Tessa Lee Sauvignon Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2025
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Goat cheese salad, grilled sea bass, roasted chicken with herbs
✨ Technical Specifications
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.
🍾 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.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5-14.5%