The Rochioli family was one of the early Chardonnay and Pinot Noir growers in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley. They planted their first Pinot Noir vineyard in 1968. After many years of selling the entire crop to local wineries (including such notables as Davis Bynum, Gary Farrell and Williams Selyem), Tom Rochioli, and his father Joe Jr., decided to produce and bottle wine under their own label. And the rest was history. Although the Rochioli Pinot Noirs are the most coveted, their single-vineyard Chardonnays are beauties in their own right and provide further proof of the concept of terrior.
This River Block Vineyard Chardonnay has a bright light gold color. Splendid aromas of butterscotch and hazelnuts jump from the glass. This wine is all about layered aromas and flavors but with nothing out of balance, including the alcohol. Intensity and finesse in the same package. Rochioli Chardonnays have a reputation for gaining complexity with substantial bottle age., but the wine is irresistible right now.
Sales of the single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs are allocated by the winery and this one cost $65. For me, at that price, a Chardonnay had better be very special and this one is.
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2 comments:
I bet that was yummy stuff. Probably alot like Martinelli Chardonnay.
Yes, quite similar to Martinelli's Russian River vineyard chards, but significantly different from Martinelli's "true" Sonoma Coast efforts (Charles Ranch and Three Sisters). Bottom line - they are all superb wines.
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