2021 Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard
Appellation
Russian River
This eight acre vineyard was planted in the early 1800s, which makes it our oldest vineyard, and is located just south of our famed Jackass Hill Vineyard. These old, head pruned vines are farmed much the same way as they were a century ago; without the use of trellising, irrigation, or pesticides. Common to this area, it has both Goldridge and Franciscan soil types
Wine Specs
Vintage
2021
Varietal
Zinfandel
Appellation
Russian River
Vineyard Designation
Jackass Vineyard
Alcohol %
16.6
Wine Profile
Vineyard Notes
This eight acre vineyard was planted in the early 1800s, which makes it our oldest
vineyard, and is located just south of our famed Jackass Hill Vineyard. These old,
head pruned vines are farmed much the same way as they were a century ago;
without the use of trellising, irrigation, or pesticides. Common to this area, it has
both Goldridge and Franciscan soil types
Winemaker Notes
2020 will likely go down as one of the most memorable harvests in Martinelli
history. The growing season was nearly perfect until mid-August when two nearby
wildfires were ignited by a dry lightning storm. At this point in the berries’ growth
cycle, the skins are softening and developing favors. Because we religiously
prioritize the quality of our wines and the integrity of our brand, we made the hard
but crucial decision to not make any Pinot Noir from the 2020 vintage. Unlike the
other varieties that we grow, Pinot Noir is susceptible to absorbing flavors from its
surroundings because it is exceptionally thin skinned. This is why we are able to
pick up terroir flavor nuances even within the same AVA in this grape. Luckily, we
have Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Syrah from the 2020 vintage. Chardonnay is
removed from its skins as soon as it enters the winery, so contact with any smoke
flavors is extremely minimal. Zinfandel and Syrah both have very tough skins and
did not absorb the smoke flavors we tasted in the Pinots. Though we were only
able to process half the amount of fruit we do in a normal year, we are grateful for
the outstanding wines we were able to make from the 2020 harvest.
