2020 Chardonnay Martinelli Road

These new releases from Martinelli mark another step in the direction toward a slightly more vibrant style than in the past. There is still plenty of the textural richness readers have come to expect, but in the last few years, Winemaker Courtney Wagoner has also reduced new oak and generally introduced a touch more freshness in the wines. Transitions like this always take time, so it will be interesting to see how things play out over coming vintages. The Zinfandels and Pinots are from the 2021 harvest, a year that is a bit light in body at Martinelli. Syrahs and Chardonnays are all 2020s, a much more difficult vintage in which the winemaking team performed admirably.