2011 Martinelli Zinfandel Vellutini Ranch

With 16.1% alcohol, the 2011 Zinfandel Vellutini Ranch was obviously picked ripe. There are 350 cases of this cuvee, which was made from the same clonal material from the Jackass and Jackass Hill vineyards. Aromas of ripe figs, black currants, incense, camphor and underbrush emerge from this full-bodied Zin. It possesses slightly more tannin than its siblings, and requires consumption over the next 3-4 years. The Martinellis, one of the most significant vineyard owners in Sonoma, have a history going back well over one hundred years of developing impressive terroirs from which they fashion top-flight wines. Their wines first came to my attention when Helen Turley and her husband, John Wetlaufer, were hired as consultants. They no longer do consulting work, preferring to focus on their own vineyard on the Sonoma Coast, but they trained their successors at Martinelli well, and while tasting there I saw one of Helen’s first students, Erin Green, who is now a consultant at Martinelli. The wines are always full-bodied, expressive offerings that never cheat the consumer on flavor intensity or personality. If you are looking for a shy, restrained, wimpish wine, this is not the place for you. My tasting included five Chardonnays from Martinelli’s estate vineyards in either the Russian River or the new Fort Ross - Seaview AVA. Martinelli has made pedal-to-the metal, full-throttle, rich, exuberant 2011 Pinot Noirs. Most of their vineyards are planted primarily with Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777 as well as the Calera clone. If you’re wondering about the alcohol levels in these wines, they can be as high as 15% plus in a riper, more concentrated vintage, and they are relatively high in 2011 as well, ranging from 14.5% to 15%. Martinelli’s Syrah production has been dramatically reduced over the years. Blame the marketplace for that as California Syrahs, no matter how good they are, do not sell as well as one would expect. The Martinelli Syrahs are all stunning wines with classic California styles, such as the Lolita Ranch, and more Northern Rhone, restrained, higher acid styles, such as the Vellutini Ranch and Chico’s Hill cuvees. Production is less than four barrels of each, which is sad. 2011 was not a good vintage for California Zinfandel, and I tasted many uninspiring Zins from both Napa and Sonoma. Consequently, I was shocked to see how terrific the Martinelli Zinfandels have turned out. While not as colossal in size as they can be in the biggest, richest vintages, they are still extremely high in alcohol, and they are forward and evolved, which makes them delicious already. I am not a great believer in aging Zinfandel beyond three to six years, but the 2011s will need to be drunk in their first four or five years of life. The one exception may be the famed Jackass Hill Zinfandel. There are only tiny quantities of these cuvees because of the poor flowering in late spring and the severe selection process that was necessary in both the vineyard and the winery. The largest production is the Giuseppe & Luisa (615 cases) and the smallest is the Jackass Hill (65 cases). Tel. (707) 525-0570

Bright purple. Aromas of cassis, cherry compote and mocha, accented by a floral topnote. Sappy and expansive, offering intense dark berry flavors sharpened by zesty acidity. Fine-grained tannins arrive late and add shape to the energetic, appealingly sweet finish. I find this wine drinkable now but have no doubt that it will age gracefully.