Chardonnay Charles Ranch
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, grilled lobster with drawn butter
✨ Technical Specifications
The Charles Ranch Chardonnay is sourced from a historic vineyard site in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA of the Sonoma Coast. Planted in 1980 by George Charles, the father-in-law of Lee Martinelli Jr., this vineyard represents some of the earliest Chardonnay plantings in this rugged, extreme coastal region. Situated on a ridge-top just miles from the Pacific Ocean, the vines are subject to cool maritime breezes and dense fog, which slow the ripening process and preserve natural acidity. Martinelli farms this site with meticulous care, producing a wine that undergoes barrel fermentation and aging in French oak. The resulting Chardonnay is celebrated for its striking balance of rich, concentrated stone fruit flavors, vibrant coastal acidity, and a distinct mineral backbone that reflects its unique terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Martinelli Winery represents one of the most storied multi-generational viticultural legacies in Sonoma County, dating back to 1887 when Tuscan immigrants Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini first planted vines in the Russian River Valley. The estate's crown jewel remains the famed Jackass Hill—a perilous, non-terraced 60-degree slope planted to historic heritage Zinfandel and Muscat of Alexandria. Across more than 450 acres spanning Russian River Valley and Fort Ross-Seaview, the Martinellis cultivate cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as heritage Zinfandel and Syrah, across Goldridge sandy loam and marine gravel soils influenced by dense Pacific coastal fog. Winemaking emphasizes site fidelity through ambient yeast fermentations, meticulous French oak élevage, and minimal intervention, bottling without fining or filtration. Benchmark bottlings such as Jackass Hill Zinfandel, Three Sisters Chardonnay, and Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir capture rich concentration, vibrant acidity, and profound structural depth.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay
🍷 ABV
14.0-14.5%