This Sauvignon Blanc vineyard was planted in 1978 by Lee Martinelli, Sr. on sloping bench land soil that overlooks the winery and tasting room. The rocky soil type helps the vines to self-regulate crop load and enhance concentrated fruit flavors in the wine. The vines are heavily thinned to bear three pounds of fruit each. At harvest time we identify and select-pick specific areas within the vineyard which have viticultural differences for added dimension in the wine.

The grapes are harvested in this small single vineyard at brix levels ranging between 24 and 25 degrees for enhanced varietal flavor components. The fruit is tasted and then hand selected during harvest time by owner, Lee Martinelli Sr., and wine maker, Helen Turley. Cluster samples are selected and then brought to the winery lab to determine the sugar and ph levels; the selected bunches are then mashed to extract the juice. Helen sips the juice, tasting for ideal varietal flavors, and then determines whether the grapes are ready to pick. On the day of harvest Lee, Sr. tastes the grapes on the vine, walking the vineyard row by row, directing the harvest crew where to pick according to the developed concentration of flavors in the berries.

The Tessa Lee juice was fermented with wild yeast in small stainless steel barrels. After the wine completed fermentation it was transferred, along with its lees, into neutral French oak barrels where it remained for approximately three months until bottling. This cuvee is named after Julianna Martinelli's daughter, Tessa Lee, who is the fifth generation of Martinelli women to have traditionally experienced the feel of a grape knife in hand during the heat of harvest season.