Rochioli Vineyards and Winery

The Rochioli story begins in 1911 when Joe Rocchioli Sr. immigrated from a village outside Lucca, Italy, arriving in New York and eventually settling in Northern California. Still a child, he worked alongside his father at Wohler Ranch in the Russian River Valley, and by 1920 had become ranch foreman. After Joe Jr. was born in 1934 the family moved to a nearby 125-acre property called Fenton Acres, which Joe Sr. purchased outright by the mid-1950s. The land grew hops, string beans, prunes, and a small amount of jug-wine grapes until Joe Jr. planted Sauvignon Blanc in 1959 and later Pinot Noir in 1968 after his father's death. In 1983, Tom Rochioli convinced his father to rename the property Rochioli Vineyards and to bottle wine under the family name. Tom built a 10,000-case winery on the estate and, with supervision from Gary Farrell in 1985, produced the first Rochioli vintage. He has made every subsequent wine on his own.

• Joe Rocchioli Sr. arrived in the Russian River Valley in 1911; family purchased Fenton Acres by mid-1950s
• 1959 Sauvignon Blanc planting is among the oldest in California; Pinot Noir followed in 1968, Chardonnay in 1972
• Property renamed from Fenton Acres to Rochioli Vineyards in 1983 at Tom's initiative
• Supplied Pinot Noir grapes to Davis Bynum from 1973 and to Williams Selyem from 1979 before bottling under their own label

Joe Rochioli Jr. is widely recognized as the patriarch of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir farming. At a time when Pinot Noir was virtually unknown in the region, his 1968 planting using French Pommard budwood was considered a gamble; the fruit he grew went on to make celebrated wines for Davis Bynum and Williams Selyem before Rochioli bottled under its own label. The 1985 estate Pinot Noir, released in 1987, was immediately named Best Pinot Noir in America by Wine Spectator, validating the estate's potential. In the 1990s, Rochioli released wines from five distinct vineyard blocks, helping establish the Russian River Valley as a terroir-driven appellation capable of rivaling Burgundy. The demand for single-vineyard wines is so high that the wait to join the mailing list has reached up to five years.

• Pioneered block-designated single-vineyard Pinot Noir bottlings in the Russian River Valley during the 1990s
• 1985 estate Pinot Noir named Best Pinot Noir in America by Wine Spectator upon 1987 release
• Supplied fruit to Davis Bynum and Williams Selyem, helping establish the Russian River Valley's international reputation
• Single-vineyard wines sold exclusively through The List; wait time to join can reach five years

The 162-acre ranch sits on Westside Road about ten minutes south of Healdsburg, with 128 acres planted and 140 acres in active production. Approximately 64 acres are dedicated to Pinot Noir, divided across several distinct named blocks. Soil diversity, proximity to the Pacific Ocean, morning fog, and cool evening breezes are the site's defining physical factors. The West Block, planted in 1970, is the estate's most celebrated parcel and serves as the mother-vine source: cuttings from it were used when establishing the newer Little Hill and Sweetwater blocks. The primary Pinot Noir blocks include West, East, Little Hill, Big Hill, River Block, and Sweetwater, each expressing distinct tannin structures and fruit profiles. Chardonnay blocks include the Mid-40 and River Block, and the original 1959 Sauvignon Blanc vines remain in production.

• West Block (planted 1970): Estate's flagship Pinot Noir parcel; mother-vine source for Little Hill and Sweetwater plantings
• Pinot Noir blocks include West, East, Little Hill, Big Hill, River Block, and Sweetwater, each fermented separately
• Estate Chardonnay drawn primarily from Mid-40 (52%) and River Block (42%), with Hanzell clone noted as a key selection
• 1959 Sauvignon Blanc vines remain among the oldest in California and anchor the Estate Sauvignon Blanc blend

Tom Rochioli describes his style as traditional, which means a hands-off approach in which the natural character of each block takes center stage. The philosophy was sharpened by a trip to Burgundy with his wife, where he learned the importance of keeping individual vineyard lots separate throughout vinification. Rochioli was one of the first producers in the Russian River Valley to introduce this micro-batch block fermentation process. The Pinot Noir planted on the estate is a mix of Dijon and Pommard clones, with Pommard considered the house style for its spicy, rich, deep, dark-fruit character. Estate Pinot Noir is aged 15 months in French oak. The Estate Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures to preserve varietal character and firm acidity.

• Block fermentation: each vineyard lot processed separately to showcase individual soil and clonal differences
• Minimal-intervention cellar philosophy influenced by Tom Rochioli's Burgundy travels and family tradition
• Pinot Noir clones are a mix of Dijon and Pommard; Pommard is the house preference for its spicy, deep-fruit character
• Estate Pinot Noir aged 15 months in French oak; Sauvignon Blanc fermented in stainless steel to preserve acidity

The portfolio is divided between Estate wines, available in the tasting room and through limited retail and restaurant distribution, and Single Vineyard wines sold exclusively through The List mailing program. The Estate Pinot Noir is a multi-block blend; the 2023 vintage draws on Little Hill (44%), Sweetwater (24%), West Block (14%), East Block (10%), and Big Hill (8%), aged 15 months in French oak, with 2,829 cases produced. The Estate Chardonnay blends Mid-40 (52%), River Block (42%), and Little Hill (6%), featuring complex apple, pear, vanilla, and yeasty complexity built for cellaring. The Estate Sauvignon Blanc is 64% original 1959 vines, 20% clone 376, and 16% from a hillside vineyard, fermented cold in stainless steel. The Cuvée Riley Pinot Noir, a tribute to the fifth generation, is a limited release of only eight barrels blending two younger estate vineyards.

• Estate Pinot Noir: multi-block blend aged 15 months French oak; approximately 2,800 cases per vintage
• Estate Chardonnay: 52% Mid-40, 42% River Block, 6% Little Hill; shows spice, apple, pear, and yeasty depth
• Estate Sauvignon Blanc: 64% original 1959 vines, stainless-fermented; passion fruit, citrus, firm acidity
• Cuvée Riley: limited eight-barrel tribute to the fifth generation; younger-vineyard blend with bright cherry character

Rochioli Pinot Noirs display elegance and balance: aromas of ripe cherry, vanilla, and savory herbs lead to a juicy, refined palate with silky tannins and a long finish. The Chardonnays show green apple, lemon, vanilla, and a touch of oak, with bright, crisp character, minerality, and firm acidity. The Sauvignon Blanc offers passion fruit, fresh citrus, and light grass with rich, full flavors and a lingering finish uncommon for the variety. Single-vineyard and block-designated wines are sold exclusively through The List; Estate wines are available through the tasting room, select retail, and restaurants. Block designations are clearly labeled, and the estate wines note vineyard-block percentages on their technical sheets, reflecting the winery's commitment to transparency about terroir.

• Pinot Noir: medium ruby, silky tannins, ripe cherry and vanilla aromatics with herb and mineral undertones
• Chardonnay: bright and crisp with green apple, pear, lemon, vanilla, and firm acidity; age-worthy structure
• Sauvignon Blanc: stainless-fermented; passion fruit, citrus, and light grass with viscosity and cellaring potential
• Single-vineyard wines exclusive to The List; Estate wines through tasting room and limited retail distribution