Turley Zinfandel California Old Vines 2009

Good bright red-ruby color. Lively aromas of black fruits, licorice and bitter chocolate. Creamy and pliant in the middle palate, with nicely concentrated sweet berry flavors. Not yet especially complex but shows a bit more clarity and concentration than the young-vines version. Finishes with very good definition and lift.

Another generic blend made from lots culled from the single vineyard Zinfandels is the 2007 Zinfandel Old Vines. It is a softer, slightly fuller offering than the Juvenile, with blacker fruits, and notes of damp earth, plums, and pepper. Ripe and fleshy, it is best consumed over the next 3-5 years.

Dense and rather overripe, showing aromas of dried cherry and cracked pepper, with briary blueberry, sage and licorice flavors that finish with rustic tannins. Drink now through 2013.

Slightly hazy medium red. Deeper on the nose but less vibrant and more carnal than the Juvenile, offering black cherry, minerals, black pepper, flowers and a whiff of meat. More serious but less fruity and sweet; a deeper and more structured wine but a bit drier and warmer on the back end. I preferred the Juvenile for its sweet fruit.

Jammy and elegant, yet at the core there's a dense and complex structure. Aromas of smoky black raspberry lead to rich, ripe plum, toasty licorice and cinnamon flavors that finish with supple tannins. Drink now through 2017.

A bit on the wild side, showing tart plum, toasty oak and roasted anise aromas, with bold flavors of cherry and cracked pepper that balance tart acidity and burly tannins. Drink now through 2012. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Made from parcels culled out from the single vineyard lots and blended with some tiny parcels that are too small to bottle on their own, the 2008 Zinfandel Old Vines is a fuller effort displaying a deep ruby/plum color along with a big, sweet bouquet of gamy roasted herbs, sweet cherries and berries, plush, heady flavors, and a luscious finish. It should drink well for 3-4 years.