Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared sea scallops, roasted chicken with wild mushrooms, lobster thermidor
✨ Technical Specifications
Martinelli's Chardonnay portfolio showcases the dramatic cool-climate terroir of the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. Sourced from estate vineyards planted on steep, goldridge sandy loam soils, these wines benefit from the signature coastal fog and warm afternoon sun. The winemaking philosophy remains deeply traditional and minimalist: the grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermented in French oak barrels using only native yeasts, and undergo full malolactic fermentation. Aged sur lie with regular stirring (bâtonnage), the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. This meticulous process yields a classic, full-bodied California Chardonnay characterized by opulent stone fruit, toasted brioche, and a distinctive mineral backbone inherited from the ancient marine soils.
🍾 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
14.0-15.0%