2023 J. Rochioli Chardonnay Rachael's Vineyard

The 2023 Chardonnay Rachael's is named after Tom’s daughter and is made from the Mount Eden clone. It has a bright feel on the nose, with more focused aromas of lime zest, fresh pear, melon, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, just floating with an elegant and finessed feel. It boasts a long stony texture and is going to improve with time. It’s a highlight of the Rochioli whites for me in this vintage. Tom Rochioli is leading his historic family winery and vineyards along with his wife Theresa and their children, Rachael (General Manager) and Ryan (Assistant Winemaker). The focus is on estate-grown expressions of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and old vine Sauvignon Blanc. Tom’s grandparents immigrated from Italy in 1911 and came to the Russian River Valley in 1938, moving to the 125-acre Fenton Acres property where the winery is today. In the 1970s and 1980s, Tom’s father Joe began selling their grapes to winemakers Davis Bynum and Williams Selyem, who produced some of the best wines in the region. It wasn’t until 1983 that Rochioli decided to produce their own wines and changed the name of the property from Fenton Acres to Rochioli Vineyards.

The 2023 Chardonnay Rachael's Vineyard Estate is the most savory of the five Chardonnays in the range. Fruit lies more in the background, while floral, savory and mineral notes take center stage. The Rachael's consists of Mt. Eden clone from cuttings taken from Kistler's Moon Mountain vineyard, where it is planted on St. George rootstock. Tom Rochioli took those cuttings, many of which were diseased, selected the best of them, and then used them to plant this site. It is interesting to contemplate how much of the wine reflects plant material versus site and vintage. The Rachael's is impeccably done.