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Roco Wine - Gravel Road - Chardonnay 2016
- Producer Roco Wines
- Blend 100% Chardonnay
- Country USA
- Region Oregon
- Appellation Willamette Valley
- UPC 8 99166 00202 3
Description
In Oregon wine country, a gravel road is a sign of good things to come. The ROCO estate Wits’ End vineyard is located down a gravel drive on the Southern slope of the Willamette Valley’s highest peak. These rugged, far-flung properties are ideal for winegrowing but not for asphalt. ROCO’s Gravel Road wines celebrate these special locations, creating wines with fresh fruit character and a rich, seamless palate from beginning to finish. Discover the ROCO Gravel Road Chardonnay today! We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
The Gravel Road Chardonnay is a blend of the three best Chardonnay vineyards in the Willamette Valley: Wits’ End, Knudsen, and Marsh Estate Vineyards. Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Wits’ End is the Soles’ estate vineyard. Four acres of Chardonnay were planted here in 2013. As a result of Rollin’s 30+ years in the industry, ROCO has access to premium fruit from Marsh Estate and Knudsen Vineyards. Rollin crafts wines that balance minerality and rich power.
Tasting notes
The aromatics are especially lovely, with pear, citrus/quince, with roasted hazelnut, vanilla, and celery stalk savory notes. The palate may be the finest balanced Chardonnay we’ve made at ROCO. Look for passion fruit and floral notes of honeysuckle and pear blossoms framed by lovely chestnut and vanilla bean spice. The fulcrum of ripe fruit to fine citrus acidity is delightful with a finish that is long and full of joy.
Estate
ROCO represents the finest in Oregon winemaking with storied bottles and humbling accolades. It’s a 30-year history of devotion to craft. In 1987, Rollin Soles purchased a breathtaking hillside property down a gravel road in the Chehalem Mountain Range. The property’s perfect combination of elevation, soil type, natural springs, and geological aspect were the seed of a dream that would eventually become ROCO Winery.
Vinification
ROCO Chardonnay is handpicked and then chilled overnight to 38F in a large cold room. The chilled, whole cluster bunches are pressed, and the juice is sent to tank. After settling in the tank, the juice is racked to French oak barrels where it completes fermentation. After the primary fermentation, the young wine goes through malolactic fermentation to soften acidity and add further complexity. The finished wine ages on its’ original yeast lees until bottling in July.
