2023 Pinot Noir Rochioli

A youthful bright red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is consistently one of my favorite appellation wines, and this one does not disappoint. The nose has refined spice, a floral rosy perfume, and notes of fresh red cherries, fresh mossy earth, and river rock. The palate is medium-bodied and has fantastic elegance and finesse, with pure fresh fruit and fine tannins, with just a lovely lift of spice on the finish Drink 2025-2037. Tom Rochioli is leading his historic family winery and vineyards along with his wife Theresa and their children, Rachael (General Manager) and Ryan (Assistant Winemaker). The focus is on estate-grown expressions of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old vine Sauvignon Blanc. Tom’s grandparents immigrated from Italy in 1911 and came to the Russian River Valley in 1938, moving to the 125-acre Fenton Acres property where the winery is today. In the 1970s and 1980s, Tom’s father Joe began selling their grapes to winemakers Davis Bynum and Williams Selyem, who produced some of the best wines in the region. It wasn’t until 1983 that Rochioli decided to produce their own wines and changed the name of the property from Fenton Acres to Rochioli Vineyards.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Estate is an elegant, restrained wine. Crushed flowers, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and blood orange are all beautifully lifted. Silky, bright and beautifully balanced, the 2023 is pure and total class. Most of this fruit is from the Little Hill and Sweetwater parcels.