The 1997 Zinfandel Aida Vineyard (from 30-year old vines; 16.8% alcohol) is once again the Chateauneuf du Pape of northern California. This wine boasts an herbes de Provence, garrigue, peppery, black raspberry-scented, exotic nose that is eerily similar to a top-class Chateauneuf. The color is a saturated dark ruby/purple, and the wine unleashes its full power with layers of roasted meats, pepper, and jammy fruit flavors. This stunning Zinfandel will overload most tasters' olfactory sensors. Moreover, it should drink well for 7-8 years. As I have stated many times in the past, Turley Cellars' offerings have become the reference point for Zinfandel, as they are the most complex, concentrated, hedonistic wines ever produced from this varietal. Critics claim the alcohol levels are too high, but proprietor Larry Turley and his winemaker, Ehren Jordan, would argue that the alcohol levels are high only because they harvested fully ripe fruit. Turley and Jordan have also taken the art of wine making to a higher playing field. At the same time, they have resurrected a bevy of old head-pruned Zinfandel vineyards that had largely been ignored, or had their crops sold off to be unceremoniously blended into white Zinfandel. Turley Cellars' goal is to produce 10,000 cases of unfiltered, hand-crafted Zinfandel. As for the 1997 Zinfandels, Larry Turley feels they "are the best wines we have yet made." The wines are amazingly good, and as the following tasting notes suggest, readers could buy blind here and always end up with a juicy, complex, mouth filling Zinfandel. Tel. (707) 963-0940

The 1997 Zinfandel Aida Vineyard (from 30-year old vines; 16.8% alcohol) is once again the Chateauneuf du Pape of northern California. This wine boasts an herbes de Provence, garrigue, peppery, black raspberry-scented, exotic nose that is eerily similar to a top-class Chateauneuf. The color is a saturated dark ruby/purple, and the wine unleashes its full power with layers of roasted meats, pepper, and jammy fruit flavors. This stunning Zinfandel will overload most tasters' olfactory sensors. Moreover, it should drink well for 7-8 years. As I have stated many times in the past, Turley Cellars' offerings have become the reference point for Zinfandel, as they are the most complex, concentrated, hedonistic wines ever produced from this varietal. Critics claim the alcohol levels are too high, but proprietor Larry Turley and his winemaker, Ehren Jordan, would argue that the alcohol levels are high only because they harvested fully ripe fruit. Turley and Jordan have also taken the art of wine making to a higher playing field. At the same time, they have resurrected a bevy of old head-pruned Zinfandel vineyards that had largely been ignored, or had their crops sold off to be unceremoniously blended into white Zinfandel. Turley Cellars' goal is to produce 10,000 cases of unfiltered, hand-crafted Zinfandel. As for the 1997 Zinfandels, Larry Turley feels they "are the best wines we have yet made." The wines are amazingly good, and as the following tasting notes suggest, readers could buy blind here and always end up with a juicy, complex, mouth filling Zinfandel.Tel. (707) 963-0940

I was blown away by several bottles of this wine drunk on vacation in Maui. After spending three weeks in Asia tasting primarily French wines and Sake, they hit all the sweet spots on my palate. The finest effort yet from this vineyard, the 1996 is reminiscent of a phenomenal Chateauneuf du Pape. This wine continues to remind me of California's version of Henri Bonneau's Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins. With an alcohol content just above 15.5%, this full-bodied, meaty, dark ruby/purple-colored wine reveals celestial aromas of smoked duck, Provencal herbs, and pepper. On the palate, intense layers of glycerin-imbued, super-rich, chewy levels of extract are sensational. It is a blockbuster, decadently rich Zinfandel to drink over the next 7-8 years. 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

The 1995 Zinfandel Aida Vineyard (16.2% alcohol) is the finest Zinfandel Turley has yet produced from this terroir. More than any other Turley Zinfandel, this wine possesses a southern Rhone / Provencal / garrigue (that herbes de Provence, earthy concoction) personality that jumps from the glass. The color is a deep, dense, murky garnet. Jammy black-cherries, kirsch, strawberries, pepper, and earth make for one of the most complex smelling Zinfandels I have ever experienced. In the mouth, the wine is phenomenally rich, with no sense of flabbiness, high alcohol, or pruniness. It is an extraordinary, full-throttle Zinfandel that should be a benchmark for future Aida Vineyard Zinfandels. The wine's sumptuousness and low acidity suggest immediate drinkability, but this wine's massive richness indicates it will keep for 8 or more years. The 1995 Zinfandels are the products of extraordinary vineyards and genius winemaking - no doubt about it. Tel. (707) 963-0940