2005 Martinelli Bella Vigna Pinot Noir, R.R.V., CA

14.7% alcohol. From a 375 ml. bottle.

Dark purple color. Recognizable RRV terroir with plum and dark berries on the nose and palate. Mouth-filling with a lengthy finish. The fruit speaks louder than the savory notes, but they add another flavor layer. (Dried fennel or dried herbs? red licorice?) May be at its peak now. I had this with baked pork chop in mushroom sauce. I believe it could also pair with rabbit or perhaps roasted fowl with a blackberry or plum sauce. I visited Martinelli Winery again on my October visit to Sonoma County and purchased a bottle of Zinfandel on this trip.

I have had some amazing Martinelli PN over the past decade. Not a style for everyone and I have had a number of misses but when they hit it can be wonderful. I don't think that the Bella Vigna bottling will ever hit the same level as some of the single vineyards and probably does not have the life either. However, I have found that many of these PNs age better than I would have originally thought even considering the alc content. I recently opened a 2001 Blue Slide that I thought was very hot when young and it had aged into a nicely integrated wine that was well balanced and still had plenty of life in front of it.

The zins on the other hand, I don't like and I have not found to benefit from bottle age.