2003 Martinelli Pinot Noir Martinelli Vineyard Reserve
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Tasting notes
(15.8% alcohol) Saturated, bright ruby-red. Superripe but lively aromas of crushed blackberry, dark chocolate, licorice, violet and spices. Sweet, plush and creamy, with superripe flavors of black fruits and violet. Finishes with very ripe, chocolatey tannins. The exotic side of pinot noir. This vineyard was pulled up after the 2004 harvest in favor of condos.
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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A sad note is that the 2003 Pinot Noir Reserve’s vineyard, planted in 1975, was finally uprooted and the land sold for a new housing development. The 2003 offers notes of raspberry fruit intermixed with cherries, apple skin, pomegranate, and smoky oak. This full-bodied, concentrated wine has loads of acidity, but also intense richness, making it one of the most concentrated Reserves the Martinellis have produced. It is no shy wine, topping the scales at 15% alcohol, but it is amazing stuff with explosive aromatics. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Tel. (707) 525-0570; Fax (707) 525-9463
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.