Martinelli, Jackass Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

Mystery purchase as I found this in the cellar. Drank with a Coravin a week ago and drank the balance tonight. Musty color, muted nose to begin with. Alcohol was really integrated with the developing flavors. Some spice and pepper. Very smooth and for us very enjoyable with our meal of spaghetti.

2010 vintage

This was ok, not great balance, more alcohol than zin fruit. 17.4% B&J x-mas party

2010 vintage

Part of a Burgers and Zin night with my wine group. I was concerned, given the previous comments on CT, but we loved this! The fruit is no longer the overpowering component, but there is still fruit left, that along with the spice notes that developed made this the group's favorite wine of the night. Although for me, it was 3rd (out of 7).

2006 vintage

No longer huge, this has mellowed into a sort of amarone state that was interesting enough with home smoked ribs.

2006 vintage

A family favorite Zinfandel for our Christmas feast of Beef Wellington that would make Julia Child proud. Yes it's extracted and unctuous but not overly and with balance of spice and character that mated wonderfully. Yummy... :-p

2010 vintage

A hot mess in its youth, this has developed into a wine that is best poored down the drain or suffered through as a pooly made port alternitive.

2006 vintage

Drinking very well currently. Still nice fruit.

2004 vintage

Decanted, aerated & served at cellar temp. Big deep unctuous Zin with plenty of character. All well integrated at this age.

2010 vintage

Good nose but palate is disjointed and alcohol was prominent

2010 vintage

Peak drinking now. Could not be better.

2010 vintage

Consumed on 5/10 and 6/10/20. Consistent. Very good!

2010 vintage

This wine is still drinking wonderfully. Rich, big and not apologetic. Sadly, my last bottle.

2004 vintage

Fabulous Zin.

2010 vintage

whoa momma, this is a big boy. Don't try to take this down by yourself. Overall this wine is in a really good spot, fruit is still great. Alcohol clocks in at 16.9%, but doesn't ruin the wine. I would drink this over the next 2-3 years, should hold for 5 more.

2004 vintage

Martinelli Jackass vineyard 2010. Continues to surprise me as this tastes like something other than zinfandel. Can't place the flavor of the grape, but it's not the jammy, denseness I sometimes get with other zins. Color was deep purple and the cork held together well also. High octane alcohol at 17% and I sure can taste it, but it doesn't overpower or blot out the fruit. That sais, You will feel this after a glass or two. I taste this …

2010 vintage

Still a wonderful bottle of Zinfandel, but starting to show its age. My guess that it is best to drink over the next two or three years.

2004 vintage

Drinking beautifully at this time.

2004 vintage

Opened out of magnum, drank younger that I was expecting. Deep, rich. concentrated fruit in the nose and flavor, black cherries, blackberries. dried plums, figs, licorice, and hints of spice and earthiness. Full bodied, nice complexity, and a long finish. Huge, delicious wine, but probably not for everyone...

2004 vintage

I was generally worried that this might be over-the-top and port-like, but my fears were unfounded. This was big and assertive, but had eased up considerably given the bottle age. Drinking nicely.

2004 vintage

A powerful and spicy Zinfandel, with a decent push of power and tannic fortitude washing over the wild blackberry and black pepper notes. Thankfully, this steers away from being jammy or overly fruity (as some more plush Zins can be). Some booze fires off on the back end here, clamping down on some of the flavors. However, this wine has enough complexity and pure fruit to push through the effect of some of the biting heat. The million dollar question …

2010 vintage

WOW. Still tastes like 17% alcohol. The fruit is still sweet and ripe. This wine hasn't aged a day. 3/4 of the bottle was left at the end of the night. Just kinda hard to drink.

2004 vintage

I've just pretty much lost my taste for Martinelli zins. Seem hot, and this one is over the hill. Stay with the pinots.

2006 vintage

My last bottle - as in 2016, big, juicy, extracted. Perfect accompaniment to chicken and kale tacos. I haven't been dringing these Jackass Vineyard Zins in a while and had almost forgotten how well they can pair with food.

2004 vintage

Thirteen years and still fully loaded!

2004 vintage

Like Silver Oak (Alexander) on steroids - highly extracted with loads of cherry and vanilla - but with added hints of zin spice. You definitely feel heat on the finish, but then again, how do you hide 16.9%(!) alcohol? The first few sips were interesting, but it became tiring to finish the bottle, even when paired with an 8oz filet and hearty sides. Though a mature wine, it is not a tired one - stayed strong through the 2 hours …

2004 vintage

Still great though the alcohol content is still too high affecting overall taste

2010 vintage

It has been 3 years since I last had this wine and I like it more. Needs a lot of air to open up but once it does the fruit and complexity comes forward.

