Vellutini Ranch Syrah
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, venison stew
✨ Technical Specifications
The Vellutini Ranch Syrah is a dramatic expression of cool-climate Russian River Valley Syrah, grown on a property contiguous to the historic Jackass Hill. Planted in 1999 on the steep, Goldridge sandy loam soils of the Vellutini Ranch—named in honor of Luisa Vellutini, who co-founded the estate with Giuseppe Martinelli in the late 19th century—this vineyard benefits from morning coastal fog and warm afternoon sun. The wine is crafted using traditional, minimalist techniques, including fermentation with wild yeasts in open-top oak vats and aging in French oak barrels. Unfined and unfiltered, it showcases the signature Martinelli style: remarkably bold, deeply concentrated, and intensely aromatic, balancing dark fruit, cracked black pepper, and savory smoked meat characteristics.
🍾 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
Syrah
🍷 ABV
14.5-15.5%