April 11, 2016 - Finest Provenance Possible - Tasted at Winery.
Two bottles were both off-putting and funky. Winery representatives considered them flawed. Not enough experience for me to know if this is the end of this vintage's life or if we just got unlucky.
May 9, 2015 - Raisin and fleshy fruit flavor. Very velvety on the finish. You notice the high alcohol on finish.
April 12, 2015 - Brown color with a bouquet and flavor very much like liquid raisons. High alcohol showed through at the finish. Way beyond its prime, and its my fault for holding on to it for so long. From other descriptions of this wine, it was very good in its prime.
December 27, 2014 - Robert Parker's 2002 description still holds - "maple syrup infused with roasted red and black fruits, smoky oak, meat, and cedar wood". I'm not sure about the meat and cedar, but the rest is spot-on. I drank a glass and a half, which was irresistible but too much. You have to be in the mood for this stuff, and if you are it's magic.
July 3, 2014 - Lovely nose of blackberry tart, blueberry, cherry cough drop, and allspice, more of the same on the palate, massive wine, almost port like but not as sweet, medium/long finish.
October 29, 2011 - Way past it's prime. Nice as an after dinner drink like a port. Tough to match with food.
November 24, 2009 - 3-hour decant, served with homemade lasagna with sweet Italian sausage. I personally think Martinelli's Jackasses are stunning wines. The Jackass Hill is even more well-rounded than the standard Jackass bottling. Huge alcohol (17.6%!), but it's so well integrated into the fruit that it's definitely not overbearing, at least for my palate. Lush, mouth-coating goodness of black and blue fruits. All guests simply adored this wine!
May 5, 2009 - Absolute blockbuster of zin flight at Martinelli Spring Open House
December 8, 2008 - past prime and very hot in finish. fruit rapidly fading.
March 1, 2006 - Medium red/crimson. Odd forward aroma of bright spicy light black fruit with briar hints. Almost porty. Big black fruit flavors with huge alcohol - tastes like a ruby port! Super hot. Not good. 3/06