Industry socials like the one we participated in at the Roco winery are some of the best opportunities to learn about what’s happening in the Willamette Valley winemaking community.
Engaging with the industry’s top winemakers, we delved into the intricacies of past and future harvests and valley trends and sampled some exceptional wines.
One of the highlights of the flight was Roco’s 2013 RMS Late Disgorgement traditional method sparkling brut. We have had the classic 2013 RMS Brut, the inaugural vintage of Roco’s bubbles, upon its release many times after. We also enjoyed 2015 RMS and 2016 RMS Rosé. So we were excited to try how the extended ageing on lees* affected the 2013 RMS character.
Wines like that are hardly a commodity in the Champagne region and rare in the USA.
It was filled with the aromas and flavors of linden blossom, baked apple, cookie dough, gooseberry, and quince jam. It’s delicious and ready to drink now!
We also enjoyed tasting top-quality Santa Margherita Prosecco, Ca’del Bosco Franciacorta, and 2018 Lamole di Lamole Chianti during the event. These wines have been part of Roco’s offerings since its notable acquisition by Santa Margherita, a renowned Italian winery, in 2022.
Italians followed the path of renowned French and Californian wineries, who recognized the potential of this wine region long ago and have been methodically acquiring Willamette Valley estates since the late 1980s.
Santa Margherita’s acquisition of Roco not only brought exceptional Italian wines to the Willamette Valley but also forged a partnership with Rollin Soles, one of the region’s most esteemed winemakers. This collaboration has enriched Santa Margherita’s portfolio with world-class Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.
There is a lot of consolidation going on in most wine regions worldwide. Locally, many small Willamette Valley wineries were acquired in the past decade and changed forever. We were concerned about how this change might affect Roco, one of our favorites. To our pleasure, Roco retained a boutique local winery charm even after being acquired by a large company and kept with fantastic industry social tradition.
What changes have you seen in your local wine communities? Large companies offer financial stability to boutique wineries, but is it always a good change? What are your thoughts?