Winemaker Notes
Savory red fruits, wafts of dark perfume and spicy mint leaves. Wafts of appealing herbs and black tea with a hint of tangerine leaf. The core of the wine is very dark, and the palate has excellent depth with pleasantly textured tannins balanced by vivacious acidity.
Larry took one sip, sighed and said, “This makes me want to cook lamb!” Drinking well now (especially with the aforementioned lamb) and will stay fresh in the cellar thanks to the bracing acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The Lodi AVA has been gaining prominence as one of the top Zinfandel growing regions, and the 2018 Turley Kirschenmann is a top performer. TASTING NOTES: This wine is outstanding. Its persistent and generous aromas and flavors of blackberries and earth show up with excellent palate presence. Pair it with a savory lamb stew. (Tasted: January 30, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Zinfandel Kirschenmann Vineyard, medium ruby-purple in color, begins with notes of tar over a core of earthy black fruits. The palate is medium-bodied, soft and juicy with uncomplicated flavors and an uplifted finish.
Unapologetically bold, spice-driven and jammy, Zinfandel has secured its title as the darling of California vintners by adapting well to the state's diverse microclimates and landscapes. Born in Croatia, it later made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. Fortunately, the imperial nursery of Vienna catalogued specimens of the vine, and it later made its way to New England in 1829. Parading the true American spirit, Zinfandel found a new home in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Somm Secret—California's ancient vines of Zinfandel are those that survived the neglect of Prohibition; today these vines produce the most concentrated, ethereal and complex examples.
Positioned between the San Francisco Bay and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the Lodi appellation, while relatively far inland, is able to maintain a classic Mediterranean climate featuring warm, sunny days and cool evenings. This is because the appellation is uniquely situated at the end of the Sacramento River Delta, which brings chilly, afternoon “delta breezes” to the area during the growing season.
Lodi is a premier source of 100+ year old ancient Zinfandel vineyards—some dating back as far as 1888! With low yields of small berries, these heritage vines produce complex and bold wines, concentrated in rich and voluptuous, dark fruit.
But Lodi doesn’t just produce Zinfandel; in fact, the appellation produces high quality wines from over 100 different grape varieties. Among them are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc as well as some of California's more rare and unique grapes. Lodi is recognized as an ideal spot for growing Spanish varieties like Albarino and Tempranillo, Portugese varieties—namely Touriga Nacional—as well as many German, Italian and French varieties.
Soil types vary widely among Lodi’s seven sub-appellations (Cosumnes River, Alta Mesa, Deer Creek Hills, Borden Ranch, Jahant, Clements Hills and Mokelumne River). The eastern hills are clay-based and rocky and in the west, along the Mokelumne and Cosumnes Rivers, sandy and mineral-heavy soils support the majority of Lodi’s century-old own-rooted Zinfandel vineyards. Unique to Lodi are pink Rocklin-Jahant loam soils, mainly found in the Jahant sub-appellation.