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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.1 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 48 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Spar on 4/28/2020 & rated 92 points: Dark cherry, full bodied pinot with a rustic finish. Very enjoyable! (1346 views) | | | Tasted by Cshowalter on 3/12/2018 & rated 91 points: It was delightful (1790 views) | | | Tasted by dlduchon on 9/12/2015 & rated 70 points: No Pinot or Burgundy qualities. Taste like a tired Zinfandel with too much oak. Hint of Hi C mixed with everclear. Fruit punch on the nose. Not a fan of this style. (2863 views) | | | Tasted by Jonathan T on 8/21/2014 & rated 89 points: Not quite as good as the previous bottle. A head-scratcher, considering the last bottle was only a few months ago. Still pretty and delicious, but tasting more like a "generic" Martinelli pinot without the rustic character I previously experienced and enjoyed. This is from a half-bottle (same as last time), and better stemware was used. Medium-to-full bodied that held up well to dried-aged sirloin with chimichurri sauce. (3604 views) | | | Tasted by lewisrise on 3/1/2014 & rated 91 points: Nose of spiced cranberry and wet cedar. Cherry cola with mint on the finish. (3913 views) | | | Tasted by Jonathan T on 2/20/2014 & rated 92 points: This was really quite a surprise. From my experiences with Martinelli's pinots, the Zio Tony Ranch seems to vary the most from vintage to vintage of all of Martinelli's vineyards. I've experienced the full range from ethereal beauties to hot messes. This 2007 is a more savoy, meatier style of pinot noir. Full-bodied and textural seamless. One tasting note suggested a Burgundian nose, and I absolutely agree. This reminds me of a premier cru Gevrey-Chambertin that begs to be paired with beef bourguignon. I never thought Burgundian to describe a Martinelli pinot, especially one made by Helen Turley (I believe this was her last vintage). (3141 views) | | | Tasted by le fouloir on 2/15/2014 & rated 92 points: Excellent Russian River pinot. First time I had tasted Martinelli. It competed well with my favorites from the region. There was much life left in this vintage as well. (2703 views) | | | Tasted by twoamps on 8/12/2013 & rated 94 points: another one of my Martinelli favorites. Ready to drink, but could have gone a bit longer. Dark red. Gobs of fruit but not too jammy, mellow tannins, good acid. Nothing wrong at all. (2283 views) | | | Tasted by DoubleD1969 on 2/4/2013 & rated 88 points: Drank over the weekend and without food. On Day 1, the wine showed characteristics that were atypical of pinots from the area. Beautiful aromas of sweet red berry fruit, fully integrated tannins, smooth, and easy to drink. On Day 2, the wine became more of a fruit bomb, gained more body, and took on some chocolate raisin notes. I could probably take this to a blind tasting of zins and will probably pass as one. (2544 views) | | | Tasted by Haggis on 1/21/2013 & rated 91 points: This is a delicious pinot, and one that is worth holding onto if you can resist the temptation to open it now. I drank this over the course of 2 days. On day 1, this was lithe and dancing on its toes. Great expression of cherry, strawberry, and a bit of cinnamon and clove on the back end. I am NOT a fan of Martinelli's zins and syrahs (as they are over-extracted and overly "hot"), but their pinots are something else. I was tempted to polish off the bottle, but decided to hold 1/3 for the following day. By day 2, this had added a bit more weight, with some earthiness beginning to emerge, along with licorice. Whatever heat there had been on day 1 (and it was relatively modest) was reduced on the second day. I'm certain that this will only "improve" with another year or two in the cellar. (2055 views) | | | Tasted by gmat5497 on 12/25/2012 & rated 92 points: Very nice. Just keeps getting better. (1975 views) | | | Tasted by kurishin on 12/25/2012 & rated 90 points: Strawberries on the palate, finish is slightly alcoholic. Some bacon fat in the finish, too, and there was a herbaceous quality to the palate, too. Excellent for what it is but not for old school Burgundy fans. (2015 views) | | | Tasted by rgkresek on 12/8/2012 & rated 93 points: Still lots of fruit. Well balanced. Glad I have another bottle in the cellar. (1623 views) | | | Tasted by Holagatitos on 6/21/2012 & rated 93 points: Outstanding wine--really humming along right now. (1660 views) | | | Tasted by DMerrill on 2/4/2012 & rated 91 points: My favorite of the Martinelli Pinot Noir continues to be the Blue Slide Ranch. The wine, however, surprised and delighted everyone. Cherries and Strawberries on the nose with a delicate and soft fruity texture. Yummy with a grilled lobster tail and asparagus risotto. (1871 views) | | | Tasted by Didman on 2/1/2012 & rated 92 points: Lots of fruit and wonderful nose. Delightful with grilled pork chop with an apple cider reduction. (1829 views) | | | Tasted by 2loyal on 12/27/2011 & rated 92 points: Surprisingly Burgundian nose, with decidedly red fruit on the soft palate. Very sweet, rich and silky, with well-concealed alcohol. Seemed more like a Rochioli than a Martinelli. Delicious! (2025 views) | | | Tasted by PSUSteve on 10/17/2011 & rated 92 points: Nose of strawberry and red fruit Smooth as silk and rich. Full of red fruit layered and balanced. (2303 views) | | | Tasted by plitton on 8/28/2011 & rated 91 points: Rich, intense and sweet. Very well made. Drank well post dinner. Still not one I'd seek out but glad to have tried it. (2535 views) | | | Tasted by Scharin on 7/14/2011 & rated 92 points: Nose of blackberry and moss. Blueberry and cherry cola palate with nice weight (viscosity). Really nice wine - would have been a 94 if it weren't for the heat from the alcohol. (2364 views) | | | Tasted by Tom Warden on 5/3/2011 & rated 93 points: Sad to see this one go...wonderful balance...even better after being decanted for an hour. (2571 views) | | | Tasted by gdistasi on 3/5/2011 & rated 90 points: More earthy and refined than I remember from the tasting room. Decanted an hour and found it to be balanced with exotic red fruits, good acidity and earth. Drinking really well right now. (2788 views) | | | Tasted by winepups on 9/18/2010 & rated 91 points: a bit darker and heavier than i usually prefer in a pinit, but still very good with clear room to age for a while (3119 views) | | | Tasted by tp096255 on 9/14/2010 & rated 93 points: COLOR: Garnet.
