97pts Robert Parker

The Zinfandel produced from Martinelli’s more than 130-year-old Jackass Hill Vineyard is always one of my favorites, and 2023 produced a particularly elegant, expressive example. The 2023 Zinfandel Jackass Hill unfurls from the glass dramatically, segueing from strawberry, raspberry and blueberry aromas to nuances of hibiscus, tea leaves, botanicals and bitters. The palate is bursting with waves of perfumed fruit, while its silky texture and mouthwatering acidity offer a sense of weightlessness. It has a long, detailed finish and should be very long lived in the cellar. 140 cases were made.

96pts Jeb Dunnuck

The 2023 Zinfandel Jackass Hill has notes of ripe apricots, fresh flowers, and sweet cedar. Full-bodied, the palate is ripe and silky with a rounded feel. It’s long on the palate and has a supple ripeness. Drink: 2025-2040. There’s a lot of history behind this vineyard; planted in the 1880s, Jackass Hill is the only vineyard that Giuseppe Martinelli planted that is still in use, with vines over 130 years old.

95pts Wine Spectator

Rich and ripe yet detailed, with brambly raspberry and dried cherry flavors that pick up nuances of baking spices, toffee and licorice as this builds toward plump and refined tannins. Drink now through 2035. 122 cases made.

Vintage

When we look back at the 2023 growing season there are two words that perfectly describe the vintage – late and big. After an exceptionally wet and cool winter, bud break happened over a month later than average. Our first day of picking was the day after the harvest completed the previous year. Fruit set was excellent and the temps during the summer were moderate to cool, with very few days in the triple digits. What a contrast from 2022! Mild temperatures along with abundantly available water allowed the clusters to develop slowly and evenly.

Winemaker Notes

This rugged vineyard is referred to by the Martinelli family as “Jackass Hill”, because only a jackass would farm a hill that steep. Jackass Hill is the steepest non-terraced hillside vineyard in Sonoma County, boasting slopes of 65 degrees. Lee Sr. is the third generation Martinelli farmer to care-take the original family homestead land; farming the ancient vineyard much as his grandfather Giuseppe had in the 1880s, without irrigation, pesticides or trellising.

About the Winery

The Martinelli Family has been growing grapes and making wine in the Russian River Valley since the late 1880s. As 5th generation stewards of some of the finest vineyards in the region, they’re proud to continue this legacy of hands-on farming, bringing decades of experience to everything they do.

Their primary goal has always been hand-crafting quality wines that are born in their estate vineyards. All of their grapes are Estate grown, allowing us to use only their favorite blocks for each vineyard designated wine. They have a commitment to quality and have never offered for sale a wine that they felt did not live up to the reputation and expectations of its label. They also try to maintain a sense of consistency with each vintage, while still allowing the true nature of the vineyard to shine through. These wines are limited production and each vineyard is hand farmed very carefully, producing only the finest quality fruit.