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The 2007 Chardonnay
Zio Tony Ranch offers lovely notes of honeysuckle,
white citrus, and nectarines, a layered mouth feel, a
full-bodied richness, and a dry, heady finish. No other
2007 Chardonnays were presented for tasting.
I saw
four 2007 Pinot Noirs. The 2007 Pinot Noir Moonshine
Ranch (created from Dijon Clones 113, 114, and 115)
exhibits broad plum, cherry, and clove-like scents,
medium to full body, soft tannins, and an attractive
fruit intensity. It is reminiscent of a premier cur
from the Cote de Beaune. Enjoy it over the next several
years. The outstanding 2007 Pinot Noir Lolita Ranch
(made from Dijon Clones 667 and 777) reveals notes of
forest floor, blueberries, black cherries, and crushed
rocks. It is full-bodied with deep, broad savory
flavors, ripe tannin, outstanding length and purity, and
a lush finish. It should drink well for 5-7 years.
Another impressive effort is the dark ruby-hued 2007
Pinot Noir Zio Tony Ranch. Sweet cherry, raspberry
and spice box as well as a mineral component are present
in this dark ruby-colored wine. Full-bodied and nicely
layered with good purity, depth, and equilibrium, it can
be drunk over the next 5-6 years. Always the most
complex for my olfactory senses is the Pinot Noir
Blue Slide Ridge. The 2007, made from
Dijon clones 667, 777, and 115,
exhibits DRC-like aromas of blue and black fruits,
raspberries, cherries, forest floor, and spring
flowers. Full-bodied, opulent, broad, and seductive,
this lush, heady Pinot can be enjoyed over the next 7-8
years.
Martinelli’s Zinfandel portfolio continues to grow, with
as many as five different offerings now available. The
2006 and 2007 Jackass Hill Vineyard cuvees were not
tasted at this visit. However, the other four wines I
tasted, all from steep hillside vineyard sites with the
newer plantings planted from bud wood of both the
Jackass hill and Jackass Vineyards, were brilliant.
They are among the fullest-bodied most distinctive
Zinfandels made in California. The dark ruby/purple
tinged 2007 Zinfandel Giuseppe and Luisa offers
sweet aromas of plums, roasted meats, pepper, kirsch,
roasted herbs, and figs. This deep, dense, full-bodied
effort is a singular, hedonistic style of Zinfandel that
should provide immense pleasure over the next 5-6
years. Absolutely brilliant, the 2007 Zinfandel
Vellutini Ranch (a new 7-acre parcel planted with
the Jackass Clone) boasts a dense purple color as well
as a gorgeous nose of smoked game, roasted herbs,
kirsch, black raspberries, plums and figs. Meaty, gamy,
powerful, and full-bodied with extravagant fruit and
depth, this is a sensational Zinfandel to drink over the
next 5-7 years. From a steep hillside vineyard, the
2007 Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard reveals enormous
quantities of pepper, fruitcake, mincemeat, roasted
herbs, black and red fruits, a tremendous smokiness, and
an unctuous texture with amazing viscosity as well as
richness. There are slightly fewer than 400 cases of
this beauty, which should drink well for a decade or
more.
I tasted five impressive Syrahs from the
2006 vintage, a year that turned out to be very
successful for this varietal in the Russian River. The
2006 Syrah Lolita Ranch exhibits smoky,
blackberry, and meaty characteristics, high tannins, but
fabulously concentrated fruit that offers notes of
tapenade, chocolate, and Chinese black tea. A tannic
finish suggests another 1-2 years of bottle age will be
beneficial. This cuvee should easily last for a
decade. A dense purple color as well as notions of
bacon fat/lard, flowers, licorice, and blackberries
characterize the 2006 Syrah Zio Tony Ranch.
Full-bodied, powerful, and backward, it needs several
years of bottle age, and should keep for 8-10 years.
From a vineyard planted in rocky soils, the 2006
Syrah Hop
Camp Vineyard
(the debut release for this wine) is a backward, tannic,
northern Rhone-like Syrah offering hints of
charcuterie/cured meats, black fruits, roasted herbs,
and leather. This full-bodied, powerful effort requires
2-3 years of cellaring, and should be consumed over the
following 10-15. The outstanding 2006 Syrah Chico’s
Hill displays enormous quantities of concentrated
blackberries, incense, roasted herbs, coffee bean, and
meatiness. It is a huge wine to drink over the next 10
years. Lastly, the 2006 Syrah Hop Barn Hill,
from the rocky slopes near the winery, is another
northern Rhone look-alike, with notes of bacon fat,
roasted meats, and bouquet gami. Dense and
full-bodied, with hints of black olive, camphor, and
earth, this is an intriguing but backward style of Syrah
that needs several years of bottle age and should drink
nicely for 10-15+ years.
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