2020 Martinelli Chardonnay Martinelli Road
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Chardonnay Martinelli Road has lush aromas of baked peaches, honeysuckle, allspice and pie crust. The medium-bodied palate has a creamy texture and rounded acidity with concentrated, spicy fruit and a long, layered finish. There's the slightest touch of bitterness here that doesn't detract from the wine, although I'd drink it over the short term. 296 cases were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Chardonnay Martinelli Road is gorgeous. Rich, creamy and super-expressive, the Martinelli Road is a terrific wine in this vintage. White orchard fruit, jasmine, dried flowers, mint and a touch of sweet spice build in the glass. This is nicely done.
From vines planted in 1989, the 2020 Chardonnay Martinelli Road pours a youthful straw/silver color. Smoky incense lifts from the glass, with notes of wet stone, lemon curd, fresh chive, and pear. Medium to full-bodied, with a rounded mouthfeel and good focus and depth, its core of fresh acidity, includes notes of ripe, tropical peach, quince, and tangerine. It’s long on the palate, with toasted spice on the finish. Drink 2023-2030. One of the most historic names in Sonoma, the Martinellis are sixth-generation winegrowers based in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Prolific farmers, all of their wines come from estate-grown fruit, with 90% of the grapes sold off to other wineries. In addition to focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they also produce Zinfandel, Syrah, and Muscat of Alexandria. Courtney Robinett Wagoner joined the team in 2015 as the assistant winemaker before being promoted to winemaker in 2017.
About the producer
Martinelli is a Sonoma benchmark for vineyard-designate bottlings—wines built to highlight how strongly a single site can shape Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Across the range, the focus stays consistent: small-production bottlings that feel distinctly tied to where they’re grown.