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besieged by flowers and plants. A shaded
patio with wooden seating overlooks the
hills and vines. Peacocks vie for your atten-
tion, and there's a children's playground
close by to occupy those too young to
sample the wine. You sip your glass of
Benziger Tribute, which scored 90-plus
points with Robert Parker and Wine Spec-
tator, and you feel good, you feel excited,
you feel . . . biodynamic.
Benziger Family Winery, 1883 Lon-
don Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen ( & 800/989-
8890 or 707/935-3000; www.benziger.
com).
( San Francisco International (70 miles/
112km).
L $$$ Ledson Hotel , 480 First St. E,
Sonoma ( & 707/996-9779; www.ledson
hotel.com). $$ Inn at Sonoma, 630
Broadway, Sonoma ( & 707/939-1340;
www.innatsonoma.com).
All the wines are biodynamic at Benziger in Glen
Ellen, Sonoma County.
West Coast U.S.
288
Martinelli Winery
Serendipity
Sonoma, California
The story of Martinelli rings like a tale of
happy accidents, good fortune, and hard
work. It all began when 19-year-old
Giuseppe Martinelli set eyes on 16-year
old Luisa Vellutin in Tuscany in 1897. The
love-struck teenagers eloped to America
and worked as farmhands in Forrestville,
California. Borrowing money from a wood-
cutter, they bought a plot of land on a
steep hill. Giuseppe, who knew a little
about winemaking, decided to plant some
Zinfandel grapes as well as grow apples.
The family prospered and became
expert fruit growers. When Giuseppe
passed away in 1918, Luisa was left with
four children, the youngest being 12-year-
old Leno. He decided he wanted to con-
tinue farming, much to the derision of his
brothers—they said only a jackass would
work that steep hill.
Fast-forward 80 years. The Martinellis
have done well from growing grapes,
although they themselves never made
wine; they own some of the best vineyards
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