2012 Syrah Zio Tony Ranch

I wish every Vinous reader could sit down for a tasting with the Martinelli family as I have had the privilege of doing for the last handful of years. Of all the estates I visit in California, Martinelli is the one of the very few properties where virtually all of the discussion focuses on vineyards, soils, clones and rootstocks...and not much else. There can be little doubt where the emphasis is here. The Martinellis like to pick their fruit on the ripe side, which tends to yield pretty rich wines, but the cool, abundant 2012 vintage, with its slightly larger berry size, yielded wines that retain notable brightness, something that is especially evident in the Chardonnays and Syrahs.