2009 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard

The 2009 Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard emerges from a plot of 130-year-old head-trained vines. Plums, exotic spices, tar, minerals, forest floor and black cherries are some of the many notes that come to life in this powerful, explosive wine. Layers of fruit continue to build with notable intensity as the wine flows through to its intense, resonant finish. This is a dazzling wine from Martinelli, but patience will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2029. Martinelli is one of the original pioneering families in Sonoma. I tasted a wide range of wines during a recent visit. The 2008 Syrahs, from a challenging vintage, are a bit up and down, but the rest of the wines are all outstanding. As always, these are fairly bold, extroverted wines, but their overall balance is typically superb. Tel. (707) 525-0570

Inky purple. Explosive, exotically perfumed aromas of blueberry, blackberry, dark chocolate, toasty oak spices and incense; nothing shy about this. Lush, supple and broad, with palate-coating dark berry compote and floral pastille flavors accented by licorice and Indian spices. For all its exotic fruit character, this shows surprising poise and precision and an almost restrained character. I did say "almost." Finishes velvety and long, with supple tannins and lingering notes of dark berry liqueur and candied flowers. I'd be inclined to serve this by itself, or maybe with a blue cheese.