A fresh and lively Willamette Pinot Noir is on the table tonight. “Gravel Road” is the entry-level Pinot from ROCO Winery, founded by Oregon wine pioneers Rollin Soles and Corby Stonebraker-Soles. It’s a solid–though not life-changing–weekday wine at $25-$30.
It opens with a friendly burst of fruit: Cherry, strawberry fruit leather, and Bosc pear. The nose offers green aromatic herbs (tarragon and mint) riding atop a noticeable alcoholic lift.
Tannins are lightly grippy and even, comparable to a glass of freshly brewed iced tea. The elevated alcohol, though somewhat intrusive on the nose, gives a touch of palate richness. There’s a softness to the texture that’s unexpected and delightful–like touching a cat that looks like a badger but feels like a bunny.
The flavors are mostly red-fruited, with tart notes of ruby grapefruit and hibiscus tea bringing up the rear. On warming, there’s just a whisper of oaky spice–cinnamon and woody stalks of rhubarb. The overall impression is a wine that’s wide open, fruit-driven, and balanced.
It could be more complex, sure. Subtler, gentler. But it’s hard to say “no” to a second glass.
Pairing ROCO “Gravel Road” Pinot Noir
A young, lightly chilled Pinot makes a marvelous grilling wine. The bright acid and moderate tannins can support hard-to-match foods like salads, pickles, and green vegetables. The screwcap makes it easy to tote the bottle to a cookout, picnic, or BYOB.
I enjoyed my bottle of Gravel Road with smoked bratwursts and broccoli/kale slaw with poppyseed dressing. I also pour it by the glass at work, where a slice of supreme pizza is the pairing of choice.
Bottle: ROCO “Gravel Road” Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (2022) – Oregon
Variety: Pinot Noir (100%)
ABV: 14%
Suggested retail: $30
My rating: 8.7 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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