievable balance. Readers must certainly be aware of the fact that they have become almost impossible to obtain because of their huge popularity. Zinfandels such as Turley's set the standards for other producers, and encourage people to search out old, head-pruned parcels of Zinfandel vines and treat them as they would Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir - with tender, loving care. Tasting these Zinfandels from bottle is a treat. Tel. (707) 963-0940

Jordan calls this one "the closer". Very dark ruby-red; slightly less vibrant color than the above. Knockout aromas of berries, vanilla, smoke, tobacco and gunflint; superripe but not raisiny. Velvety and tactile in the mouth; powerful but seamless. Very strong dark berry flavor. This fermented to dryness, according to Jordan, and in fact comes across as less sweet and more suave than a few of the above wines. Finishes with substantial but round tannins and a suggestion of earth. They don't make wine like this in France.