Martinelli 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. Leno Martinelli was making wine at a very young age, and farming the family vineyards at the age of 12. Leno taught his son, Lee Sr., to make wine alongside him when Lee Sr. was just 5 years old. This tradition continued with Lee Sr. having his children tying vines, suckering, and picking apples at ages as young as 6 years old. A strong work ethic was the byproduct to the stewardship of the land as a way of life, a gift to provide for their family and a privileged obligation to the next generation. Many decades later, a few of Lee Sr. and Carolyn’s children and grandchildren are stilled happily involved in the farming and winery businesses on a daily basis.