Benovia Martaella Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Earthy and dark fruit-driven, this is a richly rewarding, fruity wine, ripe in blackberry, clove and cocoa. From an estate vineyard named for Benovia proprietor's two mothers, Martha and Eleanor, it offers the appellation's classic elements of savory clove and cola.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir Martaella Vineyard has a nose of crushed black cherries, mulberries and red plums with suggestions of black earth, dried herbs and lavender. The black berry, earth and cherry flavors are densely packed on the medium-bodied palate, with fine-grained tannins and a racy backbone to support, finishing long with an herbal lift.
Other Vintages
2018-
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Spectator -
Tasting
Panel
With such similar family backgrounds, it's no wonder Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane would eventually find each other and marry. Together, they began a journey that led them to establish a winery that would make them, and their fathers, proud -- proud enough that the Benovia name pays homage to Ben and Novian.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.