Martedi Winery

So here you are in Washington State and you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma: You want to drink the local grape because drinking local is an awesome thing to do (and when the local grape is from Washington it’s a smart thing to do, too), but what you’re really jonesing for is something nice and Italian, a big, beautiful red from that big, beautiful boot of country. What’s a wine lover to do? Well, suffer no more and head over to Martedi. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but that’s just one more reason to open up your smart phone and put this winery on whatever the GPS equivalent of speed-​dial is, because, you will be back. Frequently.
Martedi is a genuine family affair with two brothers, John and Joe, along with Joe’s miraculous fiancée, D., running the winery with the support of their extended clan and a loyal army of fans. I firmly believe that Joe, the winemaker, is some sort of alchemist who in a less enlightened time would have been hounded by a pitchfork-​and-​torch-​wielding mob for the magic he does with grapes. His first feat of legerdemain is the dry Riesling he makes in the Alsatian style. (I know Alsace isn’t in Italy, but great winemakers seldom limit themselves.) Bone dry with excellent acidity and lots of body for a rich mouthfeel with great aromatics, this wine has unparalleled versatility. The reds are equally masterful and if you stop by for a visit you’re likely to taste a Sangiovese, a Barbera, a Syrah and a Cab Sauv. The reds are bold and mouthwatering, and each bottle plays to the strengths of the grape from which it’s made. It’s hard to praise one over the other but a special nod of reverence has to go to the Sangiovese. Joe the winemaker (perhaps I should dispense with familiarity and just call him Lord Sangio from here on in) makes both a normale and a Riserva version. Riserva/​Reserve is an unregulated term in the U.S., so any winemaker can put it on any bottle they care to, but Joe voluntarily follows the guidelines used in Italian wine law for the term; so, at Martedi, Riserva really means something.
So much for the wines that you’ll be able to sample on a tasting, but perceptive visitors will notice a few special bottles on the counter that they don’t normally open because they’re from small production runs. Well, I’ve tasted them all and urge you to buy them wine untasted. There’s an Aglianico (the Vinoresto) that is big, juicy and tannic, and there are a couple of very special wines made using traditional Italian techniques (the Vinorone and the Vinopasso) that you’re unlikely to see anywhere else in Washington. Buy these wines. Also, some of the more conventional wines (like the current vintages of the Cab Franc and Sangiovese Riserva) are in short supply so get them while you can; though, of course, Lord Sangio will make more.
Finally, apart from the wine, the people who run this winery are just plain good. In the years we’ve been coming by, my partner and I have never been treated with anything but warmth, kindness and generosity, and he and I consider a visit to Martedi an essential part of most of our trips to Woodinville to both sip the grape and catch up with the lovely crowd of folks who are always there because they had the same idea we did.
Bottom line: Why are you still reading this and not on your way over to Martedi?

What a fantastic place! My wife and I discovered Martedi on Unilocal,and decided to check it out after work. The owner gave us his full undivided attention — it’s obvious this is his passion and he is pouring his heart & soul in. The Riesling is AMAZING and very different than the usual ones… bone dry and crisp, will be great with spicy foods. We tasted the full range and also loved the Sangiovese and Barbera. And through the whole 30 min tasting, we had a very engaging conversation about food, wine, pairings etc. Memorable experience that will surely bring us back to taste and buy more wines. Love this boutique place.

My favorite new place here in Woodinville. I live here and am surrounded by wine rooms but when I finish up work in the office for the day, it is the first place I think of heading to pick up a nice bottle. The above average cigar selection often drags me in as well.
Sangiovese is always a strong stand out, I can not decide if it or the cab franc is my favorite. The Giovanni Syrah is amazing.
Just released is the Barbera. Awesome.
Last, Joe and John seem to put their souls into this place and are very welcoming. Their care and interest in what they do is so apparent. I joined the wine club the first time I came in.

Fabulous full bodied red wines that I can’t get enough of! Joe and John are friendly and fabulous guys that truly enjoy their craft. I feel so fortunate to be able to drop in and feel like family!

To potential clients of Martedi Winery,
The wine made at this facility is excellent. That being said, I strongly suggest if you buy any wine from this here, pick it up yourself. Do NOT pay a dime for the winery to ship it to you.
We bought several bottles of wine from this facility along with some wine from a variety of wineries in the vicinity. The owners of Martedi Winery assured us they would deliver the wines we bought to our house, via their chosen shipper, safely. We informed them that we lived in Minnesota and, since it was December, there was the potential for freezing weather. We were assured they were adept at packaging and the wines would arrive in fine condition. We paid $ 36.00 for them to ship and thought all would be fine… WRONG! The package arrived via UPS and the bottles of wine were frozen.
This would not seem to be a problem, except for one thing, since we were not the company that contracted with UPS to deliver the wine, any claim would have to come from Martedi Winery. This is where a company can clearly demonstrate they are head and shoulders above the rest in terms of customer service… or not!
To shorten the story, suffice it to say the winery did get in contact with UPS, did collect on the claim, and did replace the wine we bought from them as well as the cost of the other bottles of wine that were frozen in the shipment. That seems a reasonable accommodation, right? Well, as Paul Harvey used to say; Now, here’s the rest of the story…
After 11 months (!), with little to no return emails from the winery to keep us updated on the progress, UPS honored the claim and issued a check to the winery for $ 209 dollars for 6 bottles of wine we had paid for, plus shipping (which we had also paid for). The winery did replace a bottle of their Sangiovese for free, which is so delicious we ordered a second bottle for $ 28.00. They also sent us a check for the other bottles of wine from the wineries we visited, which they had shipped.
A reasonable person would have expected to have received a check for $ 209 minus the $ 28 dollars for the second bottle of wine we ordered, for a total of $ 181, since we had already paid for the initial shipment, which the winery had been for, by UPS, with the claim check. We received a check for $ 131.00 because the shipment of 2 bottles of wine came to $ 48.00. Amazing, given the initial shipment of 6 bottles cost $ 36.00, which the winery had received as part of the initial claim.
As I stated earlier, the wine is outstanding, but the customer service by the owners is severely lacking, and that, my friends, is what separates the greats from the also-​rans.

This gem of a winery makes some excellent Italian-​style wines, such as Sangiovese and Aglianico (did I spell that right??) along with great standards such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Martedi makes the best Reisling in Washington State — it is a beautiful, bone dry flavorful Reisling. The winery is a family owned and operated winery, and the guys that run it are fun, entertaining, and passionate about great wine. I’ll keep coming back and buying more!

Not your typical tasting room. Upon entry you are greeted with the aroma of cigars and cedar boxes. There is a very friendly winery dog named rosco. And the wines are friendly as well! We enjoyed the dry Riesling and the syrah.