Our Vineyards

  • Planted: 1996 (oldest and original Rockpile Zinfandel vineyard)
  • Elevation: 1000 fsl (feet above sea level)
  • Varieties: Zinfandel (St. Peters’ Church clone)
  • Acres: 14
  • Spacing: 7×10
  • Rootstock: 110R
  • Trellis: VSP (vertical)
  • First Harvest: 1998 

Arthur & Susan Biedermann purchased the vineyard in 2006 and enlisted the legendary vineyard manager Ulises Valdez to manage the 10 acres of existing Zinfandel and plant whole new blocks of vineyard.  In 2011, a new 1000 vine block of Petite Sirah (Clone 3 on St. George rootstock) was planted and 3 acres of St. Peter’s clone on St. George rootstock was planted in 2013.   Ulises also refurbished the struggling vines of the existing vineyard.  The majority of the existing vineyard is on 1103P (Paulsen) rootstock which is very well adapted to the dry hillside of Rockpile.  Our neighboring vineyards here at Rockpile have been planted on 110R (Richter) rootstock.  The clone name has gradually changed from “St.Peter’s Church” in Cloverdale to the more up to date “Rockpile Clone” to avoid confusion. 

All of the Rockpile vines must be >800 feet elevation and our hillside vineyard ranges from 1000′-1240′ elevation.  The soil is rocky and the vines must struggle, but give an intense flavor to a small crop that averages 2-3 tons per acre. Warm days and cool nights add to the intensity of the grape flavor.  Over the years, grapes from Botticelli Vineyard have produced award winning (92-93 Wine Spectator) wines from Seghesio,Valdez, JC Cellars, and Rosenblum Wineries and now Ridge and Wilson Wineries. Total acreage is now 14 acres of mature vineyards overlooking Lake Sonoma and in high demand. 

  • Planted: 1994 (oldest and original Rockpile Zinfandel vineyard) 
  • Elevation: 900 to 1400 fsl (feet above sea level) 
  • Varieties: Zinfandel (St. Peters’ Church clone), Petite Sirah (Seghesio clone) 
  • Acres: 16 (12 acres Zinfandel, 4 acres Petite Sirah) 
  • Spacing: 7×10 
  • Rootstock: 110R 
  • Trellis: VSP (vertical) 
  • First Harvest: 1996 
  • Average Yield: 2.75 tons/ac

Soils: The soils are mostly clay loam, with some areas of reddish soil, and some areas of rocky soil. The top soil is about 12-18”. Due to the hillside aspect, the soils are well drained. The vines are only minimally irrigated, with drip irrigation. 

Climate: Due to the elevation, high temperatures are about 4-5 degrees F cooler than the Dry Creek Valley, year round. Although the vineyard is often above the fog layer, there remains a definite marine influence, with strong onshore breezes in spring and early summer. Winter rainfall is up to 20% higher than Dry Creek Valley. This climate is similar to the Yorkville Highlands of southern Mendocino County. 

  • Planted: 1992 (oldest and original Rockpile Zinfandel vineyard) 
  • Elevation: 2000 fsl (feet above sea level) 
  • Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Petite Sirah, Primitivo, Zinfandel,  
  • Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir 
  • Total Acres: 800 
  • Producing Acres: 25.52 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petite Verdot, Petite Sirah,  
  • Primitivo, Zinfandel) 
  • Newly Planted 2018: 34.72 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir) 
  • Planted acres: 60.24 
  • Spacing: 4×8, 4×7, 6×9 
  • Rootstock: 110R, St George, 1103P, SO4, 3309C, SC 
  • Trellis: VSP (vertical)

Soils: The soils are mostly clay loam, with some areas of reddish soil, and some areas of rocky soil. The top soil is about 12-18”. Due to the hillside aspect, the soils are well drained. The vines are only minimally irrigated, with drip irrigation. 

Climate: Due to the elevation, high temperatures are about 4-5 degrees F cooler than the Dry Creek Valley, year-round. Although the vineyard is often above the fog layer, there remains a definite marine influence, with strong onshore breezes in spring and early summer. Winter rainfall is up to 20% higher than Dry Creek Valley. This climate is similar to the Yorkville Highlands of southern Mendocino County. 

  • Planted: 1996 (oldest and original Rockpile Zinfandel vineyard) 
  • Elevation: 1300 fsl (feet above sea level) 
  • Varieties: Zinfandel (St. Peters’ Church clone) 
  • Acres: 9 
  • Spacing: 7×10 
  • Rootstock: 110R 
  • Trellis: VSP (vertical) 
  • First Harvest: 1998 

Soils: The soils are mostly clay loam. A terraced block on the west end has a soil of almost pure rock, sandstone in several inch pieces, which the vines are able to penetrate and do quite well in. The vines here had to be planted using a digging bar, as the rock is impenetrable by shovel.  Due to the hillside aspect, the soils are well drained. The vines are only minimally irrigated, with drip irrigation. 

Climate: Due to the elevation, high temperatures are about 4-5 degrees F cooler than the Dry Creek Valley, year round. Although the vineyard is often above the fog layer, there remains a definite marine influence, with strong onshore breezes in spring and early summer. Winter rainfall is up to 20% higher than Dry Creek Valley. This climate is similar to the Yorkville Highlands of southern Mendocino County. This vineyard has a south-western exposure, which makes it one of the first vineyards usually harvested on Rockpile.