Wild Thyme Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, herb-crusted pork loin
✨ Technical Specifications
Perched high on a coastal ridge in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation of Sonoma County, the Wild Thyme Vineyard is named for the fragrant wild herbs that carpet the vineyard floor. Planted in 1998, this extreme site is defined by its rugged topography, cool maritime breezes, and signature coastal fog. These challenging conditions force the Pinot Noir vines to struggle, producing small, thick-skinned berries with remarkable concentration and structural depth. True to the Martinelli family's minimalist winemaking philosophy, the grapes are hand-harvested, fermented with wild yeasts, and aged in French oak barrels before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. The resulting wine is a powerful yet elegant expression of the Sonoma Coast, marked by a distinct savory undertone of wild herbs, dark red fruits, and a vibrant mineral spine.
🍾 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
Pinot Noir