Martinelli Road

The Martinelli Road Chardonnay Vineyard is one of our coolest vineyard sites in the Russian River Valley. A large portion of the vineyard remains shaded for most of the day by a ridge of old redwood trees, and we sell these rows to another winery, keeping the ones that get more sunshine for ourselves. Lee Martinelli Sr. planted this vineyard in 1989 using clone 95, and the vineyard borders the Jackass Zinfandel vineyard on the original Martinelli family homestead ranch.

When we look back at the 2023 growing season there are two words that perfectly describe the vintage – late and big. After an exceptionally wet and cool winter, bud break happened over a month later than average. Our first day of picking was the day after the harvest completed the previous year. Fruit set was excellent and the temps during the summer were moderate to cool, with very few days in the triple digits. What a contrast from 2022! Mild temperatures along with abundantly available water allowed the clusters to develop slowly and evenly.

Lush and tropical on the nose, with aromas of juicy pineapple, sweet cream, and a whisper of barrel spice. The palate opens with a soft, almost honeyed entry that gives way to a refreshing mid-palate of pineapple and lemon zest. Subtle notes of mango and papaya echo in the finish, adding depth and a lingering tropical nuance.