2001 Martinelli Sauvignon Blanc, Martinelli Vineyard

Served cold in proper lead crystal chardonnay style glasses. Paired with a baked chicken and red skin potatoes. I received this as part of a mixed case of Martinelli from the mailing list offer sheet. Alcohol 13.5%

Nose: Very grassy with a touch of citrus. Nothing remarkable here.

Color: Pale yellow with an ever so slight tinge of green to it.

Taste: Grassy with a slight herbal hint. This could use additional acidity to help bring out what fruit there is. This wine was probably served a little too cold at first. It did show a bit more fruit as it warmed up. This one is a bit flat in my opinion and certainly doesn’t show as well as less expensive, and more enjoyable New Zealand versions of Sauvignon Blanc. I can’t say I’m surprised by my impressions. I want to like California Sauvignon Blanc but so far I haven’t found what I consider an excellent example.

Finish: Relatively short, some lemony citrus on the end. Overall the grassy herbaceous nature is what I get mostly.

This wine is the price you pay if you want to get the more highly allocated wines from Martinelli. If it were available for half the $18 price from the winery, the QPR would still be a bit suspect. As it stands, I have to give it an honest D+ for QPR. I am going assign points to this wine based on my experience with Sauvignon Blanc from worldwide sources, so it may score lower than it would be if judged purely against its peers from California.

GA Points: 82

GA, I don't get the "lesser" Martinelli bottlings because I have to pay twice for shipping and it comes to about $8 a bottle. At the Morrell's gettogether, I tried the Martinelli Gewurtztraminer and found it worthy of purchase. If you got any, I think you'll be pleased.

I've had some excellent CA SB's in the past. Matanzas Creek has been consistently fine, although I understand recently they've headed South. The Peter Michael offerings are always excellent, though pricey. The Gainey Limited selection is a very good or better wine at a reasonable price.

Thanks for the advice Board-O. I did get two of the Gewertztraminers in my order but I haven't tried them yet. I've tried more California SB than would be proper to list here, I just seem to prefer the N.Z and French versions. Perhaps it's a matter of taste.

My rating of 82 should not be construed as the wine was bad or undrinkable. It was just unremarkable in any facet. In my book, 82 points is still a wine without any major flaws. Its just below what I consider average. (85) points.

How long had this wine sat in your cellar after it was shipped to you from the winery?

About a week and a half. I don't think shipping had anything to do with it's performance.

It is probably a preference thing with me. Rated purely against other California Savignon Blancs, it would have likely been rated in the mid 80's by me.

It just doesn't show well vs. N.Z or Sancerre.

Just my opinion.

Most people recommend that a wine be laid down for at least a month after shipping.

I find some of your prose surprising given my experience with the wine in question and with prior vintages of Martinelli Sauvignon Blanc. Thus, my inquiry.

I have found the wine to be consistently reliable and easily one of the top five produced in California year in and year out. Parker has rated prior vintages of the SB in the high eighties and the 2001 imo is not significantly worse (or better) than prior vintages. I have never found the wine lacking in fruit in any event.

WineGeek,

I guess we just have a difference of opinion on this one. To each his, or her, own. I do have two more bottles, I will bring one to the next offline and have some other palates that I trust give me their opinion.

It's just not my cup of tea in Savignon Blanc.

I hope I will enjoy the Gewertztrminer more.

I tasted the Gewertztraminer when I was there in April. I liked it so I bought two to round out the mixed case of G&L Zins (4) and Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs (6). I plan to take one with me to Thanksgiving dinner this year. I found it to be well structured, floral on the nose with hints of apricot and grapefruit. Very tasty. I am not overly familiar withGewertztraminer but my wife sure liked it.

The SB is the weakest wine in the Martinelli stable. The Gewurtz is one of the two best in the states along with Navarro, in my opinion.

The Gewurtztraminer is the best dry one from CA I've ever had. De Loach makes a fine dessert wine from the grape. GMT, I've never seen the Navarro.

GA, the gewurtz is very well done. You'll enjoy it.

jb

Thank you all for your impressions of the Gewurtz. If the caliber of wine drinkers above this post say it's good stuff, there is no doubt in my mind it will be phenomenal.

When I get around to drinking it, I'll post notes.

Board-O: Navarro is in Mendocino, makes pretty good pinots as well as the gewurtz. Well worth searching out.

So, it was so good you had to write about it twice, huh?