Today we turn our attention to a brand new winery out of Sonoma. I have never had these wines and was massively impressed with the winemaking here. The Chardonnays have a beginning, middle and end — and quite frankly all end with glorious length. They are dense and heady but also possess a weightless quality.
Formerly with Rivers-Marie, winemaker Jidhin Ramankutty packed his bags and moved to California to pursue winemaking. His new wines are sensational. I love the 2024 Turnstile ‘Confluere’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is very heady and dense stuff, with terrific freshness. Learn more at https://turnstilecellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Turnstile wines.
2024 Turnstile ‘Saisei’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Saisei’ comes from the Purrington Rued Vineyard. This comes off soft and velvety on the palate, offering dense pineapple and mango notes that collide with vanilla cream and buttered French bread. This is seriously delicious stuff in its heady youth. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2024 Turnstile ‘White Dragonfly’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘White Dragonfly’ was sourced from a range of sites across Sonoma County. Salted cantaloupe and brioche tones combine with shortbread notes on the palate. Rich and viscous, with good underlying freshness, length and salty nuances, enjoy now and over the next six plus years. Drink 2025-2031- 93
2024 Turnstile ‘Confluere’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Confluere’ was sourced from the Scopus Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. This is a dense and heady effort, loaded with intense tropical fruits, alongside vanilla creme brûlée and hints of ginger. Full-bodied, showing great depth, freshness and a lengthy finish, enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 94