As quickly as Spring brings new life to the Sonoma Carneros, early Summer settles in bringing its own identity and natural characteristics to our valley. The hills are turning a golden brown, vineyards are now neatly manicured, with their vines vigorously sending their shoots up into the canopy wires, rows’ soil freshly turned, and flowering having completed thus allowing their grape clusters to begin to take shape. It is the first real glimpse we have as what to expect for this year’s harvest, and with how busy summer is here for all of us, harvest will be here in just the blink of an eye.

Summer doesn’t just bring rapid change to our vineyards; our cellar also wakes up with the scheduled bottlings of our 2024 Chardonnays and 2023 Cuvee Genevieve. No sooner is bottling completed all eyes turn towards harvest planning and our cellar, equipment, crush pad and buildings are all prepped to welcome our 2025 grape crop. Outside of the cellar, our tasting rooms are beginning to bustle with visitors as the high season is now upon us. For those Roche staff not attending to harvest prep and our tasting room visitors, they are all busy making sure we ship out some superb wine club wines for all of you to enjoy this summer….and again this year, they picked a great Summer showcase!

A wine I like to call “dangerously drinkable,” our 2024 Unoaked Chardonnay is the perfect afternoon or early evening pre-barbeque wine. When chilled, It is packed with tropical fruit and so drinkable, that you will be left wondering how did that bottle disappear so fast?

Big, Burgundian flavors are abound in our 2021 Longford Reserve Pinot Noir, yet it’s versatile enough to allow you to pair with grilled vegetables. However, you needn’t be shy from pairing this wine with that steak you’ve been eyeing at the local butcher.

When you are looking for something to go with that slab of meat you just threw on the smoker, you must look no further than the 2021 Merlot Reserve also included in this package. One of our biggest reds, this can also pair wonderfully with that rich chocolate dessert served with some cold vanilla ice-cream…it is summer after all!

I hope you enjoy all the wines in this summer’s shipment, and that many if not all find themselves in a summer picnic basket or served at one of your summer celebrations. Whether it’s a chilled Roche chardonnay or versatile red, all will be perfect for any of these occasions. We look forward to hosting you soon at the winery and until then Happy Summer!