Martinelli

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/8/7

They’ve remodeled the TRL since we’ve been here last, and it’s quite beautiful. It’s much more focused on the tasting experience than before. I gave the wine a 7, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it seemed consistently over-priced. Seriously, if Sonoma wineries are going to claim that they are "Napa on a budget", then they should darn well act like it.

These grapes are typically grown in higher elevations, made unfiltered and unfined, with full malolactic fermentation. Their wines us the wild yeast off the skins for fermentation. In yet another way of making wines in the old style, they do not cold-stabilize.

2008 Charles Ranch Chardonnay $48/$/$33

Creamy, warm nose. Very oaky palate w/ melon and butter. Mild smokiness.

2007  Martinelli Road Chardonnay $48/$/$30

Grown in Russian River Valley. Very mineral palate with some creamy smooth mouthfeel. This is an enjoyable, but an anachronistic chardonnay. It’s light-bodied as focused on terroir as I’ve seen in a California chordonnay. It has hints of hazelnut that I’m not a fan of, but that’s just me.

2010 “Bella Vigna” Pinot Noir $40/$/$35

Mild spicy nose with mild body and thin strawberry, raspberry, and cinnamon.

2009 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir $60/$/$58

Grown in an alluvial soil with a shall clay layer. 

Rich, fleshy, full-bodied with perfect berry blend.  Tea and tobacco doesn’t hide from you on the palate. This is a wonderfully unique Pinot Noir. I broke my rule for this wine, but I don't feel too bad about paying more for it than my guilt-free price...it's close enough.

2008 Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir $60/$/$50

Black cherry cola on the nose. The palate surprises with cherry liquorice. This is another enjoyable wine with a long finish.

2008 Terra Felice Syrah $45/$/$34

This is not your earthy syrah, it’s all about the blackberry, plum, and mild tobacco, mostly on the palate, but somewhat on the nose, as well. This finish lasts forever.

2006 Lolita Ranch Syrah $75/$/$36

This is your meaty, more earthy syrah, when you stick your nose in it.  Grown at a really high elevation at a single vineyard.  There’s a note of ginger on the nose. The palate reverts to the blackberry and raspberry with some tobacco.

2008 Vigneto di Evo zinfandel $30/$/$25

Light-body zin with .5% residual sugar, that has notes of raspberry, cola, and figs. THIS wine you could actually call sweet...not that you would, really.