sb Slightly (barely) murky, deep purple with a garnet rim Ripe cherry and alcoholic nose Ripe rich feel, and served a bit cool this is lush and full of fruit. I don’t deny the heat, but this is lovely and delicious and impressive. At 15 years this is surprisingly perfect drinking. And while I never expect any zin to last forever, this is aging beautifully. Lovely if you like the style. A conservative 92+ YFS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has aged beautifully—big, bold, structured, but balanced & poised. No trace of 16.4% ABV. Blueberries, compote, dark fruit, mellow wood & forest notes. Glad we have a few more bottles. This should keep a few years, but I doubt it will improve further. 96.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aroma of forest floor, moss, rich soil, mineral with very ripe dark berries and ripe cherries. Smooth, heavy berry, plum, cherry with a mineral and very light pepper/spice note. Was wonderfully alone, but the port braised lamb brought out the fruits and acidity. Aged well. Will note this for future vintages. Perfect pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic zin-- very big, fruit bomb, blackberry, dark fruit. Not overly hot (despite the high alcohol content). Not overly spicy. This has aged very nicely. Open up and tasted better the second day. Great with or without food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First wine opened for our homemade grilled pizza night. Great bottle to start with. Opened and let sit for about 2 hours-wanted to come across a little hot with the alcohol being so high but turned out to be perfect. Definitely a bottle to share! Black jam fruits on the nose-smokey, spice ands hint of herbs on the finish. Fun bottle!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a big wine and has some alcohol on the finish but it is also a delicious wine with complex flavors that was very enjoyable. Rich black fruit and herbs on both the nose and the palate are followed by some nice white pepper and spice notes that extend through the medium length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
16.4% alcohol, but not quite as scary as you might think. It's certainly not for everyone. If Turley zins are like a Channing Tatum, this wine is like The Rock. Big, brawny, unapologetic, strangely charismatic, yet always on the verge of being obnoxious. Helen Turley out-Turley'd Turley. That being said, it is one of the best Giuseppe & Luisa's I've had. There's blueberry jam, raspberry liquor, fudge, licorice. It's ripe and rich, but the flavors married quite well with fatty pork carnitas.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This style sometimes is appealing but this wine didn't do it for me. I just notice the alcohol too much. I don't mind the "bigness" of the wine but the heat from the alcohol is a standalone component.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Likely the most consistently unique Zin in our cellar. While we continue to buy our allotment every year it's not really our preferred style, yet with the right meal quite enjoyable and well suited for those rare times when a high alcohol spicy fruit bomb is appropriate. Typically I put a 7 year consumption window for these and this '07 isn't going to improve from here, so time to drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe, rich, full of layer after layer of flavor. This is consistently one of my favorite Zins when I'm looking for full throttle style. If it lost just a little heat it would merit an even higher score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have nothing to add to my previous notes. This, thankfully, was my last bottle. Truth be told, I drank two glasses and poured the rest down the sink. AWFUL!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Classic zin-- very big, fruit bomb, blackberry, dark fruit. Not overly hot (despite the alcohol content). Not overly spicy. Bunch of zin lovers tried this bottle and we all felt the same way. Aging nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a love it or hate it wine- and I love these wines. There is alc. there but to me it is in balance for this style. Big, bad and awesome IMHO. Needs a big Rib-Eye or drink this on its own. It will over power most dishes. QPR is not great for this $50 Zin. But still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful bottle of zin, drinking extremely well. Still loads of fruit up front, but the alcohol and tannins are nicely integrated. Paired well with filet mignon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted double-blind at OC4PokerXIII. Good god this was awful. Oak, alcohol, repeat. Repeat. If this is a 90 point wine, I'm a rocket scientist. 80 is generous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Zin Tasting @ FRank and Dino's - Deerfield Beach, FL: Smooth, sweet but not too hot. Fruit was primary: blueberry and black cherry. All fruit, not a lot of pepper or secondary flavors. Very well balanced. A reason to stay on the list.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe almost sweet raspberry and strawberry on the nose with a lot of heat. Palate is overwhelmed with alcohol. Some red fruit but completely overwhelmed by alcohol. Not my cup of tea.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
