The Rocklin Ranch Pinot Noir opens with bright aromas of ripe cherries and vibrant plums, with subtle notes of cedar and spice. Flavors of raspberries and cherry tart are highlighted by hints of clove and toasted oak. The soft tannins and supple mouthfeel lead into a lingering finish for this lush and graceful Pinot Noir.
Winemaking/Vintage Notes
The grapes for our Pinot Noir are grown on our estate vineyard located in the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey, a region with one of the coolest and longest growing seasons in the state. This micro-climate is noted for its moderate weather conditions and brisk afternoon winds and is ideal for cool-climate varietals. Evening coastal fogs in the spring and summer often linger until mid-morning the following day. This natural cooling effect slows photosynthesis and causes a unique lengthening of the growing season. These ideal growing conditions ensure intense fruit flavors and an ideal balance of acidity.
The grapes are picked at optimum ripeness in the cool early morning hours. Upon arrival to the winery, they are destemmed, but not crushed. The juice is fermented in small lots in open top fermenters and punched down three times a day at the height of fermentation, then held on the skins for two weeks before pressing. The juice is racked clean for 12 months of oak aging, resulting in a wine with an enticing balance of elegance and finesse.
SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS
Our Pinot Noir is extremely food-friendly and pairs well with a wide range of flavors. Served with a casual family dinner, it complements fried chicken or roasted pork loin with herbs and fennel nicely. For fancier fare, this wine can accompany mushroom risotto, salmon, rack of lamb, or even grilled lobster.
The ancient volcanic foothills of Monterey’s coastal range, the bountiful and sunny Salinas Valley, the wind and fog from the Pacific Ocean, and the oversized rocks from the Arroyo Seco River all come together to create the unique terroir of our estate vineyards. This balance of elements allows us to craft the elegant and varietally-correct wines of Rocklin Ranch.
Our name is derived from the large river rocks strewn amongst our vineyards that were deposited thousands of years ago by the Arroyo Seco River.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Hey y’all! A masked monkey flew by and dropped off a bottle for sampling. After carefully wiping it down with my precious disinfecting wipes (), slathering myself with hand sanitizer, and letting it rest overnight…
Pop and pour:
Light, clear garnet, or as I like to call it “pinot red”. No bricking, no purple.
Nose: Initially sniffy sniff is a bit funky. I’ll call it earthy/mushroom, but that seems to have blown off pretty quickly. Now replaced with light red fruit, predominantly cherry and strawberry. About 20 minutes in, strawberry is wafting from the glass.
Palate: Hmmm…tart! This may need some air and some food. About 20 minutes in, still pretty tart, but with some fruit showing through.
Back in a bit…gotta go don my mask and pick up my dinner (trying to support the local restaurant scene even if they won’t let me in ).
Soooo…I picked up dinner from a new-ish Greek place a couple of blocks away. I’d never heard of them until I started seeing their posts all over my Facebook feed through the Easter holidays, with pretty positive reviews. I ordered a salad of arrugula, orange and grapefruit segments, and sliced almonds with a slightly creamy lemony dressing; beef and lamb meatballs with herbed tomato sauce and a dollop of Greek yogurt; prawns baked in shredded filo with a pepper/mayo sauce; dill/herbed basmati rice.
The wine paired nice with the salad and the prawns…less so with the meatballs, which were probably a bit too spicy for it (but delicious, nonetheless). Profile is relatively unchanged. Still getting the red fruits, with perhaps a bit of baking spice. Over time, it’s picked up a smidge of vanilla. The tannins are smooth (not at all drying). It’s definitely food-friendly…goes down easy. I’ve managed to drink most of the bottle over the course of the evening while dining and then chatting with my bff and my sister on the phone. Ooops! I did leave enough for a follow-up tasting tomorrow evening and will report back after work.
Strange guilty pleasure…I’d kinda like to pair it with one of my favorite pinot pairings…Cherry Pop Tarts! Or maybe some gummies bears. Sadly, I don’t have any in the current quarantine stash.
As always, thank you to WineDavid and the WCC crew for the opportunity to contribute to the community! Cheers!
@karenhynes pinot with cherry pop tarts…that’s a pairing I wouldn’t have thought of! We keep strawberry pop tarts stocked in the house. Have you ever tried pinot with strawberry pop tarts??
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Rocklin Ranch Pinot Noir - $36 = 23.06%
I was planning on going to my local UPS after work to pick up a case ordered when to my surprise I received the notification informing me of a Lab Rat bottle that would be arriving, too. OK, reroute that shipment directly to UPS (I’m never home to sign - essential worker over here <-------), and grab both after work. Perfect. Exciting! I get the magnums I ordered and set them aside, unboxing the surprise (hopefully red) wine. Pinot Noir! It’s one of the first warm weekends here in MI (hit 80 degrees) so a “lighter” red fits right in. I had already planned on tacos for dinner, so food pairings be damned.
