About La Crema Estate at Saralee's Vineyard
La Crema Estate at Saralee's Vineyard is named for Saralee Kunde — a legendary Russian River Valley grape grower whose Martinelli Road vineyard in Forestville was among the region's most sought-after Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sources for decades. When La Crema (the Jackson Family Wines label known for accessible California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) established its estate winery, naming it for Saralee Kunde honored the grower whose vineyard land made the estate possible.
The Saralee's Vineyard site on Martinelli Road is among the Russian River Valley's most fog-influenced locations — the Pacific marine layer pours through the Petaluma Gap daily, and the vineyard's low-lying position in the valley floor means the fog lingers longer and cools the vines more consistently than higher-elevation sites. This produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of unusual aromatic precision and structural tension.
La Crema's estate wines from Saralee's Vineyard represent the label's most terroir-focused wines — single-estate expressions from a historically significant site that carries a legendary grower's personal name.