2010 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir River Block Vineyard

The 2010 Pinot Noir River Block comes across as a bit reticent at this stage. Dark cherries, menthol, sweet spices and licorice are woven together nicely but the wine nevertheless appears to be holding back much of its potential. Today the 2010 River Block isn't as expressive as the other 2010s here, or the 2009s, but if the austere, angular contour softens, and the fruit fills out, it may merit a higher score.

The 2010 Pinot Noir River Block comes across as a bit reticent at this stage. Dark cherries, menthol, sweet spices and licorice are woven together nicely but the wine nevertheless appears to be holding back much of its potential. Today the 2010 River Block isn’t as expressive as the other 2010s here, or the 2009s, but if the austere, angular contour softens and the fruit fills out, it may merit a higher score. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2020. I came away deeply impressed by the wines I tasted with Tom Rochioli. The 2010 Chardonnays are absolutely gorgeous. The cold, late-harvest provides a wonderful balance to the inherent richness that is typically present in the wines. Rochioli is one of the later growers to pick. The 2010 Chardonnays were fermented in barrel. Rochioli stirred the lees every week until January, then once every few weeks until the wines were moved to tank in July. The wines spent three weeks in tank and were bottled in August 2011. The Pinot Noirs are stunning in both 2009 and 2010. As is the case throughout the Sonoma Coast, the 2009s are more consistent across the board, but the best 2010s may very well prove to be superior. For now what is certain is that the 2010 Pinots show a level of verve and focus that is missing from the 2009s. Either way, it’s hard to go wrong with any of these big, exuberant Pinots. Tom Rochioli is a bit of recluse, which means his wines remain known only to a relatively small group of consumers. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of what is in the bottle. Tel. (707) 433-2305