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1347 visitors
| MY GOAL as a winemaker has always been to make delicious wine that people like to drink. After all, wine is a social beverage, one that is best enjoyed in the company of family and friends. It’s also the product of much communal effort from many people, not only the grape grower and the winemaker, but the vineyard workers, the “cellar rats” at harvest time, the buyers for wine shops and restaurants and, of course, the people who ultimately purchase the wine and take it home to share at the dinner table. | Woodside, CA
Phone: 650-551-0889
Website: http://www.michaelmartella.com/index.html
Appellation: Santa Cruz Mountains
Tasting Room: Tasting by appointment only.
Map to Michael Martella Wines
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Syrah
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2002 Hammer Syrah
California
My Italian surname, Martella, translates to “hammer”, and this delicious wine “nails down” classic Syrah character. Somewhat less intense than my Camel Hill Syrah, its bright fruit ... more-driven flavors are accented with peppery spices and soft, rounded tannins. Keith Watts, a multi-generational farmer, grows Syrah for me in Lodi – his vineyards in the Central Valley give the wine jam-packed cherry/berry flavors. Jerry Yates, a biodynamic farmer in Mendocino County, provides me with Cabernet Sauvignon that adds tannin, acid and spice to the wine. Sixteen months of barrel aging in French and American oak add an extra layer of toasty spice to this velvet-wrapped hammer of a wine. Enjoy it with pastas in cooked tomato sauce and Italian sausage, grilled vegetables, lamb stew and spicy pizzas.
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Syrah
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2003 Santa Cruz Mtns Syrah
Camel Hill Vineyard
This vintage is the second time I've harvested Syrah grapes from the Camel Hill Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Camel Hill Syrah reflects its French origins in a New World pe ... morersonality. It is a cool climate Syrah with the flavor concentration that comes from low-yielding vines. Its dark, earthy character is perfectly balanced by rich fruit sweetness resulting from ripeness, not from sugar. This aromatic wine smells like blackberries and violets, while in the mouth it is a big-bodied, rich wine with almost distilled black fruit flavors and a hint of eucalyptus. Soft, ripe tannins and a powerful, long finish are hallmarks of the Camel Hill Syrah. Big as it is, it’s still excellent to enjoy sipping by itself, but it is also delicious with grilled and roasted meats.
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Syrah
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2003 Mendocino Syrah
Fairbairn Ranch Vineyard
This ruby-red Syrah has all the rich brightness and luscious fruit flavors that characterize the finest wines made from this grape variety. Plump plum and cherry flavors lead the w ... moreay, with a smooth, almost jammy texture that radiates into layers and layers of fruit-dominated taste. Smooth tannins add structure without bite or tartness, thanks to the unique climate of Mendocino County: its warm days and very cool evenings contribute to an exceptionally long hang time for red wine grapes, allowing full ripening of skin and seed tannins. All the Syrah grapes for this wine were grown at the Fairbairn Ranch, an organically, biodynamically-farmed hillside vineyard owned by Joe and Julie Golden, and farmed by Jerry Yates. This Mendocino Syrah will stand up to hearty, grilled lamb and beef dishes, paired with roasted root vegetables or cooked tomato sauces.vegetables, lamb stew and spicy pizzas.
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Zinfandel
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2003 Fiddletown Zinfandel
Sierra Nevada Foothills
My brother Dick and I think the Grenache and Zinfandel he grows in Fiddletown make some of the most delicious wines we’ve ever had. The rocky slopes of this vineyard are sun-drench ... moreed throughout the growing season, producing fully ripe, fully delicious grapes. Our 2002 Fiddletown Zinfandel is Zin at its best – bursting with black berry sweetness and underlying peppery and cedar notes. Its tannins have power and structure, but they are soft and well balanced with the lush fruit. It’s a wine with layers and layers of flavors, a Zin to drink on its own with great pleasure. As a food wine, it is excellent with all kinds of tomato and barbecue sauces, and red meats from grilled hamburgers to filet mignon.
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Petite Sirah
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2003 Mendocino Petite Syrah
Hear Arrow Ranch Vineyard
This lesser-known grape variety from the Rhône region of France is at its full expression in this 2003 Mendocino Petite Syrah. I translated my fascination for this grape variety in ... moreto an inky-dark, earthy wine with a powerful structure surrounded by rich fruit flavors of plum, blackberry and black cherry. Add notes of violet, chocolate and cedar and you have a rich, complex wine that is delicious to drink now and will also age well in the bottle. The warm days and very cool nights of Mendocino County ensure a long hang time and fully-ripe fruit, necessary to tame the tannins of Petite Sirah. The hillside-grown grapes for this wine come from organically and biodynamically-farmed Heart Arrow Ranch. This wine is a perfect dinner party companion to grilled or roasted red meats, smoked turkey or osso buco. grilled vegetables, lamb stew and spicy pizzas.
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Rosé
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2005 Grenache Rosé
Fiddletown
Don’t be surprised to discover that a rosé wine can be bold and flavorful. I've translated an old French favorite into a new American classic. This crisp, dry Grenache rosé has all ... more the intense flavor of fully-ripened fruit combined with the delicacy that comes from the minimal time that the juice spends in contact with the skins of the grapes. The wine bursts with cherry-berry flavors and pleasing acidity, making it a refreshing and palate-cleansing experience. It’s perfect to serve chilled on a warm summer day, as an aperitif or as a delicious accompaniment to smoked chicken salad or any Asian-inspired cuisine.
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Updated on December 5, 2007
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