2017 Rochioli Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $64. Sourced from Sweetwater (38%),
West Block (22%), Little Hill (18%), East Block (12%), Big Hill (8%) and Three Corner (2%). 10% whole cluster.
Aged 15 months in French oak barrels.
·
Moderate garnet color in the glass. The nose is amazingly expressive
upon opening, revealing deep and penetrating aromas of fresh red and black Bing cherry and baking spices.
Mid weight plus in style, entering with a charge of black cherry and black raspberry fruits underlain with tastes
of cardamom spice and cola. Creamy in texture, with an incredibly long finish that lasts for what seems like a
minute. More approachable than the Block Designate wines.
Score: 93
2014 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery West Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 228 cases,
$110. Yield 1.3 tons per acre.
·
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. The nose unravels slowly to reveal
aromas of black cherry and Asian spices. Full-bodied in a richly endowed style, with a core of black cherry,
blackberry and cola flavors. Plush on the palate with enough acidity to cut the richness. Impressive harmony,
with an extremely long and generous finish. Much more giving, even transcendent, when tasted the following
day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle.
Score: 97
2015 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery West Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., 228
cases, $112. Yield 1.2 tons per acre.
·
Dark garnet color in
the glass. With time in the glass, the aromas unfold
slowly. When sampled the following day from a
previously opened bottle, my notes say “unreal” aromas
of black cherry, spice and sandalwood. Effusive sap fills
the mouth with goodness, offering flavors of black
cherry, blueberry and black raspberry with an earthy
underpinning. The chewy fruit is framed by honed
tannins and lip-smacking acidity making for easy
drinking. Like the 2014 vintage bottling, the finish is very
long and intensely fruity. Truly sublime when tasted the
following day from a previously opened and re-corked
bottle.
Score: 97
2017 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery Little Hill Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $86.
·
Moderately deep garnet color in the glass. Reserved aromas of black cherry and underbrush upon opening.
The nose comes alive the following day when sampled from a previously opened bottle with soaring aromas of
Bing cherry and cola. Mid weight plus in sap, offering a hedonistic flow of black cherry and cola flavors that are
expansive in the mouth. Very fine-grain tannins are balanced with a good acid backbone and there is a
noticeably long finish. More suave and revealing when tasted the following day from a previously opened and
re-corked bottle showing outstanding harmony. Three to five years in the cellar will bring out the best in this
beauty.
Score: 96
2017 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery Sweetwater Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
1 4.5% alc., $86.
·
Moderately deep garnet color in the glass. Very reserved aromas of dark red cherry and spice upon opening.
Mid weight flavors of dark red cherry and strawberry with a bit of spice. The wine is lifted by good acidity and
tamed by velvety tannins. A slight touch of oak plies the background. Much more expressive on the nose and
palate when tasted the following day from a previously opened bottle showing admirable elegance. This wine
has a younger vine character compared to the Little Hill bottling which shows the complexity and structure that
comes with older vines. Still, it is a damn good wine.
Score: 95
2017 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery Three Corner Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $90.
·
Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. The nose opens slowly over a few hours to reveal very enticing
aromas of red and black cherry, baking spices and forest floor. Mid weight plus in concentration with flavors of
blackberry and black raspberry that make a powerful statement. A little rugged, rustic and earthy early on but
when sampled several hours later, the unctuous fruit was more amendable yet still a little earthy. The tannins
are quite easygoing, the texture is soft and the finish has very good length although not quite as long as the
2017 River Block.
Score: 95
2017 J. Rochioli Vineyards & Winery River Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $90.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Unreal aromas of dark cherry, Asian 5-spice and musk. A luscious
array of middleweight red and black cherry flavors saturate the mid palate and persist over an unbelievably
long, sit-up-in-your-chair finish. In all my years of tasting Pinot Noir, I have rarely come across a wine with such
a lengthy finish. There are many subtleties to be discovered including flavors of spice, sassafras and
complimentary oak. This superb wine gives even more pleasure when tasted several hours after opening.
Score: 96
2017 Castalia Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., pH 3.50, $60. 25th
Anniversary bottling. Crafted by Terry Bering, long-time cellar master at Rochioli. Sourced from Flad Vineyard
planted by Joe Rochioli to West Block selection, and Dijon clones 777, 115 and 667 from three different
Rochioli estate vineyards.
·
Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Very earthy aromas present upon opening
with cherry and leather in the background. Suave in the mouth, with plenty of appealing black cherry and
raspberry fruits with undertones of earth, mushroom, spice and sarsaparilla. The tannins are silken making the
wine approachable upon opening, but it is considerably more fruit-centric and aromatic when sampled the
following day from a previously opened bottle. The cherry-driven finish shows excellent persistence. This wine
doesn’t possess the sap of the J. Rochioli Pinot Noirs, but has a more earthy character and is equally
appealing in its own way.
Score: 94
If you open a Rochioli block Pinot Noir that is less than five years of age or so, I would highly recommend
decanting. You can also enjoy the wines over the course of 3 days from a previously opened bottle.
