Turley graduated from
Cornell's agricultural school in the 1970s, and moved to the Napa Valley, landing at
Robert Mondavi's lab. She was one of the first winemakers in California to use cold soaks and to focus on harvesting phenolically ripe fruit so as to make the wine as natural as possible. "Don't get in the way of the wine," Turley drilled in her pupils and mentees; "If you've got the right vineyard—the right grapes—you can make great wine." At one point, Turley simultaneously made wines for Colgin, Bryant, Turley, Martinelli, Pahlmeyer, Green & Red, Harrison, La Jota, Landmark and Canepa, as well her and husband John Wetlaufer's own label, Marcassin. Some of her early triumphs came with the Napa Valley Cabernets of Bryant and Colgin, which shared her signature style of bold and extracted flavors underscored by finesse, polish and refinement. Turley is also credited with helping raise the quality of Chardonnay in both
Napa and
Sonoma. With Marcassin, and the wines she made for Martinelli, Turley was instrumental in putting
Sonoma Coast on the map. ==Lawsuits==