2010 Martinelli Chardonnay Charles Ranch

Bright yellow. Pungent aromas of lemon curd, dried flowers and buttered toast. Rich, full and palate-staining, offering exotic fruit flavors complicated by notes of vanilla and anise. Finishes broad, dry and very long, with resonating spice and floral notes.

Martinelli’s 2010 Chardonnay Charles Ranch wraps around the palate with ripe passion fruit, butter, lemon oil, pastry and white flowers. Rich and voluptuous, the 2010 impresses for its overall balance. Here the slightly warm micro-climate gives the fruit an additional breadth and volume that is unusual for the Sonoma Coast but that works beautifully here. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Ask the locals in Sonoma who the most meticulous farmers are in the region, and one answer comes back with astonishing frequency -- Martinelli. Originally from Lucca, Italy, Giuseppe Martinelli and his family were attracted to hillside sites that reminded them of their native Tuscany. Ironically, many of the locals thought those places were too steep and hard to work, but time has proven Martinelli had a keen understanding of sites. Today, these are recognized as some of the finest vineyards in California. The Martinelli family still sells most of their grape to other wineries, but they also vinify and bottle a small amount of their production. As always, these are big, rich wines built on opulence. The Martinelli approach seems to work best with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I find the Syrahs less interesting, as Martinelli’s philosophical approach to harvest very late seems to blur some of the differences among vineyards, which is a shame. That is especially evident in a vintage like 2009, which yielded plenty of richness on its own. The 2010 Zinfandels are also inconsistent, but here it is the huge heat spikes late in the season that compromised the crop and the overall quality of the vintage. Martinelli lost 50% of their Zinfandel crop that year. The resulting wines, while excellent when taken on their own, aren’t quite at the level long-time Martinelli fans expect. The Martinelli wines remain unique within the broad landscape that is Sonoma. At their best, these wines are stunning. Tel. (707) 525-0570