Rochioli is one of the true pioneers in Russian River Valley, with a winemaking history dating back to the the late 1950′s. In 1987 Rochioli released their first estate wine, the 1985 Rochioli Pinot Noir. Although best known for their world class Pinot Noir, Rochioli also produces remarkable Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The winery recently published a detailed map of the Estate Vineyard that is required viewing for fans of the winery.
Little Hill Vineyard is a small 2.8 acre parcel of Rochioli Vineyard planted in 1993 planted from West Block Vineyard cuttings.
Ruby red in color. 14.4% ABV. Beautiful nose of red fruits, cloves, baking spices and forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Fresh and silky. Black cherry, cranberry, earth and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. More Burgundian in style than I am accustomed to from Rochioli but not a bad thing. Best over the next 2-3 years.
My rating: 92 points.
My advice would be to disregard the Cellartracker reviews for this wine which seem to have missed the mark.
The 2018 version of this wine will be released later this year.
At present time (and for the foreseeable future) buying from Rochioli via the mailing list is not an option. The Estate wines do show up at retail periodically, and the winery’s Russian River Valley tasting room is still open for public tasting. They may only be pouring a couple of wines, but it’s a great opportunity to buy a bottle for a picnic on their lovely patio and a few more to bring home for the cellar.
I’ve blogged about Rochioli previously in the The 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings and the Fab 5 of Mailing Lists.
To me the Rochioli single vineyard wines are hit or miss. When they are good they can be very good however