It sits on the counter for two days, resting, waiting, calling out to me to try it, but I resist until Sunday to be able to give it the time it deserves for thoughtful feedback. Pop and pour in the afternoon before dinner. Looks light as expected. On the nose, very fruit forward, stronger than expected. I’m getting cherries and…more cherries. Maybe strawberries too. First sip…tart. Now, I love tart. But overpowering the fruit and tart is something weird, that I don’t like. I can’t explain it, but I don’t like this wine at all
When I don’t like the pop and pour tasting, I let it sit to see if it opens up. I’m busy doing house choirs anyways, so I let it sit in the glass. I come back later…still unusually funky. I finish the glass while working around the house, and cooking dinner. I have a second glass with tacos, an already planned casual dinner. It did not get any better with food, admittedly not the best pairing though. I will let the third glass rest in the bottle overnight until dinner tomorrow after work. Pinot Noir doesn’t usually improve like others after sitting open overnight, but if anything changes I will be happy to report back tonight. As it stands right now, I will not be buying a case of this, and can’t recommend it. Maybe something is wrong with the bottle, but everything “looks” ok to me. Just not for me I guess. I prefer reds, dry and bold. Tart is one of my favorite “tastes” and this has the tart. There’s just something else about it that I can’t explain or get over. There’s a funk to it that’s sits heavy on every sip.
Wow - love the rat review here - thanks for being honest - honestly at this price I may still buy it anyways as presentable $10 pinot is an easy win but thanks for giving me some pause!
@pete0744 Yeah, me too. Is “funk” like “forest floor”? That comes with PN sometimes. Some like it, though I don’t, but it often blows off with air or age. The Harvest Moon PN had it, which some thought was great, but I didn’t, except the last bottle I had with some age was great. And I thought, wish I had a case of this for the price. I’d be interested in other rats and @kasandrea 's follow-up
@pete0744 I love old world wines too! They show up sometimes, and a few have been spectacular, but many of the well-represented producers around here (Winesmith, Tercero, Noceto & Scott Harvey come to mind) make old-world style wines with California grapes, which gets pretty close for my money.
@chipgreen
It’s not always an easy, or simple, choice and I try not to play favorites.
But you did read the review, and that is the intent of a highlight is also to link you there to form your own conclusions, which you did.
Well, tonight I tried the rest of it with venison brats (pan fried in butter with onions and peppers), with a side of mac and cheese. The wine? Tastes the same. I just do not like it. Nothing changed over night. Sorry…maybe it’s just my personal taste, and it’s not for me. For the price, of you’re on the fence, and you like Pinot noir, give it a chance. Maybe it’s for you!
My follow-up notes, as promised.
Finished the last glass tonight with a burger and fries after a too long day at work. Not much changed from yesterday. Still a bit of funk on the nose, which blew off in a few minutes. Nose is fairly non-descript light red fruit. Taste is still quite tart. For me, this pinot needs food to balance out the tart. I’d put it in the “daily drinker” category. I tend to like to enjoy a bottle over the course of an evening as it evolves. For me, this comes across fairly simple/one note. There’s not enough depth or complexity for me to bite. I’m not in the market for daily drinkers, so this is a pass for me. Nothing wrong with it…just not what I’m buying these days. Hope that helps! Cheers!
Tasting Notes
Winemaking/Vintage Notes
SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$300 a Case/$25 MSRP/ Not available on website
About The Winery
Winery: Rocklin Ranch Wines
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, May 29th - Tuesday, June 2nd
Rocklin Ranch Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $51.99 $13/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $119.99 $10/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Rocklin Ranch Pinot Noir
Hey y’all! A masked monkey flew by and dropped off a bottle for sampling. After carefully wiping it down with my precious disinfecting wipes (
), slathering myself with hand sanitizer, and letting it rest overnight…
Pop and pour:
Light, clear garnet, or as I like to call it “pinot red”. No bricking, no purple.
Nose: Initially sniffy sniff is a bit funky. I’ll call it earthy/mushroom, but that seems to have blown off pretty quickly. Now replaced with light red fruit, predominantly cherry and strawberry. About 20 minutes in, strawberry is wafting from the glass.
Palate: Hmmm…tart! This may need some air and some food. About 20 minutes in, still pretty tart, but with some fruit showing through.
Back in a bit…gotta go don my mask and pick up my dinner (trying to support the local restaurant scene even if they won’t let me in
).
Soooo…I picked up dinner from a new-ish Greek place a couple of blocks away. I’d never heard of them until I started seeing their posts all over my Facebook feed through the Easter holidays, with pretty positive reviews. I ordered a salad of arrugula, orange and grapefruit segments, and sliced almonds with a slightly creamy lemony dressing; beef and lamb meatballs with herbed tomato sauce and a dollop of Greek yogurt; prawns baked in shredded filo with a pepper/mayo sauce; dill/herbed basmati rice.
The wine paired nice with the salad and the prawns…less so with the meatballs, which were probably a bit too spicy for it (but delicious, nonetheless). Profile is relatively unchanged. Still getting the red fruits, with perhaps a bit of baking spice. Over time, it’s picked up a smidge of vanilla. The tannins are smooth (not at all drying). It’s definitely food-friendly…goes down easy. I’ve managed to drink most of the bottle over the course of the evening while dining and then chatting with my bff and my sister on the phone. Ooops! I did leave enough for a follow-up tasting tomorrow evening and will report back after work.
