![](https://martinelliwinery.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Hop-Barn-Hil_Syrah_Wine-Shop_NV.jpg)
2020 Vintage
94 Points
Erin Brooks, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
92 Points
Audrey Frick, Deb Dunnuck
VINEYARD |
Hop Barn Hill | ||||||||||||||||
VINTAGE | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
ABOUT THIS WINE | Hop Barn Hill was purchased by Uncle Tony Bondi in the late 1950s. It was one of the last remaining hop ranches. Uncle Tony purchased it with the intention of paving it over to put a trailer park on it. These were very fashionable and profitable ventures in the 1950s. He had the plans drawn, yet unfortunately he died in a freak tractor accident before he could implement his vision. Thankfully for us, Lee Sr. inherited the property and kept farming the apple orchards and vineyards currently on it. Later Lee Sr. created his own vision for the property and renovated the old Hop Kiln as our winery and the old Hop Barn as our tasting room in the 1980s, which we still use today. | ||||||||||||||||
GROWING YEAR INFO | 2020 will likely go down as one of the most memorable harvests in Martinelli history. The growing season was nearly perfect until mid-August when two nearby wildfires were ignited by a dry lightning storm. At this point in the berries’ growth cycle, the skins are softening and developing favors. Because we religiously prioritize the quality of our wines and the integrity of our brand, we made the hard but crucial decision to not make any Pinot Noir from the 2020 vintage. Unlike the other varieties that we grow, Pinot Noir is susceptible to absorbing flavors from its surroundings because it is exceptionally thin-skinned. This is why we can pick up terroir flavor nuances even within the same AVA in this grape. Luckily, we have Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Syrah from the 2020 vintage. Chardonnay is removed from its skin as soon as it enters the winery, so contact with any smoke flavors is extremely minimal. Zinfandel and Syrah both have very tough skins and did not absorb the smoke flavors we tasted in the Pinots. Though we were only able to process half the amount of fruit we do in a normal year, we are grateful for the outstanding wines we were able to make from the 2020 harvest. | ||||||||||||||||
VINEYARD DETAILS | SPECIFICATIONS
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Tasting Notes | Fascinating aromas of dried cherries, sassafras, and mace are found in the nose. Balanced tannins complement the palate with flavors of black plum and dark chocolate. Cardamom is present in the spicy long finish. | ||||||||||||||||
Winemaker | Courtney Robinett Wagoner | ||||||||||||||||
Consulting Winemaker | Erin Green | ||||||||||||||||
Cases Produced | 35 |