2007 Martinelli Chardonnay Martinelli Road
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Tasting notes
Green-tinged gold. An intensely floral bouquet displays scents of pear nectar, tangerine, honey and smoky oak, with a sneaky mineral quality gaining power in the glass. Broad and fleshy but focused, with a good acid spine supporting exotic fruit, vanilla bean, spice and floral flavors. The floral note carries all the way through the finish, which strongly echoes the honey, vanilla and pear notes.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
More gravel/mineral, pear, honeysuckle, and white currant notes emerge from the full-bodied, rich, complex, Corton-Charlemagne-like 2007 Chardonnay Martinelli Road. A beautiful wine with super-purity, elegance, and depth, it should provide plenty of pleasure over the next 5-7 years. A limited number of wines were presented to me for tasting at Martinelli. Sadly, Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer have departed as consultants to concentrate on their own vineyard. Nevertheless, Martinelli should be in good hands. Tel. (707) 525-0570; Fax (707) 525-9463
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.