Trying on the White Coat

Turley (Web site under construction) is well known for its thick, gnarly zins.  To be honest, I've steered away from Turley wines in the past (especially considering the sign in my local wine shop:  "One bottle of Turley per customer").  Of course, everyone now must have their own precious bottle of Turley.  I haven't wanted to add to the mania.  Couple this with the fact that my palette isn't necessarily suited to gigantic wine.  However, during recent wine shop visits, I noticed an untouched column of Turley's White Coat, which didn't seem to share in the zin/red wine cachét

I bit.  And purchased a bottle of the 2003 vintage White Coat.  Then I let it sit in the wine cabinet for a few months.  Finally on Sunday night, I was all red wine-d out.  I decided to try on the white coat...

The Skinny
Turley White Coat 2003 ($20) ['01 vintage available via online auction here]

• From San Luis Obispo County
• A blend of the white Rhône trio: Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier
• Day-glo yellow gold with a very narrow watery rim
• High volume scents of yogurt, baked apple, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and earth
• Based on the wine's color & scents, I was expecting one full-bodied mutha.  Indeed, White Coat is full-bodied, yet not painfully so.  It's also notably viscous, with (thankfully) enough acidity to pull itself up by the bootstraps and get off my tongue.  I detected flavors of Golden Delish apples, cream, and vanilla.  The Coat bids adieu with a fairly lengthy finish

**** (4 stars out of 5)

I surprised myself and quite enjoyed this bold & beautiful California wine.  I was further surprised that the wine paired nicely with lightly breaded roasted pork loin, truffle-infused polenta, and sautéed butternut squash with shallots & sage.  Perhaps some of the Turley hype is warranted...

Comments

[WineGoddess]

I loved the 2001 White Coat (diddo on most Turley wines that I've tried). But I'll always hold something against them because they were the only tasting room (of about a dozen) that charged me a tasting fee during my Paso Robles visit last year, even though I was on a "trade" visit. Not even a trade discount if I wanted to purchase a bottle. Funny how little things stick with you...

[beau]

I was similarly put off by the obnoxious 1-per-customer sign.

They must be mighty confident that the trade/press are completely in love with their vino.

[inexperienced]

If you find "1 per customer" signs obnoxious, then what's your solution to this scenario?:
Two individuals huddling in front of a set of ball-room doors, preventing even the staff from coming and going, in order to rush the on-site store (this at a wine festival) and buy all ten cases of a particular wine. In fact, the wine reps are pouring the wine at the first Grand Tasting, telling the unknowing that they simply have to "walk across the hall" to buy some of that delicious juice they're sampling.....I don't know who is worse, the self-centred customers or those obnoxious retailers you refer to...well, ole' boy, I'm all ears....