Bondi Home Ranch

The Bondi Home Ranch sits at the southernmost tip of the Russian River Valley in the Green Valley AVA in Sebastopol. Lee Martinelli Sr. inherited this ranch from his uncle when it was still an apple orchard, and has since converted the 20 acres to Pinot Noir grapes. The vineyard is planted with eastern exposure, which promotes even ripening with all day sun. The cool breeze from the sea rises in the late afternoon, skimming along the distant bank of fog, relieving the vines from the afternoon heat and enhancing slower ripening. The clones are 115, 777, 667, 828, 943 and Calera. Bondi Home Ranch has the longest growing season of all of our vineyards; it is the first to bloom and the last to be picked.

The 2022 growing season was full of ups and downs, keeping our winemaking team on their toes. The season started out with ideal conditions with early rains helping to push bud break into Spring. While we encountered instances of shatter (a grape berry fails to develop because of incomplete pollination) due to frost, this was limited to specific vineyards. Meticulous attention was given to addressing this issue, as we diligently assessed each block and thinned any clusters affected by shatter. Thankfully, the summer months offered the optimal combination of warm days and perfectly cool nights. However, Labor Day weekend launched what has been marked as one of the most heat-intensive 7-day periods on record for Sonoma County, resulting in a significant number of vineyards reaching their ripening stage simultaneously.

Inviting aromas of blueberries, boysenberries, and star anise immerse your nose. The balanced approach is followed by layered tannins with flavors of fig and black cherry. With barrel spice and pomegranate present in the lingering finish.