Martaella Vineyards
Martaella surrounds Benovia Winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley AVA in an area known as the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Like most of the Russian River Valley, Martaella experiences heavy maritime influences with frequent foggy mornings throughout the growing season. Daytime temperatures rarely rise above 85º F, while nights often dip into the low 50s. The result of this temperate climate is wines of tremendous concentration and balance.
The 58 acre property currently hosts 31 acres of vines (designated for farming purposes as Martaella One and Martaella Two) in various stages of development. Renowned viticulturalist Daniel Roberts, Ph.D. is helping Benovia assure Martaella produces the highest quality fruit possible.
Martaella One: With the purchase of an existing winery in 2005, Benovia inherited a producing vineyard with 13.5 acres of Pommard clone Pinot Noir. We introduced more clonal diversity by replanting five acres of the original vineyard with Calera and Dijon 828 clones of Pinot Noir with the new vines planted very close together. This was our second experiment with high density planting using four-foot by four-foot spacing, or about 2,700 vines per acre. A very high density forces the vines to compete for water and nutrients which yields a very high quality fruit. This exceptional site produces Pinot Noir infused with classic Russian River Valley character – the perfect base for our Pinot Noir blend.
Martaella Two: The acquisition of an old orchard and horse ranch allowed us to plant 18 acres just north of the winery in 2009. We decided to encourage soil uniformity by installing a network of subsoil drains in 2008. This very extensive drainage project will encourage even ripening and improved wine quality. After an extensive site evaluation we chose to plant with a high density vine count; planting vines four feet apart with five-foot rows. With the experience we gained from our vineyard to the south, we decided to plant 10 acres of Pinot Noir on devigorated rootstock (420A) with a diverse clonal mix. We also decided to branch out and plant six acres with an heirloom clone of Chardonnay chosen for its low yields and intense flavors. In addition, we’re experimenting with an acre and a half of white Rhone varietals (Viognier and Roussane).