2005 Pinot Noir West Block

Tom Rochioli's wines have gained in elegance over the last few vintages, and he attributes this to a conscious backing-off from the use of new oak. Rochioli has some of the oldest vines in the Russian River Valley and has been the source for many of the most highly regarded wines made in the region over the last two decades. He places strong emphasis on site and clonal selection, peppering his tasting comments with references to planting dates, rootstocks and soil composition, making for one of the most interesting visits of my trip. His overall objective is maximum site expression, and he is relatively non-interventionist, noting that "too clean means not too complex," especially when it comes to chardonnay. He described 2005 as a great chardonnay vintage. For pinot, he added, "2005 is much more elegant while 2004 is more muscular."