On opening, I thought the wine a little weird and raisiny. But after a day, this opened up to be...well...a rather typical Martinelli Zin. If you're not into full-throttled Zins you shouldn't be buying this wine. By day two, it was rather velvety, with the alcohol receding a bit. Not a lot of bright fruit here; more port-like. So not the best G&L; but not shocking stylistically either. Finding the perfect time to drink these is tricky at best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
16.4% alcohol is hidden by lush ripe dark fruit and sweet currants. Hedonistic. Best served at 65 degrees to keep the high alcohol from showing. Drink during the winter to warm your bones. It is perfect now, so no need to age it any further. Not for the faint of heart, this zin is massive. Bigger than Turley, but more expensive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped n poured. Had alongside a bunch of Napa Cabs, that made it even more of a over the top zin . Seemed too hot to me. Never had before, with so much fruit, seemed out of balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
While I have appreciated previous vintages of this Zin for its over-the-top intensity, the 07 has far too much bitter alcohol heat. I don't see the heat mellowing much without the whole flavor profile denigrating too far into raisin-pie territory.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
- Aromas of strawberry and blackberry. It's high in alcohol and has flavours of raisin and strawberry jam with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is one of my favorite fruit-bombs. This last bottle seemed as if it may have lost something though. Lots of heat, less expressive chewy fruit than before. Will try another before drawing any conclusions.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
holding up very welll. Still lots of spice and pepper. Not the fruit ball it once was upon release but aging nicely and should last another year, but the alcohol is starting to take over.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of blackberry and peat. Rich mouthfeel with dark fruit jam flavor offset by a light bitterness / astringency. Very light tannins, but strong alcohol. Would have liked better if not for the heat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Way over the top alcohol masking what little dark fruit there is, can't imagine this will improve in time. The hint of prune and blackberries will be long gone before the edge wears off
.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Big, disjointed, over-the-top mess of a wine. There is no reason in the world why a zinfandel (or any wine for that matter) should be 16.4% alcohol. The only way to drink this without gagging is chilled, as it reduces the impact of the heat. The fruit, such as it is (some blueberry and cherry), is buried under a blanket of booze and tannin. It is astringent, a tad sweet, and burns as it goes down. Randymac88 (10/8/2010) is exactly correct in his comments. When I was a newbie, I liked this kind of full-throttle flammable liquid. On the second day, my impressions are confirmed. Interestingly, it is even hotter on day 2. I would have thought some of the stuff would have burned off. I'm giving this 80 pts, but even that is generous. It's depressing to see Parker and WS continue to put Martinelli on a pedestal and extol their virtues as one of the premier Cali producers. Rubbish. And for Josh Raynolds at IWC to say this is almost pinot-like is laughable. The rest of these will go to a charity auction.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful bottle. Exceptional nose, very spicey and lots of fruit. Great length and fantastically smooth. Had it all put together amazingly well for a 16%+ wine. This is a great Zin - they just need to male more of this - only 825 cases made - shame!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Between the Jackass and Vellutini - the nose is outrageously good. Very clear head the am after, which is remarkable given the alcohol percentage. Have one in magnum that I will be saving for Festivus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was in the mood for a big powerful wine and this certainly fit the bill. It has all the subtlety of a Charlie Sheen interview. Strong nose of plums and dark fruit with a hint of alcohol. At the open the alcohol was a little hot but when the wine had a chance to breathe, it blew off and revealed a reasonably well balanced wine for as big as this one is. Worked well with Texas BBQ.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for an hour and a half before serving: fantastic nose of earth and blueberry, with a touch of oak. Intense, incredibly layered, and in spite of the high ABV it lacked any hot or raisiny notes. This Zin is for lovers of full-bodied, complex wines. Has enough acidity and structure to pair with lamb or beef. Probably will age for years, but why wait when it tastes this good now?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Distinctive nose, very velvety-smooth on the palate, big cherry taste. Unfortunately not one of my favorite bottles. I've had before and the taste was better. This bottle wasn't defective, it just didn't remind me of a Zin. I see others thought it was syrupy-- perhaps this is what threw me off.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
