Cocktail Corner: Roco 2014 Chardonnay
The first time I had this was at double celebration event: a friend's birthday and my women's indoor soccer team championship win (go team). While I was pouring a glass of the Roco Chardonnay for a friend, she asked "what kind of wine is this?". Before I had a chance to answer, she had already taken a sip and said "oh, it is yummy wine!". She was right. It is yummy.
This wine is light, crisp and refreshing; it isn't your typical Chardonnay. It has a slight tropical taste with a hint of oak and vanilla. This wine is very easy to drink and doesn't need to be paired with food. It's a great summer wine because of its tropical fruitiness. It is simply scrumptious. It is a bit pricey for a Chardonnay but it has still won its way on to my wine list.
For a little more technical description of this wine, here are the tasting notes for 2014 Willamette Valley Chardonnay Tasting Notes by Winemaker, Rollin Soles:
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.
Here is a review from the Wine Enthusiast by Paul Gregutt, June 2016:
“This is stunningly rich in mouth-feel, texture and overall weight. Buttered, toasted nuts and creamy fruits coat the mouth. Oranges, apples and pears roll smoothly and seamlessly along the palate, with a juicy kick to the finish.”
According to the winery the majority of the fruit comes from LIVE Certified and Salmon-Safe Vineyards but the wine is not certified organic.
ROCO Winery is LIVE Certified Sustainable LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) is a non-profit organization that provides education and certification for vineyards on a set of internationally-recognized, science-based practices of winegrowing that minimize environmental and social impacts while maximizing long term agricultural and economic sustainability. ROCO Winery is proud to be among the growing group of LIVE Certified Sustainable wineries in Oregon. This designation represents a civic and ecological responsibility very close to our hearts. The benefits of sustainability are clear: Gentler practices are better for the earth. And we believe they also result in brighter, more flavorful wines that better reflect the characteristics of the land from which they are grown.
ROCO Winery is certified Salmon-Safe Salmon-Safe is a non-profit that was founded in 1995 by an Oregon-based river and native fish protection organization. Since then, it has become one of the nation’s leading, regional eco-labels—designating ecologically sustainable vineyard farming practices. Erosion and runoff from hillside vineyards can bring silt into streams, reducing the ability of native salmon to survive. Vineyards certified as Salmon-Safe are committed to reducing such runoff and enhancing native biodiversity. ROCO Winery is proud to support and rank among them with Wits’ End Vineyard. We take extra precaution to ensure that agricultural processes have little-to-no impact on the health and habitat of our beloved salmon population.
