Martinelli "Vigneto di Evo" Zinfandel 2023
(Russian River Valley, California)

About the Winery:
The Martinelli family has been growing grapes in the Russian River Valley since the 1880s. At the ages of 19 and 16, Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini eloped from their small village in the Tuscany region of Italy, making their way to California looking for land to farm and start a winery. Giuseppe had been a winemaker in Italy and with his viticulture knowledge he was hired to plant a vineyard for a farmer in Forestville. Within two years he earned enough money, and borrowed some from a local wood cutter, to purchase land of his own. Working side by side on a 60 degree slope, Giuseppe and Luisa planted a small area of Zinfandel and Muscat Alexandria vines, which later became known as the Jackass Hill vineyard. Over 135 years later, this south easterly exposure remains the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County. The family continues their rich history in California, making them 6th generation wine growers and farmers.

Notes from the Winemaker: 
Vigneto Di Evo Zinfandel is a barrel-blend from select Martinelli single vineyard zinfandel sites: Jackass, Vellutini, Lolita and Giuseppe & Luisa. This bottling is named for Evo Martinelli, who was raised on Martinelli Road. He was Lee Sr.’s first cousin, the son of Fred Martinelli. Evo gave Lee Sr. one of his first jobs out of the vineyard and instilled the importance of going to college in him as a young man.

• Certified Sustainable
• 100% Zinfandel
• 100% Estate Fruit
• Sourced from Jackass, Vellutini, Lolita and Giuseppe & Luisa Vineyards
• 100% destemmed
• 5-day cold soak on skins
• Indigenous yeast fermentation in French Oak
• Aged 10 months in French oak (40% new)
• 970 cases produced
• Winemakers: Courtney Wagoner & Erin Green