2010 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir Sweetwater Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Bright ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, strawberry and blood orange are complemented by subtle cola and anise accents. Shows deep, sappy red fruit and floral character on the palate, with high-pitched spice and rose notes adding energy. Closes spicy and very long, with resonating white pepper and star anise qualities.
Critic scores
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
2014-2020. The 2010 Pinot Noir Sweetwater is a large-scaled, dramatic wine. It boasts huge black fruit and notable intensity from start to finish. Sweet, perfumed aromatics develop in the glass, but the Sweetwater remains quite tannic and in need of at least another 1-2 years in bottle. The wine literally sizzles on the palate with energy, and my impression is it will be magnificent with time. The clones in this parcel are Dijon, 777 and Rochioli.
The 2010 Pinot Noir Sweetwater is a large-scaled, dramatic wine. It boasts huge black fruit and notable intensity from start to finish. Sweet, perfumed aromatics develop in the glass, but the Sweetwater remains tannic and in need of at least another 1-2 years in bottle. The wine literally sizzles on the palate with energy, and my impression is it will be magnificent with time. The clones in this parcel are Dijon, 777 and Rochioli. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. I came away deeply impressed by the wines I tasted with Tom Rochioli. The 2010 Chardonnays are absolutely gorgeous. The cold, late-harvest provides a wonderful balance to the inherent richness that is typically present in the wines. Rochioli is one of the later growers to pick. The 2010 Chardonnays were fermented in barrel. Rochioli stirred the lees every week until January, then once every few weeks until the wines were moved to tank in July. The wines spent three weeks in tank and were bottled in August 2011. The Pinot Noirs are stunning in both 2009 and 2010. As is the case throughout the Sonoma Coast, the 2009s are more consistent across the board, but the best 2010s may very well prove to be superior. For now what is certain is that the 2010 Pinots show a level of verve and focus that is missing from the 2009s. Either way, it’s hard to go wrong with any of these big, exuberant Pinots. Tom Rochioli is a bit of recluse, which means his wines remain known only to a relatively small group of consumers. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of what is in the bottle. Tel. (707) 433-2305