Roco The Stalker Pinot Noir 2021
Type: Red
Country: USA
Region: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol Percentage:14.5%
Viticulture: Certified Organic
Ratings: 92 Decanter Points (2019)
Climate: The Willamette Valley climate is relatively mild throughout the year, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. While moisture is abundant, most of the rainfall occurs in the winter, not during the growing season. This temperate climate, combined with coastal marine influences, make the gentle growing conditions within the Valley ideal for cool-climate grapes
Terroir: Grapes grown in the Wit’s End vineyards, which drapes down the southwestern slope of the Chehalem Mountain Range at 400 feet elevation. Planted mainly in sedimentary soils among stands of native trees and two natural springs, the vineyard is a quintessential Willamette Valley landscape, teeming with wildlife—including owls and hawks, coyotes and even cougars.
Ageing: Handpicked 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 the 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.
Color: Ruby red
Nose: Aromatic profile of spices such as vanilla, cinnamon, cocoa nibs and black liquorice with a touch of fennel leaf
Palate: Flavourful impression with a rich, tannin-gripping texture that entices your taste buds. A lovely balance of flavours which includes burnt caramel, caraway seed spices, ripe & rich fruit (blueberry and black cherry) on a long earthy finish
About the Winery:
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. His winemaking balances science and nature from experience gained in California, Switzerland, Washington and Australia. Dedicated to crafting world-class wines,
Today, Roco Winery has distinguished themselves as an outstanding producer of Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a strong dedication towards sustainability. 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.
