Story

Family owned and operated by Rollin and Corby Soles, Roco Winery represents the finest in Oregon winemaking. The Soles purchased the vineyards 30 years ago, situated in the Chehalem Mountain Range in the Willamette Valley and the site enjoys an enviable combination of elevation, south-western exposure, diverse soil types, natural springs, and geological aspect. Planting the Wit’s End Vineyard in 2001, it was just two years later that they produced their first vintage of Private Stash Pinot Noir showcasing Rollin’s small-lot winemaking skills, which was poured at the White House. A winery was built in 2009, later expanding their Wits’ End vineyard to keep pace with Roco’s growing prestige and demand. Texas-born Rollin has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a master’s degree in enology, and his winemaking balances science and nature, with flying winemaking experience gained in California, Switzerland, Washington and Australia. Roco wines have been named among the Top 100 Wines of the World by Wine Spectator an impressive 13 times, a distinction matched by no other Oregon winemaker. In 2013, Rollin Soles was named one of the “20 Most Admired Winemakers in North America” by Vineyard & Winery Management magazine.

Notes

2015 ROCO RMS SPARKLING WINE - Organic

The Washington Post, “This is a splurge-worthy wine.” Wine Enthusiast, 94 points, International Wine Report, 94 points

Made from 70% Pinot Noir (Dijon 115), 30% Chardonnay (Dijon 95), the Methòde Champenoise process began with the addition of a liqueur de tirage (a wine solution of sugar and yeast) to a bottle of still wine. This triggered that second fermentation inside the bottle which produced carbon dioxide and lees, which collected at the neck during the riddling process. After 30 months on lees, the bottles were disgorged and the lees is replaced with dosage (8 g/L), which gives sparkling wine its sweetness.

“The Pinot Noir portion of this cuvee is dominant in the aromatics of this wine and include hints of guava, red grapefruit citrus, and cracked, yeasty biscuit with vanilla spice. On the palate, this wine is lush yet has a lovely firm backbone of natural fruit acid. Look for fruit expression of red skinned apple, plum, and a shift toward white fleshed grapefruit citrus. Tasting sugar dry, with a luxuriously creamy mouth feel, the bracing acidity is balanced on a razor’s edge leading to a very pleasant long vanilla, fresh baguette yeasty goodness finish.” - Rollin Soles, Winemaker

2015 ROCO WILLAMETTE VALLEY CHARDONNAY - Organic

Handpicked and then chilled overnight to 3°C (38°F) in a large cold-room. The chilled bunches are then pressed in a large tank press and the juice sent to tank. After settling in tank, the juice is inoculated and racked to neutral oak barrels where it completes fermentation. After primary fermentation is complete, the young wine is allowed to go through Malolactic fermentation in order to soften the acidity and to add further complexity. After MLF, the wines are racked to a mix of barrels comprised of approximately 15-20% new and 80% neutral French oak. There they rest for five months or more before bottling.

“Aromas of guava, pear and vanilla spice fly out of the glass. The palate is rich without losing its zippy minerality. Mid palate is chalk full of dense, ripe fruit that dances just on the edge of tropical and those classic tree ripened apples and pears. Hints of ripe Galia melon are matched with great acidity.” - Rollin Soles, Winemaker

2016 ROCO ‘GRAVEL ROAD’ CHARDONNAY - Organic

James Suckling.com 93 points, International Wine Report 91 points, Wine Enthusiast 90 points

ROCO Chardonnay is handpicked and then chilled overnight to 38˚ F 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.

