Emma Kudritzki Hall
2019 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile 1x75cl
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Vintage production: 740
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest... appellations in California, Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "Great Cabernet expression, yet quite unlike anything we've tried before. The nose has a great profile of bramble fruit with a really pure streak of cassis, underscored by a nice mellow minerality and the faintest of floral notes. It's all framed by layers of fresh tobacco and cedar. The palate is fascinating, with the most incredible tannins, great energy, a rich and velvety structure with bags of super intense blackcurrant and blackberry. The finish has great length, completing an utterly refined Cabernet bursting with personality. Fantastic now, with a good 15 years ageing potential." (Dec. 2022)
£63 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £79.34 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 12x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£530 / Case£44.17 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £680.93 / Case, £56.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2021 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Zinfandel, Rockpile 1x75cl
Blend: 95% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah
Vintage production: 1,057 cases
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest appellations in California,... Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "This is a seriously impressive Zinfandel from the outset. There's huge depth to this highly layered nose. A core of almost salted/cured charcuterie and dried fennel seed is wrapped in aromas of crushed black rock with a lift of fresh, energetic fruit. The palate has fantastic texture and is really well structured. it's a measured style with a great fruit profile and long finish. this a a very good, serious style of Zinfandel, refined and complex throughout." (Dec. 2022)
£45 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £57.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Mauritson Wines, Loam Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 1x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 170 cases
Mauritson's vision for LOAM is simple: to produce exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons in Sonoma County by cultivating exemplary vineyards defined by... their soil. All wines in the LOAM series are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% identical clone and rootstock - but embody the single variable of the soil in which they were grown.
LOAM Cabernet Sauvignon is Mauritson's proprietary blend of grapes sourced from vineyards planted in Positas, Suther, and Clough soils. It is composed of the best vineyards, grown in the best soil, from the best appellations. Perfectly structured, LOAM balances the brightness and focused tannins of hillside fruit with the dense, rich characteristics of fruit grown in the ancient riverbed and valley floor soils.
Four Corners Wine: "A real 'WOW' Cabernet! Rich and intense on the nose with bags of grilled herbs meat juices, an almost compote/red wine jus note, a touch of caramelised mushroom, and a core of pure blackcurrant. On the palate it's extremely refined, youthful, and pure, with a juicy core boasting great depth and texture. It's an intense Cabernet, hugely appealing and distinct in its character. Stunning now, easier 15+ years of cellaring potential too." (Dec. 2022)
£84 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £104.54 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2018 Mauritson Wines, Loam Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 12x75cl
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Production: 170 cases
Mauritson's vision for LOAM is simple: to produce exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons in Sonoma County by cultivating exemplary vineyards defined by... their soil. All wines in the LOAM series are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% identical clone and rootstock - but embody the single variable of the soil in which they were grown.
LOAM Cabernet Sauvignon is Mauritson's proprietary blend of grapes sourced from vineyards planted in Positas, Suther, and Clough soils. It is composed of the best vineyards, grown in the best soil, from the best appellations. Perfectly structured, LOAM balances the brightness and focused tannins of hillside fruit with the dense, rich characteristics of fruit grown in the ancient riverbed and valley floor soils.
Four Corners Wine: "A real 'WOW' Cabernet! Rich and intense on the nose with bags of grilled herbs meat juices, an almost compote/red wine jus note, a touch of caramelised mushroom, and a core of pure blackcurrant. On the palate it's extremely refined, youthful, and pure, with a juicy core boasting great depth and texture. It's an intense Cabernet, hugely appealing and distinct in its character. Stunning now, easier 15+ years of cellaring potential too." (Dec. 2022)
£995 / Case£82.92 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £1,238.93 / Case, £103.24 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days
2019 Mauritson Wines, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile 12x75cl
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Vintage production: 740
Straddling the ridge between the two arms of Lake Sonoma is the Rockpile AVA. One of the newest... appellations in California, Rockpile's location and history can be described in one word: dramatic!
S.P. Hallengren, great-great-great grandfather of Founder & Owner Clay Mauritson, first planted vines on the Rockpile valley floor in 1884, shipping every ounce of his wine back to Sweden. The Family's Rockpile homestead and ranch grew to 1,600 hectares by the early 1960s, when all but 280 ridgetop hectares were taken by the Army Corps of Engineers in order to develop Lake Sonoma. The vineyards shown in many of the historic family photos are now under water.
It was not until the early 1990s that the first acres of modern-era vines were planted and thrived, once it was discovered that Rockpile held great potential for ultra-premium mountain fruit.
What makes Rockpile so unique? The AVA is located at the Northwest edge of Dry Creek Valley where the two regions actually overlap. All the vineyards within the Rockpile AVA range from between 240-600m in elevation. Although Rockpile is located just 13 miles from the coast, Lake Sonoma provides an inversion layer that prevents the heavier fog that typically blankets other Northern California appellations, allowing for longer, more consistent sun exposure.
Moisture and daytime temperatures are regulated by howling coastal breezes and, in many cases, the steep slopes and rocky terrain require non-motorised vine management. Running through Mauritson's Rockpile Ridge Vineyards is the Healdsburg–Rogers Creek Fault, a dominant earthquake fault in Northern California, and you can see why the story of Rockpile is pure geo-political drama.
Four Corners Wine: "Great Cabernet expression, yet quite unlike anything we've tried before. The nose has a great profile of bramble fruit with a really pure streak of cassis, underscored by a nice mellow minerality and the faintest of floral notes. It's all framed by layers of fresh tobacco and cedar. The palate is fascinating, with the most incredible tannins, great energy, a rich and velvety structure with bags of super intense blackcurrant and blackberry. The finish has great length, completing an utterly refined Cabernet bursting with personality. Fantastic now, with a good 15 years ageing potential." (Dec. 2022)
£750 / Case£62.50 / BottleDuty Status: In Bond ⋅ Price incl. of Duty & VAT: £944.93 / Case, £78.74 / BottleAvailability: Immediate ⋅ ETA to UK address: 2-4 days