Jackass Hill Muscat Alexandria
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–8 years of vintage release to capture its vibrant, exotic aromatics, though it can develop intriguing honeyed and nutty complexities with further short-term cellaring.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Fruit tarts, blue cheese, spicy Thai curry
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Perched on the legendary, near-vertical 60-degree slope of Jackass Hill, a tiny parcel of Muscat of Alexandria coexists alongside the historic Zinfandel vines planted by Giuseppe Martinelli in 1887. This extreme, dry-farmed terroir forces the centenarian, head-trained vines to struggle for survival, resulting in incredibly low yields of intensely concentrated fruit. Crafted in extremely limited quantities, this rare white wine is celebrated for its explosive aromatics and rich, textured palate. It stands as a liquid testament to the family's multi-generational farming heritage and the unique microclimate of the Russian River Valley, offering a sensory bridge to California's early viticultural history.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Established in 1887 by Tuscan immigrants Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini, Martinelli Winery is a historic, family-owned estate nestled in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California. Renowned for its deep agricultural heritage spanning over six generations, the winery is celebrated for farming some of the region's most steep and challenging terroirs, most notably the iconic, near-vertical Jackass Hill vineyard. Under the stewardship of the Martinelli family, the estate employs meticulous hand-farming, dry-farming techniques, and minimalist winemaking practices—such as utilizing native yeasts and bottling unfined and unfiltered—to craft wines of extraordinary concentration and character. Their signature portfolio highlights powerful, old-vine Zinfandels, alongside elegant, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, and Syrahs that beautifully express the unique microclimates of Sonoma County.