Martinelli ‘Moonshine Ranch’ Pinot Noir 2019 – 750ml Not specified

93pts Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 

The 2019 Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch has a medium ruby color and aromas of crushed red and black berries, aniseed, earth and loads of spicy nuances. The medium-bodied palate is silky, soft and accessible straight from bottle, with a long and super spicy finish. 464 cases produced.

93pts Vinous

The 2019 Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch is a powerful, dense wine. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice and floral notes infuse the 2019 with quite a bit of character. Of all the 2019 Pinot Noirs, the Moonshine packs a serious punch. This warm, flat site rich on clay yields a Pinot of tremendous textural depth and a decidedly ripe feel with Zinfandel-like overtones.

93pts Wine Spectator

Elegant, with fine-grained dried raspberry and cherry flavors that are backed by fresh acidity and medium-grained tannins. Minerally midpalate, with a lithe finish of hot stone and plenty of toasty richness. Drink now through 2026. 458 cases made.

Winemaker Notes

The Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir show its sense of place by its range in depth, color and flavors. The Pinot Noir is grown on the estate properties from the far Sonoma Coast, to the Fort Ross – Seaview AVA, to the Green Valley of Russian River Valley and in the Russian River Valley.

Back during prohibition the owners of this property used to run ‘shine on this ranch, in the existing barn. The owner used to sneak out in the middle of the night, while his wife slept to tend to the still. The wife got suspicious and thought it was another woman, so she hired a private detective. When the detective found out he was running ‘shine, had the owner arrested and thrown in jail. The barn still stands on the property today.