Education
Rockpile Red Wine
by Stephen Pavy
What is “Rockpile”?
- a specific AVA (American Viticulture Area) within Sonoma County;
- the name of a vineyard owned by Rod and Cathy Park;
- the name of a red wine made by St. Francis Winery and Vineyards;
- all of the above.
The correct answer is 4) all of the above.
Rockpile became the twelfth viticultural area in Sonoma County in 2002. Stretching north and west from Lake Sonoma to the Mendocino County line – just ten miles from the Pacific Ocean – Rockpile possesses a unique microclimate all its own. Daytime temperatures are generally cooler than nearby valleys by 5 – 10 degrees and warmer at night. This allows for a longer, more moderate growing season. Because of this, grapes grown in the Rockpile AVA can achieve exceptional varietal character. Dry, warm, sunny mornings usually above the fog layer add more time to the growing season and breezes from the Pacific mean that vineyards generally have reduced rot and mildew pressures. In fact, the Rockpile AVA is one of few AVAs that require a minimum elevation: all vineyards must be at 800 feet or above. All of this adds up to an exceptional place to grow wine grapes.
Rod and Cathy Park bought the old Rockpile Ranch in 1991 and planted rootstock in 1992. Budded over to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot later that same year, Rod and Cathy named the old sheep ranch, Rockpile Vineyard. By the way, their vineyard is located at 2000 feet above sea level.
Cathy has done a lot of research about the ranch and the area and found that a homesteader had a mature vineyard in the same location in 1872. Other discoveries showed that the ranch had once been owned briefly by the cast of the Bonanza television series. The origins of the name “Rockpile” have some interesting twists. Was it derived from an ancient Pomo Indian name? Was it linked to the colorful stories of rugged pioneer life and sheep ranching and rustling that used “Rockpile” as the general name for the area? Or how about when a decent road was finally made from a rough trail that started at the head of Dry Creek Valley and continued up the mountains – a road that had to be pick-axed by hand over steep rocky terrain – a road made with the help of prisoners from the Sonoma County jail under Sheriff Bishop who owned the property that Rod and Cathy Park now own?
The St. Francis 2003 Rockpile Red Table Wine is our third vintage from this unique vineyard. Made of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot and aged exclusively in French Oak for 16 months, this wine has impeccable structure, balance, and depth. The color is deep, the flavors and rich and complex. Cassis, ripe black cherry, red currant, vanilla, black fig, earthy notes all grace this remarkable wine. Aging potential is 10 – 12 years from release.
Rod and Cathy are both retired from the University of California at Berkeley and spend full time working on the vineyard. They are often asked how their university careers prepared them to grow grapes. For Rod, growing grapes has a rhythm and challenge that requires the successful farmer to listen to nature in the same way that a professor listens to his students.
Rod and Cathy – you are both listening well, it seems.
Upcoming Events
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- Saturday, December 13th Menu
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