fabulously approachable. Great with lamb. Heavy but not syrupy. Plenty of alcohol but not indicative of the 16%+ on the bottle. Mostly like eating a fresh baked blueberry pie with notes of vanilla and some cinnamon. Popped and poured and the wine was definitely better at the end of the meal. Next time give it a half hour to breath.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Great big, huge, off dry, high alcohol wine. In other words a typical Giuseppe & Luisa. If you don't like great big, huge, off dry, high alcohol wine, pass on this. If you like this style of wine, you should love this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We opened this at our 8/17/10 backyard BBQ. It was over ripe, jammy and very hot with a pleasant bouquet of kirsch, blackberry, licorice, spice, vanilla and nutmeg aromas. The palate followed with a touch of residual sugar, substantial heat and flavors that followed the nose. I was a bit disappointed…I remember liking it much more at the winery. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This was almost port like, checking in at over 17% alcohol. For all the alcohol it had though, it was pretty well-balanced. Had tons of big sweet fruit with fig, plum and dark berry mixed in.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at Martinelli in July '09 and March of '10. Not up to par as the 05 or 06. Hopefully it's in a dumb phase or the bottles were opened too long. Both tastings were muted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent wine. A little hot and needs a little time to open up but wonderful fruit and balance after that. Drinking very well now and could go a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It's hard to explain why I love this wine so much. Yes, it's a little hot at 15%+ alcohol, but the fruit is so lovely and lively that it integrates nicely. Nice spice, great mouth feel and no other word for it - FUN! If you can get your hands on this wine, give it a spin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine knocked me out. Wow, I wish I could get more. A lot more. The first impression was VIBRANT. Alive. Fresh. Fruity. Spicy. I loved this wine. The alcohol level is an off the charts, 16.4, but it's so well integrated you'll never notice. It's amazing how much fruit there is to balance the spice, and how much softness there is to balance the alcohol. I'd buy it all if I could.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had too much plum for me at first. Maybe needs more time / air? I liked it more at the winery when I first tried it. I didn't find it consistent with prior vintages. I drove past the winery this weekend without stopping for more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Big berry nose with a little vanilla. Boysenberry, plum and currants on a palate that is big and flamboyant. Lengthy complex fruit driven finish. Holds the high alcohol well and is well made for the style. But not a style I enjoy enough to purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
definitely what i expected from this wine which is both good and bad. Great fruit, an almost dessert like sweetness at the end of a meal (i can't imagine drinking anything after this wine). A bit hot with such high alcohol. Drink at the right point of the evening and it's a great wine, drink at the wrong time or with the wrong food and it will overpower everything else.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better than the Eva, but still pretty hot and more like a mixed drink than wine. Sweet, spicy nose. Almost like sweet-and-sour sauce. Jammy fruit in the mouth. Quite syrupy texture. Hot finish. B
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/15/2022 - M DU VIN Likes this wine: 93 Points
This Zin has aged gracefully and makes for delightful drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2022 - cos65 Likes this wine: 92 Points
sb
Slightly (barely) murky, deep purple with a garnet rim
Ripe cherry and alcoholic nose
Ripe rich feel, and served a bit cool this is lush and full of fruit.
I don’t deny the heat, but this is lovely and delicious and impressive. At 15 years this is surprisingly perfect drinking. And while I never expect any zin to last forever, this is aging beautifully.
Lovely if you like the style. A conservative 92+
YFS
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2021 - Genius Light Likes this wine: 96 Points
This has aged beautifully—big, bold, structured, but balanced & poised. No trace of 16.4% ABV. Blueberries, compote, dark fruit, mellow wood & forest notes. Glad we have a few more bottles. This should keep a few years, but I doubt it will improve further. 96.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2019 - Yankee Clipper Likes this wine: 89 Points
past its prime although it evolved as it opened up
not as flavorful as other 2007'si have had previously
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2017 - MikeDV wrote: 90 Points
Aroma of forest floor, moss, rich soil, mineral with very ripe dark berries and ripe cherries. Smooth, heavy berry, plum, cherry with a mineral and very light pepper/spice note.
Was wonderfully alone, but the port braised lamb brought out the fruits and acidity.
Aged well. Will note this for future vintages.
