This vineyard site was planted in the 1970's on a rocky knoll in the Russian River Valley. This particular micro-climate, which is the perfect blend of cool and warm, is ideal for producing exemplary Burgundian varietals. The grapes are picked between 24 and 26 degrees brix to ensure mature ripe fruit flavors. They are hand selected at harvest time by Lee Martinelli and wine maker Helen Turley, who taste the grapes and then choose when to pick according to the developed concentration of flavors in the berries.

After picking the grape clusters are de-stemmed, then the whole berries undergo a long cool fermentation with indigenous yeast to generate skin contact and extract fruit character. The juice is gravity fed into small oak barrels with a touch of residual sugar remaining to complete the fermentation process in barrel until dry. It is then allowed to rest and mature in 65% new French oak on its gross lees for ten months without interruption. The grapes, juice, and then wine are minimally handled. The finished wine is unfined, unfiltered, neither cold nor heat stabilized and contain naturally occurring sediment. We recommend decanting or allowing the bottle to sit upright in a cool place prior to serving. Salute!