Santa Margherita acquires ROCO Winery, the award-winning producer in Willamette Valley of Oregon.
ROCO
ROCO Winery was founded by Rollin Soles, one of the trailblazing Oregon winemakers, and Corby, his wife. While ROCO was more of a backburner project for almost a decade, Rollin was Argyle’s head winemaker, hugely successful Willamette Valley winery.
Rollin has many accolades, consults over a dozen wineries in the valley, and guides their winemaking. He’s also among the first to start producing traditional sparkling wines in the valley and is a “go-to” bubble expert for other winemakers.
We’ve been following Rollins’s journey and drinking his wines for almost two decades. After Rollin left Argyle in 2013, we followed him to ROCO and enjoyed his wines under the new label since the first release.
Santa Margherita
If the name Santa Margherita rings a bell, you’re right. Think of Pinot Grigio. That’s right. That Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio that’s omnipresent in the stores and on restaurant lists.
Started by Count Gaetano Marzotto in 1935 with vineyards in Eastern Veneto, Alto Adige, and Valdobiadenne, Santa Margherita became one of the major players among Italian producers.
Over almost a century-long history, they expanded their portfolio greatly. Today Santa Margherita produces wines from various Italian regions under ten different labels, including Masi Amarone, Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico, Feudo Zirtari from Sicily, Sassoregale from the Maremma region of Tuscany, and more.
While their wines are extensively represented on the American market, acquiring the majority stake at the ROCO winery is a new milestone for Santa Margherita.
Journey Continues
Santa Margherita USA, the subsidiary of Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo, acquisition of the majority stake at the ROCO winery is a part of the trend that we’ve seen in the Willamette Valley accelerated in the past two years. There is a couple of reason for the surge.
The pandemic seriously stressed, if not crushed, family-owned boutique wineries relying on in-person visitors as their business model. Additionally, the 2020 September wildfires tainted with smoke almost the entire harvest in Willamette Valley, and many producers had no choice but to forgo the wine production.
Both force majeure stressed all wineries, but independent boutique wineries have little leverage to withstand unprecedented events such as these. So partnering up with prominent players such as Santa Margherita can offer a safety net for boutique wineries.
In a new partnership, Rollin will remain the winemaker but have the financial leverage of a large company that can help him focus on the part he loves most – making delicious wine.
We look forward to our next tasting at ROCO and hope to feel the same unique boutique winery spirit we love so much.