Perfect pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2017 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic zin-- very big, fruit bomb, blackberry, dark fruit. Not overly hot (despite the high alcohol content). Not overly spicy. This has aged very nicely. Open up and tasted better the second day. Great with or without food.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2016 - srose254 wrote: 91 Points
First wine opened for our homemade grilled pizza night. Great bottle to start with. Opened and let sit for about 2 hours-wanted to come across a little hot with the alcohol being so high but turned out to be perfect. Definitely a bottle to share! Black jam fruits on the nose-smokey, spice ands hint of herbs on the finish. Fun bottle!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2015 - JDRFoster wrote: 92 Points
Rich, ripe with baked and Jami fruit, very apropos of the winter season. In a good place now, probably not likely to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2015 - Minnesota wrote: 94 Points
Yet another Martinelli "Tour de Force"! No trace on the palate of its 16.4% alcohol. Beautifully balanced fruit, tannin, and soft yet long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2014 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a big wine and has some alcohol on the finish but it is also a delicious wine with complex flavors that was very enjoyable. Rich black fruit and herbs on both the nose and the palate are followed by some nice white pepper and spice notes that extend through the medium length finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2014 - Jonathan T wrote: 91 Points
16.4% alcohol, but not quite as scary as you might think. It's certainly not for everyone. If Turley zins are like a Channing Tatum, this wine is like The Rock. Big, brawny, unapologetic, strangely charismatic, yet always on the verge of being obnoxious. Helen Turley out-Turley'd Turley. That being said, it is one of the best Giuseppe & Luisa's I've had. There's blueberry jam, raspberry liquor, fudge, licorice. It's ripe and rich, but the flavors married quite well with fatty pork carnitas.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2014 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
ORANGE ON THE EDGE. BLACKBERRIES, RASPBERRIES, AND BLUEBERRIES IN THE NOSE. RASPBERRIES, BLACK CHERRIES, AND SPICE IN THE FLAVOR. LONG FINISH.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2014 - JDRFoster wrote: 92 Points
Almost port-like and a touch hot, but it is what is meant to be, and that is delicious.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2014 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine surely is not for everyone but i sure like it. Big fruit, some alcohol. Almost over the top:) My last of these.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2014 - mkmast wrote: 86 Points
This style sometimes is appealing but this wine didn't do it for me. I just notice the alcohol too much. I don't mind the "bigness" of the wine but the heat from the alcohol is a standalone component.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/18/2014 - IAmVintage wrote: 90 Points
Likely the most consistently unique Zin in our cellar. While we continue to buy our allotment every year it's not really our preferred style, yet with the right meal quite enjoyable and well suited for those rare times when a high alcohol spicy fruit bomb is appropriate. Typically I put a 7 year consumption window for these and this '07 isn't going to improve from here, so time to drink up.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2013 - lewisrise wrote: 88 Points
Drank at Thanksgiving. Growing old, past it's prime now. The fruit is muted and it's unbalanced
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2013 - JDRFoster wrote: 93 Points
Ripe, rich, full of layer after layer of flavor. This is consistently one of my favorite Zins when I'm looking for full throttle style. If it lost just a little heat it would merit an even higher score.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/19/2013 - peterk wrote: 88 Points
As before, a fruit bomb. Very nice of you like this style. The alcohol was less pervasive than in the 2006.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2013 - peterk wrote: 88 Points
Fruit bomb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/23/2013 - Haggis Does not like this wine: 70 Points
I have nothing to add to my previous notes. This, thankfully, was my last bottle. Truth be told, I drank two glasses and poured the rest down the sink. AWFUL!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2013 - Fishboy Likes this wine: 90 Points
With alittle time it opened up nice. Blue and red fruit with alittle heat on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/20/2012 - williamswhine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic zin-- very big, fruit bomb, blackberry, dark fruit. Not overly hot (despite the alcohol content). Not overly spicy. Bunch of zin lovers tried this bottle and we all felt the same way. Aging nicely.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2012 - ebpayne wrote: 84 Points
Hot, disjointed, way too much oak. Tons of fruit, but difficult to find much to enjoy here. Big disappointment.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2012 - pjfriesen wrote: 94 Points
Last bottle. Damn! Exceptional. Smooth and hefty flavors.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2012 - VinoPKM wrote: 90 Points
This is a love it or hate it wine- and I love these wines. There is alc. there but to me it is in balance for this style. Big, bad and awesome IMHO. Needs a big Rib-Eye or drink this on its own. It will over power most dishes.