NOTE: Nose is more licorice than Bondi Home Ranch. Mouth is very rich & extracted. More my style.
DECANT:
GLASS USED: Bordeaux
TASTE: 9.3
COST: 60
VALUE: 7.0
PREVIOUSLY TASTED:
TRY AGAIN:
PAIRING: (3374 views) | | | Tasted by stocksandbondage on 8/24/2010 & rated 90 points: Earthier and funkier than the 2006 Zio Tony PN that we had it with. Nice complexity. (3214 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Martinelli Producer website
All of the Martinelli Estate vineyards are farmed by Lee Martinelli, Sr., and sons Lee, Jr., and George Martinelli. The wines are made by our winemaker, Helen Turley, and assistant winemaker, Bryan Kvamme. These handcrafted wines are un-fined, un-filtered, neither cold nor heat stabilized and may contain naturally occurring sediment.2007 Martinelli Pinot Noir Zio Tony RanchThe "Zio Tony Ranch" is named after my father’s uncle whom was the first in the Bondi family to be born on American soil. Zio Tony was the son of Paolo Antoni Bondi and Adele Gemma Cardellini, who emigrated from Italy in the late 1800's, and immediately set up farming potatoes. In one year they saved enough money raising potatoes to purchase the apple ranch on which Tony was born and where he and his sister, Alma, were raised. Zio Tony, Zio meaning 'uncle' in Italian and pronounced 'tseo', was a very charismatic man with a big booming voice whom loved a good time. His big handsome smile is still legendary in the old farming community of western Sonoma County. He was the entrepreneur of the family and began buying individual properties and planting apple trees, eventually establishing the largest apple orchard in the county. When Tony passed away in 1969 his nephew, Lee Martinelli, Sr., inherited the estate. The love of his family's heritage land was too great for my father to sell the property and in one short season Lee went from High School teacher to Apple Farmer.
The market for apples in Sonoma County eventually grew unbearably soft and the Zio Tony Ranch has gradually made the transformation from apples to grapes. Keeping with our family heritage we have preserved a large grove of the old thick-trunked Gravenstein apple trees. Bursting with flavor, the Grav’s are the best in the world for baking and eating. Surrounding this acreage of ancient fruit bearing trees Lee Sr., has planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which are varietals that glorify in this particular climate’s warm/cool temperatures. The vines are planted on rolling hills, are densely spaced at 2,000 per acre with clones '115', 'Quail Hill', '548', and '95', and rootstocks, '420', '101-14' and '3309'. This small vineyard is trained on a vertical trellis system with the fruit hanging just 24 inches above the ground. The grapes are thinned down to only 3 pounds of fruit per vine. These practices all insure mature fruit flavors in the wine as well as even ripening.
The grapes are picked between 25 and 26 degrees brix to ensure mature ripe fruit flavors. They are hand selected at harvest time by Lee Martinelli, Sr. and Helen Turley who taste the grapes and choose when to pick according to the developed concentration of flavors in the berries. After picking, the whole berries undergo a long cool fermentation to generate skin contact and expose fruit character and are fermented with wild yeast. The juice is gravity fed into small oak barrels with a touch of residual sugar remaining to complete the fermentation process in barrel until dry. It rests in 75% new French oak on its gross lees for one year. Being a particular and moody varietal to tamper with, the grapes, juice, and then wine are minimally handled. This wine is neither heat nor cold stabilized and is unfined and unfiltered.
Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Zio Tony Ranch On weinlagen-infoUSAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Sonoma CountyMendocino CountyRussian River Valley Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association | Wikipedia |
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