2018 Martinelli Syrah Hop Barn Hill
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Syrah Hop Barn Hill offers alluring violet and lilac aromas, with lush cassis fruit and accents of tar, earth and aniseed emerging over time in the glass. The full-bodied palate is incredibly plush, classy, spiced and nuanced, and it finishes with tremendous depth of flavor. This hedonistic California Syrah deserves plenty more time in bottle. Only 54 cases were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Syrah Hop Barn Hill is a powerhouse, and yet all the elements are so well balanced. Readers should expect a dark, potent Syrah with huge tannins and tons of structure. Super-ripe black fruit, gravel, smoke, menthol, chocolate and spice all run through this decidedly virile Syrah. This clay-rich soils in the Santa Rosa Plain district produces a decidedly large-scaled wine. The 2018 is an especially fine edition.
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.