QPR is not great for this $50 Zin. But still good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/23/2012 - Growler69 wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful bottle of zin, drinking extremely well. Still loads of fruit up front, but the alcohol and tannins are nicely integrated. Paired well with filet mignon.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2012 - pjfriesen wrote: 89 Points
Slightly past it's prime unfortunately.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2012 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Tasted double-blind at OC4PokerXIII. Good god this was awful. Oak, alcohol, repeat. Repeat. If this is a 90 point wine, I'm a rocket scientist. 80 is generous.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2012 - 2loyal wrote: 86 Points
Still plenty of fruit, but the alcohol-to-fruit ratio has increased!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/3/2012 - rdsboca wrote: 92 Points
Zin Tasting @ FRank and Dino's - Deerfield Beach, FL: Smooth, sweet but not too hot. Fruit was primary: blueberry and black cherry. All fruit, not a lot of pepper or secondary flavors. Very well balanced. A reason to stay on the list.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2012 - tylerhi wrote: 86 Points
pruney almost like an Evo
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2012 - cbkamp wrote: 85 Points
Ripe almost sweet raspberry and strawberry on the nose with a lot of heat. Palate is overwhelmed with alcohol. Some red fruit but completely overwhelmed by alcohol. Not my cup of tea.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2012 - rpenn77 wrote: 94 Points
Rich exotic fruit forward with bold black raspberry notes and creamy finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2012 - tswichert wrote: 86 Points
Very spicy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2011 - Deb293 wrote: 90 Points
On opening, I thought the wine a little weird and raisiny. But after a day, this opened up to be...well...a rather typical Martinelli Zin. If you're not into full-throttled Zins you shouldn't be buying this wine. By day two, it was rather velvety, with the alcohol receding a bit. Not a lot of bright fruit here; more port-like. So not the best G&L; but not shocking stylistically either. Finding the perfect time to drink these is tricky at best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/21/2011 - JohnnyShiraz wrote: 93 Points
16.4% alcohol is hidden by lush ripe dark fruit and sweet currants. Hedonistic. Best served at 65 degrees to keep the high alcohol from showing. Drink during the winter to warm your bones. It is perfect now, so no need to age it any further. Not for the faint of heart, this zin is massive. Bigger than Turley, but more expensive.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2011 - btanz57 wrote: 93 Points
Just Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2011 - Whine-oh wrote: 84 Points
Popped n poured. Had alongside a bunch of Napa Cabs, that made it even more of a over the top zin . Seemed too hot to me. Never had before, with so much fruit, seemed out of balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2011 - urban_dk wrote: 79 Points
While I have appreciated previous vintages of this Zin for its over-the-top intensity, the 07 has far too much bitter alcohol heat. I don't see the heat mellowing much without the whole flavor profile denigrating too far into raisin-pie territory.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2011 - GwenP wrote:
- Aromas of strawberry and blackberry. It's high in alcohol and has flavours of raisin and strawberry jam with a full body. Juicy texture with a medium finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2011 - GwenP wrote: 88 Points
This is one of my favorite fruit-bombs. This last bottle seemed as if it may have lost something though. Lots of heat, less expressive chewy fruit than before. Will try another before drawing any conclusions.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2011 - twoamps wrote: 90 Points
surprisingly mellow, almost a normal wine. This bottle aged well (if 4 years is “age”). I’ll go with graceful, but it’s not “superripe’
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2011 - skaliner wrote: 80 Points
not as good as the first bottle. It may have turned
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/21/2011 - david-greenwald@comcast.net wrote: 89 Points
holding up very welll. Still lots of spice and pepper. Not the fruit ball it once was upon release but aging nicely and should last another year, but the alcohol is starting to take over.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2011 - jaawine wrote: flawed
Popped.....poured.....flawed.....down the drain.....what a pity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2011 - pjfriesen wrote: 94 Points
