Turley Wine Cellars Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard 2009

94-96 WA

Notes:

It was difficult to chose a favorite although the 2009 Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Ridge, Hayne Vineyard and Library Vineyard are the three greatest in terms of concentration, depth and potential complexity. As I have said so many times, Petite Sirah is by far the most underrated varietal in California, so it is reassuring to see how many producers continue to make remarkable wines with around 13-14% alcohol as well as 20-40+ years of aging potential. Robert Parker 94-96

Recently Sampled and absolutely stunning!

Producer: Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by Larry Turley and has become one of California's leading specialists in old-vine vineyards. While the winery is best known for Zinfandel, it also produces several highly regarded Petite Sirah bottlings sourced from historic vineyards throughout California. Since 2013, the estate has been led by winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, who has further strengthened Turley's commitment to preserving old-vine sites through sustainable and organic farming. Today, the winery farms more than fifty vineyards, many exceeding fifty to one hundred years of age. Turley's philosophy centers on expressing vineyard character rather than cellar influence. Fruit is harvested by hand, fermentations are carried out with native yeasts, and élevage relies primarily on neutral French oak barrels to avoid excessive oak imprint. Minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar allows each site to retain its individual identity. The winery has also become a leader in preserving California's historic vineyards, many of which might otherwise have been replanted to more commercially productive varieties.

Vineyard: Hayne Vineyard is one of California's most historic and respected Petite Sirah sites. Located on the western side of St. Helena at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, the vineyard was originally planted by the Hayne family in the nineteenth century and later expanded under the ownership of the Wyman family. The vineyard's well-drained gravelly loam and alluvial soils, combined with Napa Valley's warm days and cool evenings, provide ideal conditions for fully ripening Petite Sirah while maintaining freshness and structural balance. Much of the vineyard is planted to mature vines dating to the late 1940s and early 1950s, producing naturally low yields and highly concentrated fruit. Hayne has long been considered one of the benchmark sources of Petite Sirah in California, consistently producing wines of exceptional depth, longevity, and complexity.

Winemaking: The fruit for the 2009 Hayne Vineyard Petite Sirah was harvested entirely by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Turley favors gentle extraction techniques to preserve aromatic complexity while allowing Petite Sirah's naturally abundant tannins and color to develop without excessive manipulation. Following fermentation, the wine matured for approximately fifteen months in predominantly neutral French oak barrels, minimizing the influence of new oak while preserving the vineyard's character. The 2009 growing season produced fruit with excellent concentration balanced by fresh acidity, allowing the wine to combine richness with structure. Bottling occurred without excessive fining or filtration, consistent with Turley's low-intervention philosophy.

Food Pairing: Pair with smoked brisket, grilled ribeye, braised beef short ribs, venison, bison, wild boar, barbecue, slow-roasted lamb shoulder, or hard aged cheeses such as aged Gouda or Cheddar. The wine's dense fruit, firm tannic structure, and savory complexity also complement black pepper-crusted steaks, roasted mushrooms, and dishes featuring rosemary, thyme, or smoky spice.

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