Martorana Family Winery

The outdoor tasting space at Martorana, complete with a creekside tasting option in the background.

The drive up West Dry Creek Road reminds you of more idyllic times. If the asphalt wasn’t so new, you would half-expect to see horse-drawn carts hauling farm equipment between vineyards.

Martorana Family Winery is a quick mile or two North from the three-way stop at Lambert Bridge/West Dry Creek Roads. The winery is nestled in a little foothill at the end of a gravel pathway that winds its way around what we speculate is either Zin or Cab. During non-Covid times, a wine cave welcomes you, but equally enticing is the welcoming outdoor space just in front of it. It’s a Dry Creek rustic treat.

The tasting menu was a “sixer (no, not an industry term)” of three whites and three reds - we think all Estate grown. Here’s what we had:

Boiling it down (and yes, it was a hot September day), we especially enjoyed the 2018 Chardonnay. The mouthfeel had a nice weight to it. The acid was notable on the front and paired well with the slightest hint of butter on the finish. It really reminded us of a Dutcher Crossing Stuhlmuller Chardonnay. Other wines in the line-up were fantastic too, but our goal is to highlight just one that we liked rather than write exhaustively about them all.