Turdo Vineyard September ’26

Our day began very inauspiciously-rain and threats of flooding, and very dark clouds looming above. I was hoping to pick up an allotment on the way to Cape May, with Turdo being the last stop on our projected trip to Exit Zero. We decided to take a chance and looked forward to bringing home some great wines. We were pleasantly surprised when half way there, the sun showed its reluctant face. Our day had just begun and our luck kept getting better. We arrived and were greeted by Ed Anderson, our friend and server, and Sara, co-owner and whose presence and charm has helped give visitors the feeling of warmth and friendship that has meant so much to those who have visited over the years.

The Tasting

We weren’t sure if we were going to even do a tasting. We went from that premise to trying any new vintage reds to tasting all the reds available. It’s hard to say no to any of their wines, especially the reds. That said, here are a few highlights…

• 2024 Turis Barbera-Another excellent vintage with strawberry and tart cherry notes, with bright acidity.
• 2024 Turis Nero D’Avola-Their signature red wine continues to impress with bold flavors of dark fruit, medium plus body, and a smooth finish.
• 2023 Turis Sangiovese-Always one of my faves here. I was disappointed that the 2022 had sold out, but the 2023 did not disappoint (especially since it was fairly recently bottled). Their Sangiovese consistently has a robust flavor (red currant and cherry) with a bit more body and will hold its own compared to some of the best Chianti Classicos.
• 2022 Turis Merlot-Merlot has gotten a bad rep ever since the movie, “Sideways.” This is a very good vintage and offers raspberry and plum on the palate and super smooth tannins.
• 2023 Turis Cabernet Sauvignon-Fairly recently bottled, but already excellent, with bold flavors of black cherry and currants and hints of vanilla from the 26 months it spent in French oak. This one won’t hang around long!
• 2022 Turis Nebbiolo-Their premium red. It is a delightful, medium plus-bodied, version that if produced in the Piedmont region of Italy, could be called a Barbaresco. It is aged in new 500 liter barrels, then bottle-aged for another year. If I didn’t already have a couple of bottles of this great wine in my cellar, I would definitely have brought one home. Next time, hopefully.

For most of our time tasting, we were the only customers, but as we were enjoying our last pour, Sal entered the tasting room and we started to discuss their long, successful venture with this wonderful vineyard and winery. Around the same time a couple of other customers arrived, and Sara asked if we would like to have a glass of wine and sit on their lovely patio with them and “catch up”. How could we say no?

Wine & Chat

Ed poured me a glass of their Cab, while my wife requested a glass of their Barbera. Luckily it was not crowded and Ed held down the fort, while Sara and Sal, Carol, and I had a very nice chat about family and wine. From our first encounter with Sara and Sal (around 20 years ago) we found them to be such a warm and charming couple who loved meeting people and sharing their wine experiences at their lovely winery. When we first met Sal, he seemed to be quiet, if not shy (something I could relate to). But, some of that was due to how hard he was working and seldom taking a moment to chat. But once you get him on the topic of wine, he genuinely enjoys sharing his knowledge. I wish I had taped parts of our conversation, as he shared so much knowledge that I did not want to miss any of it.

Though the winery is still for sale, there are not any significant offers at this time. But they seem resolved to continue making the best wine around until they do sell the winery. The same work ethic, the same positive attitude, and the same awesome wine year after year! We will try to get back here again before they close for the season.

Our Take Aways

Coming Attractions

• Autumn Lake Winery Fall ’26
• Auburn Road Vineyards Fall ’26
• Cedar Rose Vineyards Fall ’26
• Beneduce Vineyards Fall ’26
• Terroir New Jersey Showcase

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