I interrupt your day for a little music interlude: Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind
Smooth music. Smooth breezes. Smooth Pinot Noir happening over at Rochioli Winery @rochioliwinery A humble and laid back tasting room.
Located in the Russian River Valley just 10 minutes south of Healdsburg.
Westside Road…Russian River Valley’s extremely prestigious wine grape growing zip code.
A very small production winery.
Boasting 80 years of wine making history.
Three generations have tended the land.
A top shelf brand.
Joe Jr. and Tom Rochioli tend the 140 acre vineyards and make the wine.
Appointment Only Tours and Tasting on Tuesday and Wednesday
Drop in tasting on other days.
$20 Tasting Fee refunded with purchase.
Get comfortable in the unpretentious, remodeled Tasting Room.
The gallery of pictures on the Tasting Room walls tell the rich Rochioli wine making history.
The vineyard views are some of the most spectacular I’ve seen.
Lush green Russian River vines as far as the eye can see.
When the flowers are in bloom or the vineyards are wearing their fall colors, enjoy.
Taste wine on the patio where there are tables for picnics.
Their wines:
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
What you May Not Know…
Back in the day, Westside Road used to be all hops farms. Joe Rochioli was very instrumental in steering Westside Road away from hops and into what is now a Pinot goldmine.
In the 1980s, two garage winemakers in Forestville began buying the first eight rows of Rochioli’s Pinot crop each year. This partnership helped make both parties famous. That winery is what we now know as Williams-Selyem.
Rochioli Wines are produced using a micro-batch process.
They ferment each of the vineyard blocks separately.
This was a common practice in Burgundy, but new to Russian River winemaking.
Their wines have been served at White House events.
No wine club.
A six year wait to get on ‘The List’ to be assured of getting their wine.
An added bonus is their olive oil offerings, which are produced on site.