Excellent and well balanced even with the high alcohol. Everyone raved even when compared to other excellent wines served over dinner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2011 - Scharin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose of blackberry and peat. Rich mouthfeel with dark fruit jam flavor offset by a light bitterness / astringency. Very light tannins, but strong alcohol. Would have liked better if not for the heat.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/5/2011 - yasha wrote: 93 Points
love this wine. the high alcohol did not bug me at all. open an hour before drinking. just great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2011 - otisbella wrote:
Way over the top alcohol masking what little dark fruit there is, can't imagine this will improve in time. The hint of prune and blackberries will be long gone before the edge wears off
.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2011 - rpenn77 wrote: 92 Points
Rich creamy fruit bomb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2011 - Haggis wrote: 80 Points
Big, disjointed, over-the-top mess of a wine. There is no reason in the world why a zinfandel (or any wine for that matter) should be 16.4% alcohol. The only way to drink this without gagging is chilled, as it reduces the impact of the heat. The fruit, such as it is (some blueberry and cherry), is buried under a blanket of booze and tannin. It is astringent, a tad sweet, and burns as it goes down. Randymac88 (10/8/2010) is exactly correct in his comments. When I was a newbie, I liked this kind of full-throttle flammable liquid. On the second day, my impressions are confirmed. Interestingly, it is even hotter on day 2. I would have thought some of the stuff would have burned off. I'm giving this 80 pts, but even that is generous. It's depressing to see Parker and WS continue to put Martinelli on a pedestal and extol their virtues as one of the premier Cali producers. Rubbish. And for Josh Raynolds at IWC to say this is almost pinot-like is laughable. The rest of these will go to a charity auction.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/30/2011 - skaliner wrote: 96 Points
We loved this wine. We drank it with a tray of italian salami and cheese. Smooth and yet full of character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2011 - King JR wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful bottle. Exceptional nose, very spicey and lots of fruit. Great length and fantastically smooth. Had it all put together amazingly well for a 16%+ wine. This is a great Zin - they just need to male more of this - only 825 cases made - shame!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2011 - Chriskrueger wrote: 93 Points
Between the Jackass and Vellutini - the nose is outrageously good. Very clear head the am after, which is remarkable given the alcohol percentage. Have one in magnum that I will be saving for Festivus.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2011 - mkmast wrote: 91 Points
I was in the mood for a big powerful wine and this certainly fit the bill. It has all the subtlety of a Charlie Sheen interview. Strong nose of plums and dark fruit with a hint of alcohol. At the open the alcohol was a little hot but when the wine had a chance to breathe, it blew off and revealed a reasonably well balanced wine for as big as this one is. Worked well with Texas BBQ.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/23/2011 - plitton wrote:
For the grape jam + alcohol crowd. This is horrible. I just don't get it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2011 - BBinSC wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour and a half before serving: fantastic nose of earth and blueberry, with a touch of oak. Intense, incredibly layered, and in spite of the high ABV it lacked any hot or raisiny notes. This Zin is for lovers of full-bodied, complex wines. Has enough acidity and structure to pair with lamb or beef. Probably will age for years, but why wait when it tastes this good now?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2010 - danielbleier wrote: 92 Points
smoooth, smokey flavors of pepper and plum. Subtle and and silky tannin. Very nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/11/2010 - lshantz wrote: 88 Points
Others liked it far more than I did, so maybe it's just me, but it seemed flabby and almost tasted like there was some residual sugar in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2010 - williamswhine wrote: 86 Points
Distinctive nose, very velvety-smooth on the palate, big cherry taste. Unfortunately not one of my favorite bottles. I've had before and the taste was better. This bottle wasn't defective, it just didn't remind me of a Zin. I see others thought it was syrupy-- perhaps this is what threw me off.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/26/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 94 Points
fabulously approachable. Great with lamb. Heavy but not syrupy. Plenty of alcohol but not indicative of the 16%+ on the bottle. Mostly like eating a fresh baked blueberry pie with notes of vanilla and some cinnamon. Popped and poured and the wine was definitely better at the end of the meal. Next time give it a half hour to breath.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/25/2010 - msu wrote: 93 Points