2010 vintage

Quick double decant. Spice, spice and more spice, plus a touch of dark red fruits on the nose. These followed on the palate where the fruits became the equal of the spice. All of this was balanced by sufficient acidity to prevent flab, and created a voluptuous medium+ mouthfeel, with no hint of the hefty alcohol. Not sure how much longer this can last -- maybe a year or two?

2004 vintage

Two bottles, four diners; popped and poured at a restaurant. One bottle's contents seemed a bit thinner-bodied and less rich than we've become accustomed to, with an odd phenolic overtone, but the second bottle was just as gorgeous as previous bottles. Recommended. Drink now.

2004 vintage

Popped and poured; followed for 90 minutes with a meal. Maybe I've been scoring this too low: it really is consistently outstanding, the kind of wine that simultaneously soothes and stimulates the palate, a finish that you can call forth a half hour later. 95+. Drink now.

2004 vintage

As previous notes: p & p, followed with a meal for 90 minutes. An oldie but a goody: smooth, rich, spicy and complex, and with a high enough ABV (16.9%) that one is encouraged to sip rather that quaff. Outstanding Zinfandel. Drink now.

2004 vintage

This bottle was singing. Popped and poured; served with an hour-long restaurant meal. An outstanding Zin. One diner told me, some hours later, that he walked out of the restaurant feeling "on Cloud 9", he was so delighted by the wine. Very mature, but not falling off the cliff just yet.

2004 vintage

Solid Zin, extremely well balanced. Not quite as rich as some others, but still very, very nice.

2010 vintage

Popped and poured among three diners; followed over 90 minutes. I would have liked to have sampled this wine in its peak, now apparently passed. A quality Zin with the expected high octane rating (16.9% ABV) that, even at this late stage, is quite noticeable. Smooth and sappy, and unmistakably Zinfandel. I have six more bottles, and will plan to consume them all by year's end; drink now.

2004 vintage

Very grapey and on the downward slope.

2004 vintage

Flawed- taste like glue. Super bummed.

2006 vintage

Caramel color, tannins integrating. Beautiful wine.

2006 vintage

Put the Carlisle Monte Rosso in the refrigerator and opened this, nose of ripe and sweet black cherry fruit, bright and floral spring flower notes, more of the same on the palate, this is big like a Cabernet Sauvignon but not at the top like Jackass from the late 1990's, perhaps medium/big/big body, smooth, supple and savory like grilled Portobello Mushrooms, long, long, fruity and flavorful finish.

2006 vintage

After drinking my last 2003 a couple of weeks ago I graduated to the 2004. I decanted this for two hours (if I'd had more time I'd have decanted for longer) - already it's a lovely, concentrated, sweet, juicy, fruity, wine with a long finish. There's no hint of heat despite its 16.9% alcohol. I bet this will be even better tomorrow.

2004 vintage

Found another bottle! Still drinking beautifully. Can continue to cellar but this time ours is truly gone.

2006 vintage

Just a superb Zinfandel. Nice fruit without being cloying.

2004 vintage

DEEP RICH BERRY FRUIT, BLACK CHERRIES, LICORICE, AND A TOUCH OF EARTHINESS IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.

2004 vintage

Great zin -- a little over the top, but really tasty!

2010 vintage

Last bottle unfortunately. Possesses still more cellar years.

2006 vintage

Nearly two years later and still drinking beautifully.

2006 vintage

Most memorable zinfandel experience in many years. None of that over-the-top, raisin-y fruit bomb and tannin profile most American producers moved to stylistically. Soft yet beautifully structured. Muted notes of cherry and tobacco with unctuous mouthfeel and long finish. As the one who unfortunately pushed the market towards those highly rated fruit bombs is wont to say, " A tour de force!".

2004 vintage

As good as a zin gets. Nice balance of spice and fruit. A bit hot at 17.4 but worth it.

2010 vintage

I found this 2010 a fascinating Zin, a little hot and closed down upon opening. The evolution and depth evolved over 3 days to a huge finish on day 3. Plum, dark cherries, spices, tar and on day 3 beautiful earth tones layered on top. I should expect nothing less from Martinelli, delicious!

2010 vintage

Best Martinelli Jackass I've had in ages. I had started to think maybe my tastes had changed to where I no longer like Martinelli zin. But this restores my hope. Great flavor, balance and finish, not at all "hot." Not over the hill, but no reason to wait.

2006 vintage

Ready to drink

2010 vintage

Are you sure?

Martinelli, Jackass Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews