Martaella Vineyard occupies 42 planted acres of a 58-acre knoll in the Laguna de Santa Rosa, in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Mount Saint Helena rises to the east. Fog from the Pacific drifts in from the west. Wild turkeys, jackrabbits, and hawks work the surrounding land. The soils are a mix of volcanic and marine sedimentary — the kind of combination that produces Pinot Noir with generous aromatics and approachable structure, and Chardonnay with floral lift and stone fruit depth.
The planting is high-density in the European style, which keeps yields low per vine and concentrates the fruit. The site benefits from regular morning fog intrusion, which moderates temperatures and extends the growing season, giving the grapes time to develop complexity without rushing past the acidity that gives these wines their shape.
Williams Selyem’s first single-vineyard Martaella Pinot Noir was 2021, showcasing the Santa Rosa Plain at its best — a part of the Russian River Valley with clay loam soils and a particular combination of volcanic and sedimentary elements that sets it apart from the better-known western reaches of the appellation. It is a vineyard still establishing its full reputation, and the fruit is already making the argument.
