Amazing what a high octane zin can become with 17 years of age. Candied fruit, interesting nose and sort of a cross between a zin, amarone and a port. A crowd pleaser this night with Hawaiian at Noreetuh in NYC.
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I am a huge fan of Martinelli so I may be a bit biased, I loved this wine. Big and rich with a wonderful full bodied palate of stewed dark fruit, raisin and soft spice notes on the finish. Dark and inky in the glass and aromas that came flying out of the glass. Exactly what I have come to expect from Martinelli
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Purchased at winery in 2008, and then into cellar. Not a big zin drinker, but this was better than typical CA zins. Rather massive, plenty of sediment. Nose of meat, blueberries, saddle leather, and hints of black dirt. Decent complexity, but hot.
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As other posters noted, the cork had significant sediment; however we find this to be true with many Martinelli wines as they are unfiltered to begin with. We ran the wine through a vinturi and then decanted for 30-45 minutes. It's a little hot, but underneath we detect elements of blueberries, strawberry jam, spice (though not the traditional pepper of a zin), and a touch of espresso.
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Packed to the hilt with alcohol (at 16.6%). This wine showed a bit of the alcohol on the finish, as it was ripe, round and luscious. Lots of cherry cola notes,
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My biggest mistake was not decanting. Popped and poured and consumed over 2 hours. Although only an '06 there was excess build up of tartrates on the cork and in the wine. Not the distinct Martinelli zinfandel I was expecting but more syrah like. Stems, subdued black and blue fruit, meat, and pepper on the finish. Lots of heat on the nose and palate. Needs time or a lenghty decant.
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1/17/09: Beautiful dark blue purple color. The nose is big and enticing with waves of red, black and blue fruit, pepper, roast meat, herbs, spice and dirt. The flavors fulfill the promise of the nose with layer after layer of cherry, blueberry, blackberry, cherry liquor, spice, coffe and roast meat. This full bodied wine is perfectly in balance, so although heady in its concentration it is so perfectly structured that the fullness, acidity, beautiful tannins all work perfectly. The finish never ends and it a wonderful replay of the nose, taste and fullness.
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Wonderfully flamboyant zin with buoyant boysenberry and blueberry notes. Most notable element is the silky mouthfeel which is unencumbered by the 16+% alcohol. Smooth finish. Delicious. Not as deep or masculine as the Jackass Zin, but much prettier.
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2/24/2023 - Sperls wrote: 92 Points
Amazing what a high octane zin can become with 17 years of age. Candied fruit, interesting nose and sort of a cross between a zin, amarone and a port. A crowd pleaser this night with Hawaiian at Noreetuh in NYC.
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6/2/2015 - Minnesota wrote: 94 Points
Simply lovely. At its peak. Unfortunately our last bottle.
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12/15/2014 - peterk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Pure fruit, no heat. Loved it.
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11/3/2013 - jlanzmo wrote: 93 Points
amazing wine with ribs
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10/6/2013 - BenSlivka Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely fruit, very balanced, not at all a hot, mono-aspect zinfandel. We liked this better than the more powerful 2006 Jackass that we also tasted.
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5/6/2013 - skibum819 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I am a huge fan of Martinelli so I may be a bit biased, I loved this wine. Big and rich with a wonderful full bodied palate of stewed dark fruit, raisin and soft spice notes on the finish. Dark and inky in the glass and aromas that came flying out of the glass. Exactly what I have come to expect from Martinelli
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7/28/2012 - Fishboy wrote: 88 Points
Very nice nose but some noticeable heat on the finish
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2/4/2012 - gmat5497 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Superb!
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6/22/2011 - RR47 wrote: 89 Points
Purchased at winery in 2008, and then into cellar. Not a big zin drinker, but this was better than typical CA zins. Rather massive, plenty of sediment. Nose of meat, blueberries, saddle leather, and hints of black dirt. Decent complexity, but hot.
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2/7/2011 - Scharin wrote: 88 Points
As other posters noted, the cork had significant sediment; however we find this to be true with many Martinelli wines as they are unfiltered to begin with. We ran the wine through a vinturi and then decanted for 30-45 minutes. It's a little hot, but underneath we detect elements of blueberries, strawberry jam, spice (though not the traditional pepper of a zin), and a touch of espresso.
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10/15/2010 - rolandkyle wrote: 92 Points
THis was an excellent bottle of Zin--moderately spicy, great with meat
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12/15/2009 - shaferguy91 wrote: 89 Points
Decanted 1 hour. There was a build up of tartrates on the cork and in the wine.
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12/13/2009 - Deb293 wrote: flawed
Tons of sludge on the cork and a nose of rubbing alcohol. Undrinkable.
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11/3/2009 - Tom_B wrote: 89 Points
Packed to the hilt with alcohol (at 16.6%). This wine showed a bit of the alcohol on the finish, as it was ripe, round and luscious. Lots of cherry cola notes,
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3/23/2009 - kanab ram wrote:
My biggest mistake was not decanting. Popped and poured and consumed over 2 hours. Although only an '06 there was excess build up of tartrates on the cork and in the wine. Not the distinct Martinelli zinfandel I was expecting but more syrah like. Stems, subdued black and blue fruit, meat, and pepper on the finish. Lots of heat on the nose and palate. Needs time or a lenghty decant.
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1/18/2009 - enosnob wrote: 95 Points
1/17/09: Beautiful dark blue purple color. The nose is big and enticing with waves of red, black and blue fruit, pepper, roast meat, herbs, spice and dirt. The flavors fulfill the promise of the nose with layer after layer of cherry, blueberry, blackberry, cherry liquor, spice, coffe and roast meat. This full bodied wine is perfectly in balance, so although heady in its concentration it is so perfectly structured that the fullness, acidity, beautiful tannins all work perfectly. The finish never ends and it a wonderful replay of the nose, taste and fullness.
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1/10/2009 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
Wonderfully flamboyant zin with buoyant boysenberry and blueberry notes. Most notable element is the silky mouthfeel which is unencumbered by the 16+% alcohol. Smooth finish. Delicious. Not as deep or masculine as the Jackass Zin, but much prettier.
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