Rockpile Zinfandel

Discover the Secrets of this Unique Northern California AVA

Rockpile Zinfandel vineyards sit high in the hills on the north west side of Dry Creek Valley. The Rockpile AVA is one of the smallest Sonoma County wine regions, but has the perfect condition for the tough to grow Zinfandel wine.

Altitude, climate and soil composition are just a few of the things that set it apart from other wine regions. It is solely a vineyard AVA, as there are no wineries in the region.

A total of 15,000 acres spread out across Rockpile and only 160 of those acres produce wine. Eight growers own one or more vineyards in the region.

If you enjoy Zinfandel, you will really enjoy a Rockpile Zinfandel. They are a little hard to find, but they are one of the best Zinfandel wines on the market today!

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History of Rockpile Zinfandel

This region has a long history. Tennessee Carter Bishop, one of the first to call this land home, planted the first wine grapes here in 1872.

He was a controversial figure in his time. He was a local sheriff and was said to have used prison labor to build a road up to his personal property.

S.P. Hallengren, a Swedish immigrant, followed Bishop's lead. He planted the first vineyard in the area a few years later. Today, two of his grandsons grow grapes in this region. His great, great grandson, Clay Mauritson, is the wine maker for Mauritson winery in Dry Creek that features wines grown in Rockpile.

Throughout the years, only a few more people planted Rockpile Zinfandel wines in the region. The revival of the current wine industry in the region began in 1992. This is when Rod and Cathy Park planted the first modern day vineyards on the property originally owned by Bishop.

Due to the ideal conditions in the region, a handful of others planted vineyards also. It did not take long for the Rockpile Zinfandel and other wines to get noticed. In 2002, this region broke away from Dry Creek Valley and received its own official AVA designation.

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Why is Rockpile Zinfandel so Special?

There are a number of things that make this region an exceptional location to produce red wine, specifically a red as finicky as Zinfandel. The first is the altitude of the region. The Rockpile AVA vineyards start at 800 feet above sea level -- which is just above the fog line from the Pacific Ocean. More sun and less moisture are the results of being above the fog line.

Wind also plays an important role in the Rockpile region. The daily winds -- with consistent gusts -- dry out the grapes even more. Zinfandel is prone to rot, but the drying of the grapes from the winds and daily sunshine prevent this issue.

Rockpile vineyards are dry farmed -- meaning no irrigation. In addition, the soils are rocky with few minerals. These conditions stress the vines and force production of small, but high quality grapes.

It is not just one of these that makes it special. It is the combination of all of these factors that make it a key Zinfandel and red wine growing region.

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About Rockpile Zinfandel Wine and Other Reds

Almost all of the wine in this region is red. More than 50% of the vineyards in Rockpile grow either Zinfandel or Petit Sirah.

I first tasted Rockpile Zinfandel wines about three years ago. Zins from this region are now my favorite. Robert Parker, a popular wine critic, agrees. This is what he had to say about Rockpile Zinfandel wines.

"...one of the finest Zinfandel sites in Northern California..." ~ Robert Parker

Rockpile Zinfandel wines are full bodied, big and bold wines. You will smell and taste dark fruits including blackberry, raspberry and plum. These pair with hints of vanilla, chocolate, sweet tobacco and black pepper.

Most have a long finish -- meaning the flavors linger in your mouth long after you swallow the wine. They are also balanced wines, so no one flavor or characteristic overpowers the final product.

Small amounts of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grow in this region. You can also find a few reds with some Malbec and Petit Verdot from Rockpile.

Due to the small number of acres, just fourteen wineries are lucky enough to source grapes from this region. When buying these wines, look for the Rockpile designation on the label from one of these Northern California wineries:

• Bella Vineyards
• Branham Wines
• Bruliam Wines
• Carol Shelton
• Davenport Wines
• JC Cellars
• Mauritson Wines
• Paradise Ridge Winery
• Robert Biale Vineyards
• Rock Wall Wines
• Seghesio Family Vineyards
• St. Francis
• Stryker Sonoma Winery
• Valzez Family Winery

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Here are some additional pages you might enjoy:

Zinfandel Wine: Where does Zinfandel originate? What are some other great regions for this red wine? Read on to find the answer to these and more of our questions about Zinfandel wine.

Alexander Valley Wineries: This is another northern California region that produces big and bold reds. Discover this regions history, popular red wines and recommendations for some of its best wineries.

Dry Creek Valley Wineries: Overlapping the Rockpile AVA is another popular Zinfandel wine region, Dry Creek Valley. Find out more about this Sonoma wine region and ten of its best wineries for red wine.