Martinelli produces spectacular wines from its landmark Jackass Hill Vineyard (an incredibly steep vineyard planted in 1887). The 1995 Jackass Hill Zinfandel is among the greatest Zinfandels I have ever tasted. Winemaker Steve Ryan spent many a night next to the fermenting tanks coaxing this wine to dryness. It boasts the most amazing extract, purity, and mouthfeel I have ever tasted in a Zinfandel, and believe me, California has produced a bevy of prodigious Zinfandels during the last six years. The opaque black/ruby-colored, dry 1995 Jackass Hill exhibits awesome richness and massive body, with an astonishing inner-core of sweet, ripe fruit. Last year I said the 1994 Jackass Hill (97 points) would become my benchmark Zinfandel, but the 1995 has equaled that wine. When I was asked how much alcohol I thought the wine contained, I said 14.5%-15%, largely because I did not detect any hotness because of the wine's concentration. When I was told that this dry wine was closer to 18%, I was dumbfounded. Anticipated maturity: now-2004.
More and more wines made from small high quality producers such as Martinelli are being sold via a mailing list. Readers wishing to secure a bottle or two of their most limited production offerings should know what to do. These wines are best drunk young, despite their lofty alcohol levels and extract. My recommendation is to consume them during their first 5-8 years of life.
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