99: Back Wine Blogging - Martinelli Winery, Russian River

Everything I could have asked for on my first Wine Writing, or blogging, mission in some time, and after my 6k race this morning.  I love Russian River, as much of a mystery it persists to this writer, for its Pinots, Syrahs, Zins, scenery, micro and not-so-micro climates.  Back in my old swing of “wine blogging,” whatever that is, I began with a couple handfuls of pictures, which wasn’t at all arduous considering how gorgeous the grounds were, are, and how sexy and supple the grapes sat under their canopies.  I was rather startlingly intrigued when I learned that Martinelli uses all estate fruit, if I heard that right, and only 10k case production.  I, for some reason, thought they were more giant-ish.  Glad I learned the polarity.

My serenely magnanimous hostess, Julie, started me off with a couple Chardonnays: the ’07 Charles Ranch, followed by the Martinelli Road, save vintage.  The Martinelli Road showed more of a playful skip to its palate intro and subsequent skate of stony citrus staccatos.  Next, Pinots.  How I missed my Burgundian mistress, our trysts.  Julie poured two from ’08, one from 2009.  The ’09 came prior to its predecessors, if I wrote that write, I mean RIGHT.  She poured the ’09 first, more bluntly, clearly.  My medalist, the last Pinot put in glass, the 2008 Moonshine Ranch.  Mystifying song of a Burgundy interpretation, with its earthy raspberry tones, cherry melodies; suffusing foggy tannins.

The tasting closed with two ’07 Syrahs, and a royal stroll of a Zinfandel, the 2008 Vigneto di Evo.  The finish on this jammy jam session...hypnotizingly tarrying, to be modest.  This was one of the most engaging Zinfandels I’ve sipped in some time.  This is what we should, as I’ve always written in this log, embrace about wine--the learning, the Self-education.  Humanness, not status, self-indulgent elevation, anointment.  Chasing the curiosity, just driving around in Wine’s maze, sipping where you suddenly stop.  You might be expecting some banally simplistic rating from me, for this winery.  I don’t have a system of rating, so...sorry.  If this tasting Room, its wines, weren’t approachable, palatable, I wouldn’t write about it.  But since some may me ask, probe for some evaluative mark, I’ll for the record state, “Martinelli’s Wines were supremely astrological, only augmented, supplemented, by sapiently pleasant hospitality.  Visit once, only to visit more, more...” I know this penman will, believe me.  Glad to be back in the tempo of just venturing out, stopping in at wineries, wherever I elect, select.  Today’s visit, its pours, tastefully indelible.  Infallible way to conclude a day, after a taxing race; Or, run.  Before a more relaxed run.  In my car.  To an illustrious wine tasting lineup.  Sip, sip ... 

9/24/2011, Saturday