Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Martinelli with a Private Chauffeur
A family farming the Russian River Valley since the 1880s, home of Jackass Hill Zinfandel, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
In the 1880s, at 19 and 16, Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini eloped from their village in Tuscany and came to California. Giuseppe, a winemaker in Italy, was hired to plant a vineyard for a farmer in Forestville, and within two years bought land of his own, where the couple planted Zinfandel and Muscat of Alexandria on a slope of more than 60 degrees. After Giuseppe died in 1918, their youngest son, Leno, farmed that hill from the age of 12 until he was 87. Lee Martinelli Sr., his wife Carolyn and their children own the winery today.
The hill became Jackass Hill, the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County, and Lee Sr. still farms it himself. The family's 470 acres of estate vineyards reach from the Russian River Valley and Green Valley to the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA on the coast, where Carolyn and her sisters planted the Three Sisters Vineyard in the late 1990s. Every estate vineyard and the winery are certified sustainable.
The winery on River Road was originally a hop barn. Tastings range from the Hop Barn Tasting at the bar to a seated flight on the terrace overlooking the Hop Barn Hill Vineyard, and the Collector's Flight pours the most limited Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel with local cheeses.
Tasting Fees
$25 for the Hop Barn Tasting at the bar. $50 for the Vineyard Terrace Tasting of estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel. $75 for the 95+ point Pinot Noir Flight from Fort Ross-Seaview and the Russian River Valley. $125 for the seated Collector's Flight with local cheeses, 1.5 to 2 hours, daily at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3360 River Road, Windsor
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations recommended for the Hop Barn Tasting and encouraged for the Vineyard Terrace; required for the Pinot Noir and Collector's flights.
Known For
Jackass Hill Zinfandel, and estate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah
Founded
Family farming here since the 1880s
Good to Know
The Hop Barn Tasting takes up to 6 guests. The Vineyard Terrace Tasting is offered Thursday to Monday and depends on the weather. Custom events can be arranged with the hospitality team.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Russian River Valley hotel such as Farmhouse Inn in Forestville or Vinarosa Resort & Spa in Santa Rosa.
10:00 · Pickup at Vinarosa Resort & Spa or Farmhouse Inn
Vinarosa Resort & Spa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, is about 10 minutes from Martinelli, and Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room inn on River Road in Forestville, is about 15 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Martinelli
The Hop Barn Tasting at the bar ($25), or the Vineyard Terrace Tasting ($50) Thursday to Monday.
11:35 · Merry Edwards Winery
About 20 minutes away. Founded in 1997 by Merry Edwards, a pioneer of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and owned by Maison Louis Roederer since 2019. The Appellation Tasting is $45; allow 60 to 90 minutes. By appointment; open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
12:55 · Lunch at Willow Wood Market Cafe
About 5 minutes away. A café, soda fountain and general store at the center of Graton since 1995, serving down-home comfort food. Lunch from 11:30 a.m., with brunch on Sundays. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:05 · Marimar Estate
About 10 minutes away. Marimar Torres, of the Spanish Torres wine family, began planting this Green Valley estate in 1986. The seated Estate Tasting is $35, 45 minutes to an hour. Walk-ins welcome, reservations suggested; open daily from 10 a.m.
3:05 · Back to your hotel
Back in Forestville or Santa Rosa by 3:40 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Dutton-Goldfield Winery
Adds about an hour. Next door to Merry Edwards on Highway 116, with walk-ins welcome for tastings from $35; open daily until 4 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
About $105 to $130 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Martinelli?
Reservations are recommended for the Hop Barn Tasting and encouraged for the Vineyard Terrace, and required for the Pinot Noir Flight and Collector's Flight. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Martinelli?
$25 per person for the Hop Barn Tasting, $50 for the Vineyard Terrace Tasting, $75 for the Pinot Noir Flight and $125 for the Collector's Flight, as of September 2026.
What is Jackass Hill?
The vineyard Giuseppe and Luisa Martinelli planted in the 1880s on a slope of 60 degrees and more, the steepest non-terraced vineyard in Sonoma County. The family says you would have to be a jackass to farm a hill that steep.
Who owns Martinelli?
The Martinelli family: Lee Sr. and Carolyn Martinelli and their children, who farm and run the winery with the fifth generation.
Does Martinelli make wine from the Sonoma Coast?
Yes. The family farms about 55 acres in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA on the coast, including the Three Sisters and Blue Slide Ridge vineyards, alongside about 400 acres in the Russian River Valley.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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