2010 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard

The 2010 Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard shows how hard this vintage was. An initial blast of fruit falls short on the mid-palate, which doesn’t have a ton of depth. Unpolished tannins and noticeable alcohol are other signs of the challenging vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2022. 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

Bright ruby. Explosively perfumed, highly complex nose displays an array of dark berry and floral scents, along with notes of candied flowers, anise and cracked pepper. On the palate, intense blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are complemented by suggestions of five-spice powder and licorice candy. Refuses to let go on the finish, where the spice and floral qualities strongly repeat.