Bottle Notes, Chardonnay

2008 J. Rochioli Chardonnay River Block Vineyard – Bottle Notes

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.

River Block Vineyard is the portion of Rochioli Vineyard situated nearest to the Russian River. The winery recently published a detailed map of the Estate Vineyard that is required viewing for fans of the winery.

Bright gold in color. 14.2% ABV. Intriguing nose of lemon oil, match stick and butterscotch. Rich, lush and creamy. Medium to full body with acidity in spades. Meyer lemon, pears, creme brulee and toast on the palate. The finish is long and smoky. Really elegant Chardonnay but missing some of the bright tropical notes I typically adore in the Rochioli Chards. Drink over the next 1-2 years.

My rating: 91 points.

The single vineyard designate Chards are released each Spring and are only available to long time mailing list members.

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 2017 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings and the Fab 5 of Mailing Lists.

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