For many years I have admired stops at Turnbull, one of Napa’s landmark wineries. Turnbull has been perched in the Napa Valley for the past 35 years. Today the winery owns over 200 acres in the Napa Valley and produces approximately 30,000 cases per year. Their original co-founder William Turnbull was an architect from the San Francisco Bay Area and designed his winery as well as many others including part of Cakebread Cellars. Later in 1993 Patrick O’Dell purchased Turnbull Johnson and renamed the winery to Turnbull Cellars. At the helm is Peter Heitz who is a fourth generation vintner. Peter applied his trade at Beringer, crafting some world class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon under the guidance of legendary winemaker Ed Sbragia, before coming to Turnbull more than a decade ago.
The new Cabernets from 2019 were extraordinarily good. Their 2021 wines have serious promise as I adored the 2021 Turnbull ‘Amines’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 96) which has beautiful stuffing and verve —easily a 20 year wine. These are beautiful wines that are not to be missed. Learn more at www.turnbullwines.com Here are my reviews of the new Turnbull wines.
2021 Turnbull ‘Amoenus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The stunning 2021 Turnbull ‘Amoenus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this site set n the Oakville AVA which spans two valleys and ridgelines. The wine is a barrel selection of 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon from this site. The wine is saturated and fat on the tongue with layers of creme de cassis, anise, pencil lead and violets. Showing great viscosity, verve and length, this will live on for at least another twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2044- 96
2019 Turnbull ‘Leopoldina Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Sourced from this site in the Oakville appellation, the 2019 Turnbull ‘Leopoldina Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows beautiful range on the nose with potpourri and Asian spices that mingle with ripe dark currants and tobacco leaf. The luxurious texture coats the palate, as the wine delivers rich mocha, tar, frhesly tilled soils and wild blackberry cordial flavors. This is exceedingly good to consume even in its tension-filled youth. Drink 2024-2040- 95
2019 Turnbull ‘Amoenus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The alluring 2019 Turnbull ‘Amoenus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon bursts out of the glass with boysbeerry coulis, linzer torte and sweet pipe tobacco aromas alongside shades of Arabica bean. Very heady aromatically, once on the mouth this revels in its seamless texture and glorious sense of length, with scorched earth and faint red bell pepper undertones alongside a deep core of black fruits. Very refined tannins hold everything nicely in place. Utterly stunning to consume now, this will live on for at least another twenty years to come. Drink 2024-2042- 96
2019 Turnbull ‘Fortuna Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A delicious wine already now at the three year mark, the 2019 Turnbull ‘Fortuna Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon surely will live on for another two decades. Soft and supple on the mouth and loaded with dense black fruits, espresso grounds, loamy soils pencil lead, tar and exotic spices, this polished and voluptuous wine really needs an hour of air if consuming now. Drink 2024-2042- 95