Rochioli estate spotlight
Gary Farrell Vineyards and Winery films Rochioli Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, the same estate that grew this 2020 Estate Sauvignon Blanc. Tom Rochioli farms these blocks.
The market on this bottle
Wine-Searcher tracks this 2020 Rochioli Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley across the open market. Their published U.S. low is $35.72 and the average is $35.72. Our slash is $37.00.
2020 Rochioli Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley (93JD)
Tom Rochioli's estate Sauvignon Blanc from 1959 vines, citrus and chalk, a 93-point Russian River white at thirty-nine dollars.
The 2020 Estate Sauvignon Blanc is 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc from the Rochioli ranch: crisp citrus, white grapefruit, mint, chalky minerality, pear, lime, and lemongrass after a cool stainless ferment, now $37.
Among California's oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines, still in stainless steel
Joe Rochioli Jr. planted the original Sauvignon Blanc parcel in 1959. Tom Rochioli still ferments the estate white in cool stainless steel so varietal character and firm acidity stay in front. Jeb Dunnuck 93: lots of crisp citrus and white grapefruit as well as mint and chalky minerality, medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, juicy, crisp, a clean dry finish, impeccably made. Wine Spectator 93, MaryAnn Worobiec: pear, lime, matcha green tea, lemongrass, a hint of white pepper, highly detailed, wonderful freshness and precision through 2031. This is Rochioli's white, not a generic Russian River Sauvignon Blanc.
The house
The Rochioli family has farmed this Russian River ranch since the 1930s. Tom still makes the wines. Ryan is assistant winemaker. Rachel is general manager.
The wine
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Cool stainless ferment. No oak. Original 1959 vines still feed the estate white.
The scores
Jeb Dunnuck 93. Wine Spectator 93. Zesty, precise, a dry close with aging potential.
The drinker
Grapefruit and chalk first. Serve 46 to 50 F. No decant. Crab or grilled fish.
Citrus and grapefruit, then mint, chalk, and lemongrass
Dunnuck found lots of crisp citrus and white grapefruit as well as mint and chalky minerality, medium-bodied, with a beautifully balanced, juicy, crisp mouthfeel and a clean, dry finish. Worobiec found a sleek white with a seamless mix of elegant yet powerful flavors: pear, lime, matcha green tea, and lemongrass, a hint of white pepper, highly detailed, wonderful freshness and precision on a mouthwatering finish.
A bright, pithy 2020 from the estate ranch. Stainless steel kept the line. Dunnuck saw a two-to-three-year window from release. Wine Spectator saw precision through 2031. A cold glass is the point.
Crisp citrus, white grapefruit, mint, pear, lime, lemongrass, matcha, white pepper.
Medium, no oak, cool stainless ferment, juicy acidity, chalky minerality.
Clean, dry, precise. Serve 46 to 50 F. No decant.
Cool tank, no oak, old vines for the middle
Tom Rochioli ferments Estate Sauvignon Blanc in stainless steel at a cool temperature so intense varietal character and firm acidity stay in the glass. There is no oak. The original 1959 parcel remains one of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in Sonoma County. Yields stay modest. The 2020 is that method in a citrus-and-chalk year.
Joe Rochioli Jr. planted that original parcel in 1959. It still feeds the estate white. Hillside fruit adds a little extra tension.
Serve 46 to 50 F. No decant. Crab, grilled fish, or a plate with lemon and salt.
Four generations on one Russian River ranch
Rochioli is a grower house first. The estate Sauvignon Blanc is how that ranch tastes in a cold glass.
Joe Rochioli Sr. came from Italy as a child and ended up farming in the Russian River Valley. The family has grown grapes on this ranch since the 1930s.
Joe Jr. planted Sauvignon Blanc in 1959. Tom made the first Rochioli Estate Pinot in 1987. Ryan and Rachel are the fourth generation on the property.
The 2020 Estate Sauvignon Blanc is still that original idea: old vines, tank, a white with enough precision to last.
Brine, citrus, and a cold glass
Pithy Sauvignon Blanc wants sweet shellfish and a clean grilled fish. Lemon and salt do the same work the wine already does.
Two plates. One chilled crab with lemon. One grilled fish with herb sauce. Both fit a cold Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc.
Serve 46 to 50 F. No decant. A cold glass keeps grapefruit and chalk in front of the viscosity.
Chilled Crab with Lemon Mignonette
Sweet crab and lemon. A clean match for Rochioli citrus, salt, and chalk.
Why it works: Lemon and brine mirror grapefruit pith and minerality. Acidity keeps the crab lifted.
View Recipe for chilled crab with lemon mignonette (opens in a new tab)
Grilled Fish with Herb Sauce
A simple grilled white fish and herbs. Enough savory weight for old-vine Sauvignon Blanc.
Why it works: Herbs echo mint and lemongrass. Citrus in the wine resets the grill.
View Recipe for grilled fish with herb sauce (opens in a new tab)Put this Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc in the cart
Tom Rochioli, 1959 vines, Jeb Dunnuck 93. Thirty-nine dollars against a $75 typical retail.
Put it in the cart. This is the Rochioli white for a table that wants old-vine Sauvignon Blanc, not a slogan.
