2012 Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge
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Tasting notes
From the estate’s grand cru vineyard, the 2012 Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge comes from a site planted in 1995 with Dijon clones 667, 777, 115, Pommard and Clone X which was sourced from Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer. It’s a big wine with 15.2% natural alcohol. Stunning aromas of forest floor, mulberries, blueberries and blackcurrants soar from the glass of this deep ruby/purple-tinged Pinot Noir. Full-bodied and voluptuous, this stunner should drink well for 10-15 years. Sadly, only 234 cases were produced.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Brilliant red. Smoky red and dark berry aromas are complicated by cola and rose pastille, with a sexy note of Asian spices gaining power as the wine opens with air. Fleshy black raspberry and boysenberry flavors are braced by a nervy mineral quality, which adds lift and cut. Finishes with lingering sweetness and excellent persistence, leaving a spicecake note behind. There's 15.2% alcohol here, and 80% new oak, but the impression I get is one of elegance.
About the producer
Martinelli is a Sonoma benchmark for vineyard-designate bottlings—wines built to highlight how strongly a single site can shape Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Zinfandel. Across the range, the focus stays consistent: small-production bottlings that feel distinctly tied to where they’re grown.