“This wine has the characteristic youthful green-yellow straw color found in ROCO Chardonnays. Aromas of citrus blossom, pear fruit, brown turkey fig, and lovely spice leap out of the glass to greet you. This wine was built for aging with a bold mineral core wrapped by rich comice pear, a hint of citrus starfruit, and cashew nut, leading to a promise of white peach with a touch of Tahitian lime in the middle palate. The finish is opulent without going heavy. This is a seamless, cool climate Chardonnay.” - Rollin Soles, Winemaker

2017 ROCO ‘GRAVEL ROAD’ PINOT NOIR - Organic

International Wine Report, 90 points

ROCO Pinot Noir is handpicked and then chilled overnight to 38°F in our large cold room. The chilled bunches are gently de-stalked and the whole berries fall into small 1.6 ton open fermenters. The berries soak for ten days before beginning ferment with our proprietary, house-cultured, indigenous wine yeast. Soaking allows gentle extraction of color and flavour from the berry skin, and not the bitter-tasting seeds. The fermentations are hand punched twice a day to mix skins and fermenting juices. Ferments are allowed to reach about 28°C. A post-fermentation soak occurs until the wine is just right for removing from the skins and seeds. At that time the ferment is gently pressed in our modern tank press. The young wine is then sent to barrel for malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and to add further complexity, then racked once to new, one, two and three-year-old, tight-grained, French oak barrels. The wines are aged in barrel for 18 or more months before bottling.

“Several lush and complex aromatics fill the nose upon inhale including rose petals, ripe loganberry, a rich vanilla spice framed by rich forest floor aromas. For flavor consider, lovely elegant fruit with spice and enough acidity to cause this wine to dance on your tongue. Persistent red fruit and loganberry give a “sweet” lift to this classic cool climate Pinot noir. The finish sails on a “deck” of rich cherry fruit, lovely earth tones, and the sort of peppercorn spice that calls out for mushrooms, lamb, or even buttery black cod.” - Rollin Soles, Winemaker

2015 ROCO ‘MARSH ESTATE VINEYARD’ PINOT NOIR - Organic - LIVE certified sustainably grown

James Suckling.com, 94 points, “Great nose of smoke, stones, strawberries and cedar. Full-bodied, yet lively and vivid with stone, berry and cherry character. Gorgeous richness and brightness.” - J.S., 11/16

Handpicked and then chilled overnight to 3°C (38°F) in a large cold-room. The chilled bunches are gently de-stalked and the whole berries fall into small 1.6 ton open fermenters. The berries soak for ten days before beginning ferment with proprietary, house-cultured indigenous wine yeast. Soaking allows gentle extraction of colour and flavour from the berry skin, and not the bitter-tasting seeds.  The fermentations are hand punched twice a day to mix skins and fermenting juices. Ferments are allowed to reach about 28°C (82°F).  A post-fermentation soak occurs until the wine is just right for removing from the skins and seeds.  At that time the ferment is gently pressed in a modern tank press. The young wine is sent to barrel for malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity and to add further complexity, then racked once to a mix of new and three-year-old, tight-grained, French oak barrels.  The wines are aged in barrel for 18 or more months before bottling.

“Lifted, complex scents of cassis, cardamom and ripe, dark cherry fill your nose. Seared strawberry and gooseberry play off cola and coffee spice. This wine is playful, yet seamless and robust with lively acidity throughout the very long finish.” - Rollin Soles.

2015 ROCO ‘THE STALKER’ PINOT NOIR - Organic

Wine Enthusiast 90 points, Wine Spectator 91 points, James Suckling 93 points

“Hand picked Pinot Noir grapes are chilled overnight to 40F. The next day, whole berries are de-stemmed into small 1.6 tons fermenters for a 10-Day cold soak.  During this cold soak, 100% of the stems that were removed are collected and separately aged for 7 days under inert gas. Removing the stems is a paramount step, since traditional whole cluster fermentation does not ensure fully ripe stems. Then the aged stalks/stems are hand punched into the cold grape berry fermenters, kicking off the fermentation. They are punched down twice a day until end of fermentation. The grapes are then gently pressed and the juice is transferred to French oak barrels and matured for 18 months before bottling.”- Rollin Soles.

“Plum jam and cherry pie give way to a refined but powerful tannin structure. Just try to catch the fleeting hints of aged grape stems in the mid palate then again during the superb finish! This wine has one thinking about beautifully aged Nebbiolo.” - Rollin Soles, Winemaker.