Strange guilty pleasure…I’d kinda like to pair it with one of my favorite pinot pairings…Cherry Pop Tarts! Or maybe some gummies bears. Sadly, I don’t have any in the current quarantine stash.
As always, thank you to WineDavid and the WCC crew for the opportunity to contribute to the community! Cheers!
purple loves @barney.
@karenhynes pinot with cherry pop tarts…that’s a pairing I wouldn’t have thought of! We keep strawberry pop tarts stocked in the house. Have you ever tried pinot with strawberry pop tarts??
@TimW
Any “red” Pop Tart should do!
@karenhynes Maybe I’ll give it a try next time I have a pinot! But not tonight…tonight I have a Zin open.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Rocklin Ranch Pinot Noir - $36 = 23.06%
I was planning on going to my local UPS after work to pick up a case ordered when to my surprise I received the notification informing me of a Lab Rat bottle that would be arriving, too. OK, reroute that shipment directly to UPS (I’m never home to sign - essential worker over here <-------), and grab both after work. Perfect. Exciting! I get the magnums I ordered and set them aside, unboxing the surprise (hopefully red) wine. Pinot Noir! It’s one of the first warm weekends here in MI (hit 80 degrees) so a “lighter” red fits right in. I had already planned on tacos for dinner, so food pairings be damned.
It sits on the counter for two days, resting, waiting, calling out to me to try it, but I resist until Sunday to be able to give it the time it deserves for thoughtful feedback. Pop and pour in the afternoon before dinner. Looks light as expected. On the nose, very fruit forward, stronger than expected. I’m getting cherries and…more cherries. Maybe strawberries too. First sip…tart. Now, I love tart. But overpowering the fruit and tart is something weird, that I don’t like. I can’t explain it, but I don’t like this wine at all
When I don’t like the pop and pour tasting, I let it sit to see if it opens up. I’m busy doing house choirs anyways, so I let it sit in the glass. I come back later…still unusually funky. I finish the glass while working around the house, and cooking dinner. I have a second glass with tacos, an already planned casual dinner. It did not get any better with food, admittedly not the best pairing though. I will let the third glass rest in the bottle overnight until dinner tomorrow after work. Pinot Noir doesn’t usually improve like others after sitting open overnight, but if anything changes I will be happy to report back tonight. As it stands right now, I will not be buying a case of this, and can’t recommend it. Maybe something is wrong with the bottle, but everything “looks” ok to me. Just not for me I guess. I prefer reds, dry and bold. Tart is one of my favorite “tastes” and this has the tart. There’s just something else about it that I can’t explain or get over. There’s a funk to it that’s sits heavy on every sip.
@kasandrae ‘like’ or ‘no like’, I’d say this is your best review ever!
@kasandrae Represent!!!
Wow - love the rat review here - thanks for being honest - honestly at this price I may still buy it anyways as presentable $10 pinot is an easy win but thanks for giving me some pause!
@pete0744 Yeah, me too. Is “funk” like “forest floor”? That comes with PN sometimes. Some like it, though I don’t, but it often blows off with air or age. The Harvest Moon PN had it, which some thought was great, but I didn’t, except the last bottle I had with some age was great. And I thought, wish I had a case of this for the price. I’d be interested in other rats and @kasandrea 's follow-up
@pete0744 Honesty like that is what makes this community so great.
@KitMarlot couldn’t agree more. Now if we could just get some more old world wines here we’d really have something!
@pete0744 I love old world wines too! They show up sometimes, and a few have been spectacular, but many of the well-represented producers around here (Winesmith, Tercero, Noceto & Scott Harvey come to mind) make old-world style wines with California grapes, which gets pretty close for my money.
…would have been a more appropriate highlight than…
Just sayin’.
@chipgreen
It’s not always an easy, or simple, choice and I try not to play favorites.
But you did read the review, and that is the intent of a highlight is also to link you there to form your own conclusions, which you did.
Well, tonight I tried the rest of it with venison brats (pan fried in butter with onions and peppers), with a side of mac and cheese. The wine? Tastes the same. I just do not like it. Nothing changed over night. Sorry…maybe it’s just my personal taste, and it’s not for me. For the price, of you’re on the fence, and you like Pinot noir, give it a chance. Maybe it’s for you!
My follow-up notes, as promised.
Finished the last glass tonight with a burger and fries after a too long day at work. Not much changed from yesterday. Still a bit of funk on the nose, which blew off in a few minutes. Nose is fairly non-descript light red fruit. Taste is still quite tart. For me, this pinot needs food to balance out the tart. I’d put it in the “daily drinker” category. I tend to like to enjoy a bottle over the course of an evening as it evolves. For me, this comes across fairly simple/one note. There’s not enough depth or complexity for me to bite. I’m not in the market for daily drinkers, so this is a pass for me. Nothing wrong with it…just not what I’m buying these days. Hope that helps! Cheers!
Thank you, rats! I’m also not in the market for daily drinkers, so this is perfectly helpful. That’s the point!