"It Was A Very Good Year" for Happy Canyon Petit Verdot from Martellotto Winery
Buellton, CA (July 3, 2019) – Martellotto Winery’s inaugural vintage of “It Was A Very Good Year” Petit Verdot was recently released. This wine comes from the Happy Canyon AVA in Santa Barbara, CA.
The name is “a bit tongue in cheek, but totally appropriate for our first ever release of a limited production Petit Verdot,” says Greg Martellotto. “I'm a jazz and Frank Sinatra fan and such a stellar song deserves an equally fantastic wine."
The wine is 80% Petit Verdot and 20% Malbec, so it is dark as night, yet savory and full of crunchy blueberries and blackberries. It's a young wine that drinks well and will age well over the next 3-8 years.
About Happy Canyon AVA
Happy Canyon is the perfect place for Bordeaux varietals, such as Petit Verdot and Malbec, in California’s Central Coast. Wines from the grapes in this AVA compete alongside the best from Napa and Sonoma.
“I knew Happy Canyon was special for Bordeaux varietals,” says Greg, “and with my love of wines from Bordeaux, I knew I had to make my own wine from Happy Canyon grapes.”
The unique geography here makes these wines special. The elevation is higher here than elsewhere in Santa Barbara county. Plus, the rare intersection of the Santa Ynez and the San Rafael mountain ranges provides a unique microclimate.
This mountain intersection is perpendicular to the Santa Ynez Valley which runs east from the Pacific Ocean. This unique geography creates an air current that channels the cool marine air into the canyon early in the day with fog moving in later in the day. Warm days and cool nights allow for a diurnal shift that is ideal for perfectly ripe Bordeaux varietals. These high-elevation grapes ripen well in the warm air that is trapped in the canyon mid-day and cool down at night which preserves acidity.
About the Wine
In the hands of the right producer, wines made from Petit Verdot are high-quality, dry, and full-bodied and with a satisfying finish. They exhibit elegance, freshness, and balance.
This wine has a deep purple color and releases aromas of plums and blackberries along with violets, lavender and sage.
After 18 months in 20% new oak, the wine exhibits graphite, cedar and tobacco, traditional Bordeaux characteristics. Black cherry and blueberry married with balanced notes of vanilla and toasted oak round out the palate
Pair it with grilled or roasted meats and eggplant, or other robust and savory dishes. If you prefer cheeses, try strong hard cheeses or mellow blue cheeses.
About Martellotto Winery
Set deep in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, Martellotto Winery makes handcrafted, beautiful and exciting wines using specially selected grapes from across California’s Central Coast. American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) include Happy Canyon AVA, Sta. Rita Hills AVA, Santa Ynez Valley AVA, and Santa Maria Valley AVA. Owner and winemaker, Greg Martellotto, specializes in Bordeaux varietals. Martellotto Winery is one of the few wineries producing single varietal wines of all five of the noble Bordeaux grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.
Contact:
Greg Martellotto, Owner
Martellotto Winery
(619) 567-9244