Rochioli Pinot Noir 2002

Rating: 89/100 - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 114, May/June 2004 ($41) Dark, bright red. Very ripe but sappy aromas of strawberry, raspberry and tangy baking spices. Dense but juicy and firm-edged, with refreshing flavors of red berries, cherry pit, chocolate, spices and earth complicated by a note of underbrush. Not especially pliant, but nuanced, persistent and firmly built.

Rating: 90/100 - As reviewed by The Wine Messenger in Issue 19, 3rd Quarter, 2005 An expressive nose of violets and ripe black cherry introduces complex, elegant and sweet medium full flavors that coat the palate with ample dry extract, culminating in a sappy, persistent and generous finish underpinned by firm and ripe tannins. This is clearly a ripe effort yet the finish displays only the barest trace of warmth. Lovely stuff and recommended.

Rochioli Vineyards has definitely earned its place in the pantheon of stellar winemaking. Year after year, wines coming from the Rochioli vineyards rank at the top of virtually every winelover's wish list. After his father spent more than a decade farming the land, Joe Rochioli purchased the vineyards in the late 1950s. He was certain that specific varietals would do best in the unique microclimate of the Russian River Valley. When his son, Tom, began to produce the first Rochioli wines in the mid 1980s, the immediate results were spectacular. The outstanding quality of the Pinot Noir, read more...Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, which come from this vineyard, made it clear that the Rochiolis were outstanding winemakers. The 161-acre Rochioli vineyard is exceptional. When one combines great vineyards with great farming practices, the obvious result is great wine grapes, and exceptional wines. The Rochiolis still sell some of their grapes to other noted Pinot Noir winemakers. Currently, Tom Rochioli makes about 10,000 cases of estate wine per year. Most winelovers would certainly appreciate having more of these outstanding wines available for their tables and cellars.    (hide)

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April 2009

Rating: 89/100 - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 118, January/Feburary 2005 ($70) Deep red; less bright than the Little Hill. Aromas of cherry, root beer, mocha and oak, with a floral overlay. Fat, sweet and fruit-driven, with flavors of raspberry, black cherry, sassafras and spices. Thicker than the Little Hill bottling but more loose-knit, without quite the same mid-palate energy. Finishes with firm, slightly drying tannins and very good length.

Rating: (92-95) - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 150 on Dec-03