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: 2003 Martinelli "Martinelli Vineyard Reserve" Russian River Pinot Noir (1.5L)

2003 Martinelli "Martinelli Vineyard Reserve" Russian River Pinot Noir (1.5L)

SKU #1119115 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark A sad note is that the 2003 Pinot Noir Reserve’s vineyard, planted in 1975, was finally uprooted and the land sold for a new housing development. The 2003 offers notes of raspberry fruit intermixed with cherries, apple skin, pomegranate, and smoky oak. This full-bodied, concentrated wine has loads of acidity, but also intense richness, making it one of the most concentrated Reserves the Martinellis have produced. It is no shy wine, topping the scales at 15% alcohol, but it is amazing stuff with explosive aromatics. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Inner quote mark (2/2005)

92 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Fleshy, ripe and concentrated, with layers of plum, black cherry and raspberry fruit that's well-centered and deftly balanced. The long, rich, persistent finish keeps the fruit at the forefront. Drink now through 2009. Inner quote mark (6/2005)

91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Outer quote mark Saturated, bright ruby-red. Superripe but lively aromas of crushed blackberry, dark chocolate, licorice, violet and spices. Sweet, plush and creamy, with superripe flavors of black fruits and violet. Finishes with very ripe, chocolatey tannins. The exotic side of pinot noir. This vineyard was pulled up after the 2004 harvest in favor of condos. Inner quote mark (6/2005)

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2003 Martinelli "Martinelli Vineyard Reserve" Russian River Pinot Noir (1.5L)

Price: $104.99

Quantity:

RP: 93

WS: 92

ST: 91

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Varietal:

Pinot Noir

- One of France's most legendary grapes and the grape that earned Burgundy its reputation. The parent of varietals like Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir is blue to violet to indigo in color with relatively thin skins, and it is said to have been cultivated in France for more than 2,000 years. At its best, Pinot Noir creates elegant wines that are filled with primary red fruit aromas and flavors while young, revealing with an array of secondary characteristics like earth, smoke, violet, truffle and game with age. The varietal is also known, perhaps better than any, for its ability to translate terroir, or a sense of place. While the best Pinot Noir still comes from Burgundy, it is being produced with increasing success in cooler climates around the world. In France, it is part of the trifecta of grapes that can go into Champagne, and it is also grown in Alsace, Irancy, Jura, Savoie, Lorraine and Sancerre. Outside of France it is produced under the names Pinot Nero and Blauburgunder in Italy's mountainous regions, as Spätburgunder in Germany and as Blauburgunder in Austria. In the US, Pinot Noir has found suitable growing conditions in the cooler parts of California, including Carneros, the Russian River Valley, the Anderson Valley, the Sonoma Coast, Monterey County, the Santa Lucia Highlands and Santa Barbara County, as well as in Oregon's Willamette Valley. In recent years, New Zealand has demonstrated its ability to interpret this hard-to-grow varietal, with successful bottlings coming from careful and attentive growers in Central Otago, Martinborough and Canterbury. Chile is also an up-and-coming region for Pinot Noir, creating fresh, fruit-forward, early-drinking and affordable Pinots from the coastal Casablanca Valley and the Limari Valley.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Alexander Valley/Russian River

- Among Sonoma County's northernmost appellations, the Alexander Valley AVA acts as a gateway to neighboring Napa to the east and Mendocino to the north. It is a sprawling appellation, with pockets of distinct microclimates and soils, and as such, is home to a variety of wine grapes and styles. Nearly everything grows in the Alexander Valley, though Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are the most widely planted grapes. The Russian River Valley lies to the south of Alexander Valley, and is marked by much cooler temperatures and frequently heavy fog. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown here are some of the state's finest and most sought-after. Aromatic whites like Gewürztraminer and Riesling can also be successful, and sparkling wine production has a long history in the area.