Martinelli Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay 2019

This is named after Tony Bondi, Lee Martinelli Sr.’s uncle, who was an apple rancher in Sonoma County. This property is in the heart of the Russian River Valley, it produces some of Martinelli's most voluptuous, full bodied wines. Uncle Tony loved being a farmer and was quite the entrepreneur by continuing to buy properties and diversify his crops. The soil in Zio Tony Ranch is Goldridge with Clay and Loam. The land was first acquired in 1959, and the current vines were planted in 2000, 2001 and 2006.

The Martinelli Family has been farming their estate vineyards for over 135 years, continuing their rich history and making them 6th generation wine growers and farmers. The Martinelli children have always been raised working in the fields from a young age. Leno Martinelli was making wine at 5 years old, and farming his own vineyards at the age of 12. Leno taught his son, Lee Sr., to make wine alongside him when Lee Sr was 5. 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 your family and a privileged obligation to the next generation. Many decades later, Lee Sr. and Carolyn’s four children are still happily involved in the farming and winery businesses on a daily basis.

Robert Parker says 'the venerable Martinelli winery is one of the iconic families and longtime growers in Sonoma.' Famous for their Jackass Vineyard, planted in the late 1800's, the Marinelli family is an icon of the Russian River Valley. Lee Martinelli, Sr. planted the Giuseppe and Luisa vineyard on a knoll above the winery, several miles east of the family's famed Jackass Hill vineyard.