J. Rochioli

At this point in our wine tasting careers, we almost always make an appointment, whether the vineyard requires them or not, even in sleepy Russian River valley. Our trip to J. Rochioli was a good reminder of why. Usually in May, the tasting room has plenty of outdoor seating, almost doubling their occupancy. However, on the day we went up, there was a freak rain storm. We saw so many people turned away because they hadn’t made an appointment.

We’ve been to J. Rochioli before, back in the drought days, but we were pleasantly surprised by their 2017/2018 releases. The Sauv Blanc was refreshing and fruity, while the Chardonnay wasn’t over-the-top with butter and oak. That “ripe apple” tasting note? Right on the money. But our two favorites were the Rosé and Pinot Noir, of which we picked up a few bottles. The tasting room staff were friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. I’m just sad we weren’t able to taste the Blanc De Noir.