Donna Charles

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Etta Martinelli

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Bing Martinelli

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Etta Martinelli

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Fred Martinelli

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Leno Martinelli

Fort Ross-Seaview

When Leno Martinelli’s father, Giuseppe, died, Leno took over Giuseppe’s vineyards, Jackass Hill and Jackass Vineyard, at age 12. Leno was the youngest of 4 children by at least 10 years. His older brothers gave him “that really steep hill to farm”… because only a jackass would farm a hill that steep, 65 degrees. Leno farmed it with a horse and plow at age 12 (1918), then eventually buying a John Deere crawler in the 1960’s. He farmed Jackass Hill until he was 89 years old, (77 years). Leno made his own wine, grew apples, had a fabulously lush garden, was a sore loser at pinnacle and hunted the deer that ate his grapes. He was known to sew his own deep cuts shut with needle/pliers, and tan deer hides to make work gloves. He was the quintessential subsistence farmer, living off only what he grew or hunted. He lived a sustainable life before it was certifiable. Leno taught his son, Lee Sr., how to farm apples, prunes, grapes and make wine and grappa. Leno retired from farming at 89 years old, handing his lands over to his son, Lee Sr to farm. Lee Sr farms Jackass Hill today at 80 years old.

Carolyn Charles

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

Charlotte Charles

Fort Ross-Seaview

This 40-acre piece was originally purchased by Lee Martinelli Sr. because it butted up against the Charles/Dillon Ranch and he planned to hunt wild boar on this piece. In 1991 we met Helen Turley(world famous female winemaker) whose property bordered this parcel. After a friendly neighborly chat Helen said she needed a place to make wine and we needed a winemaker, so we hired her to start working for us in 1992. She walked all of our properties and when she saw this piece she remarked “this is a grand cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. said “This is where I pig hunt.” She again said “This is a Grand Cru site for Pinot Noir.” Lee Sr. still responded about pig hunting there…she said “Lee put in the vineyard and the pigs will come.” She was right on both accounts. It is one of our most highly touted pinot noir vineyards and the wild pigs love to try to get into this vineyard.

George and Martha Charles

Fort Ross-Seaview

The Charles family has been farming our property on the far Sonoma Coast since 1860, for 6 generations, located just a mile inland from the ocean. This land was received as part of the Homestead Act of the 1860s in order to raise sheep. It has continued in the family for generations as a sheep ranch. At one point George, Carolyn’s father, had over 1 thousand head of sheep on 2 thousand acres of land. George and Martha would frequently move around Northern California to find the best grasslands for their sheep herds. In 1980, George decided to retire from the sheep ranching business and planted the second vineyard on the far Sonoma Coast. George used his horse the first few years to work the vineyards, instead of a tractor. It’s what he knew and it’s what he had. He planted Chardonnay grapes that are now bottled as our Charles Ranch Chardonnay.