Found at elevations between 800 and 2,000 feet, Rockpile earns its name honestly from its relatively uninhabitable environment. Not one single winery can be found within the AVA boundaries and only 150 acres of vines are currently grown there. The hillsides are steep and jagged with a rocky topsoil known to stress the vines, a fact to which the Rockpile vignerons attest the success of their Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fog has no chance of reaching the vines at such a high elevation, which means the vines see extensive sunlight through the day. The area is actually 5°F to 10°F cooler in the daytime than in the night, with constant breezes brushing against the hillside that creates a long, moderate growing season.
United States → California → Sonoma County
American AVA