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.

The 2022 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.

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.