Great big, huge, off dry, high alcohol wine. In other words a typical Giuseppe & Luisa. If you don't like great big, huge, off dry, high alcohol wine, pass on this. If you like this style of wine, you should love this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2010 - randymac88 wrote: 84 Points
Overly ripe, sweet, and sugary. Very poor wife factor. Burned all the way down too...we couldn't even finish the bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 89 Points
Very ripe, with high alcohol and almost syrupy mouthfeel. Quaffable and tasty, but fairly standard Turley amped-up style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/24/2010 - jeffm_fla wrote: 89 Points
Very ripe, with high alcohol and almost syrupy mouthfeel. Quaffable and tasty, but standard Turley amped-up style.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2010 - garambler wrote: 91 Points
We opened this at our 8/17/10 backyard BBQ. It was over ripe, jammy and very hot with a pleasant bouquet of kirsch, blackberry, licorice, spice, vanilla and nutmeg aromas. The palate followed with a touch of residual sugar, substantial heat and flavors that followed the nose. I was a bit disappointed…I remember liking it much more at the winery. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2010 - dionysis wrote: 93 Points
Love this zin -- wish I had more. A crowd pleaser for sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2010 - slywka7 wrote: 92 Points
This was almost port like, checking in at over 17% alcohol. For all the alcohol it had though, it was pretty well-balanced. Had tons of big sweet fruit with fig, plum and dark berry mixed in.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2010 - Berno wrote:
Tasted at Martinelli in July '09 and March of '10. Not up to par as the 05 or 06. Hopefully it's in a dumb phase or the bottles were opened too long. Both tastings were muted.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2010 - biggwater wrote: 95 Points
Over the top Zinf. Deep rich and dark fruit driven
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2010 - troger wrote: 93 Points
Excellent wine. A little hot and needs a little time to open up but wonderful fruit and balance after that. Drinking very well now and could go a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2010 - dannykoz Likes this wine: 93 Points
It's hard to explain why I love this wine so much. Yes, it's a little hot at 15%+ alcohol, but the fruit is so lovely and lively that it integrates nicely. Nice spice, great mouth feel and no other word for it - FUN! If you can get your hands on this wine, give it a spin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/13/2010 - GA wrote: 90 Points
2/10 Good fruit - youngish and not as concentrated as other vintages. 90 pts.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2010 - dannykoz wrote: 93 Points
This wine knocked me out. Wow, I wish I could get more. A lot more. The first impression was VIBRANT. Alive. Fresh. Fruity. Spicy. I loved this wine. The alcohol level is an off the charts, 16.4, but it's so well integrated you'll never notice. It's amazing how much fruit there is to balance the spice, and how much softness there is to balance the alcohol. I'd buy it all if I could.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/11/2010 - Drankthewholebottle wrote: 89 Points
Had too much plum for me at first. Maybe needs more time / air? I liked it more at the winery when I first tried it. I didn't find it consistent with prior vintages. I drove past the winery this weekend without stopping for more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2009 - Nutty08 wrote: 90 Points
Trip to Napa/Sonoma; 11/7/2009-11/14/2009 (Napa/Sonoma): Big berry nose with a little vanilla. Boysenberry, plum and currants on a palate that is big and flamboyant. Lengthy complex fruit driven finish. Holds the high alcohol well and is well made for the style. But not a style I enjoy enough to purchase.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/6/2009 - ScottGoodwin wrote:
Roasted herbs and sage. No notificable heat. Great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/3/2009 - williamswhine wrote: 90 Points
A lot of alcohol-- 16.4%. Hot to start but opens up after some time. Full bodied, jammy, spicy, big Zin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/3/2009 - JAKurek wrote: 91 Points
definitely what i expected from this wine which is both good and bad. Great fruit, an almost dessert like sweetness at the end of a meal (i can't imagine drinking anything after this wine). A bit hot with such high alcohol. Drink at the right point of the evening and it's a great wine, drink at the wrong time or with the wrong food and it will overpower everything else.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/18/2009 - gutt22 wrote:
Better than the Eva, but still pretty hot and more like a mixed drink than wine. Sweet, spicy nose. Almost like sweet-and-sour sauce. Jammy fruit in the mouth. Quite syrupy texture. Hot finish. B
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment