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My guest this week is Regina Martinelli part of the Family tradition in Sonoma making great wine. Gina will be here in Wichita in December for the Wichita Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food annual holiday dinner at the Marriott East.
The Martinelli family has been growing grapes in the Russian River Valley since the 1880’s. 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 100 years later, this south easterly exposure remains the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County. www.martinelliwinery.com
Regina Says:
“Our family has been farming in Sonoma County since 1860. All of our wines are produced from estate grown grapes, from vineyards farmed by patriarch Lee Martinelli Sr., and brothers George and Lee Martinelli Jr. Our focus at Martinelli Winery has always been making the best possible quality wines that are born in the vineyards. We use extensive cultural practices in our vineyards to reach this goal. Our winemaker Bryan Kvamme employs a natural approach to winemaking, allowing the essence of fully ripened fruit to shine through from the vineyard to the wine. ”
To this day, the Martinellis still sell more grapes then are used to make their own wines; about 90% of the grapes they farm are sold to other Sonoma County wineries. Lee Sr. and his two sons, Lee Jr. and George, continue the proud legacy of care-taking the land, and you may meet one of the Martinelli daughters, Julianna or Regina, on the road at various events or at the winery.
Good Life guy’s Wine of the Week:
The Wines of Martinelli Winery