Martinelli Tessa Lee Sauvignon Blanc
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–5 years of vintage release to preserve its vibrant acidity and fresh fruit character.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Goat cheese salad, grilled sea bass, roasted chicken with herbs
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Named in honor of Tessa Lee Martinelli, a member of the historic farming family's next generation, the Tessa Lee Sauvignon Blanc is a vibrant expression of Russian River Valley terroir. Sourced from estate vineyards in this cool-climate appellation, the wine benefits from the region's signature morning fog and warm afternoon sun, allowing the grapes to develop intense aromatic complexity while retaining crisp, natural acidity. True to the Martinelli family's minimalist winemaking philosophy, the fruit is gently pressed and fermented using native yeasts, often utilizing a combination of neutral French oak and stainless steel to build a textured, creamy mouthfeel without overshadowing the bright, pure fruit characteristics. This bottling represents an elegant, contemporary chapter in the estate's storied agricultural legacy.
🍾 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.