Syrah Chico Hill
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, slow-braised venison
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Crafted from a dramatic, steep hillside vineyard in the Russian River Valley, Martinelli's Chico Hill Syrah is named in honor of Chico Martinelli, a beloved and colorful member of this historic farming family. The vineyard's challenging, near-vertical slope and cool-climate maritime influence force the vines to struggle, resulting in remarkably low yields of highly concentrated fruit. True to the Martinelli family's minimalist winemaking philosophy, the grapes are fermented using only native yeasts and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. This traditional approach coaxes out a remarkably complex, cool-climate Syrah character, defined by intense aromas of crushed black pepper, dark brambly fruit, smoked meats, and savory wild herbs, backed by a powerful yet velvety tannic structure.
🍾 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.