Rococo 'Own Rooted' Chenin Blanc, Central Coast, California 2025
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Rococo began in 2016 when Natalie Brown visited the Los Alamos Vineyard and by chance walked into four rows of old vine Chenin Blanc she hadn't known were there — the last three remaining acres of an original fifty-acre planting from 1974. By the time she made her first vintage, she had become convinced that Chenin Blanc was California's most undervalued white grape and that the Central Coast's old, own-rooted vineyards were the key to unlocking its finest expressions. Rococo is Natalie's label within the Willow Creek Wine Co. family she operates with her husband Brian Brown in Paso Robles' Willow Creek District. The project has expanded to include multiple single-vineyard bottlings and this multi-vineyard blend, the Own Rooted — named for the defining characteristic of every site in the Rococo portfolio. After traveling to South Africa to deepen her understanding of Chenin Blanc in warm climates, Natalie returned more committed than ever to the grape's potential in California's Central Coast.
- WINEMAKER: Natalie Brown
- FARMING: Multi-vineyard blend of own-rooted, dry-farmed old vines across the Central Coast. Source vineyards include Los Alamos (Santa Barbara County, planted 1974), Shell Creek (Paso Robles Highlands, planted 1972), and additional sites. All own-rooted vines; several farmed by multi-generational families.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: The Own Rooted draws on multiple Central Coast appellations — Los Alamos in Santa Barbara County, Shell Creek in the Paso Robles Highlands, and additional sites — each contributing a distinct dimension. Los Alamos brings weight and body; Shell Creek contributes mineral drive and aromatics; cooler sites like Vista Verde add tension and precision. Own-rooted vines across all sites dig deep for water and nutrients, producing naturally concentrated, low-yield fruit with high natural acidity.
- VINIFICATION: Basket pressed. Native yeast fermentation. Malolactic fermentation blocked.
- AGING: Brief aging in stainless steel to preserve freshness and purity.
- TASTING NOTES: A bird's-eye view of Central Coast Chenin Blanc — weight from Los Alamos, bright aromatics from Shell Creek, and tension from the cooler inland sites. Melon, stone fruit, wet stone, and orchard blossom with crisp natural acidity and a refreshing, mineral finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, grilled fish, soft-ripened cheese, herb-roasted chicken, Thai cuisine.
Rococo 'Own Rooted' Chenin Blanc, Central Coast, California 2025
Rococo began in 2016 when Natalie Brown visited the Los Alamos Vineyard and by chance walked into four rows of old vine Chenin Blanc she hadn't known were there — the last three remaining acres of an original fifty-acre planting from 1974. By the time she made her first vintage, she had become convinced that Chenin Blanc was California's most undervalued white grape and that the Central Coast's old, own-rooted vineyards were the key to unlocking its finest expressions. Rococo is Natalie's label within the Willow Creek Wine Co. family she operates with her husband Brian Brown in Paso Robles' Willow Creek District. The project has expanded to include multiple single-vineyard bottlings and this multi-vineyard blend, the Own Rooted — named for the defining characteristic of every site in the Rococo portfolio. After traveling to South Africa to deepen her understanding of Chenin Blanc in warm climates, Natalie returned more committed than ever to the grape's potential in California's Central Coast.
- WINEMAKER: Natalie Brown
- FARMING: Multi-vineyard blend of own-rooted, dry-farmed old vines across the Central Coast. Source vineyards include Los Alamos (Santa Barbara County, planted 1974), Shell Creek (Paso Robles Highlands, planted 1972), and additional sites. All own-rooted vines; several farmed by multi-generational families.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: The Own Rooted draws on multiple Central Coast appellations — Los Alamos in Santa Barbara County, Shell Creek in the Paso Robles Highlands, and additional sites — each contributing a distinct dimension. Los Alamos brings weight and body; Shell Creek contributes mineral drive and aromatics; cooler sites like Vista Verde add tension and precision. Own-rooted vines across all sites dig deep for water and nutrients, producing naturally concentrated, low-yield fruit with high natural acidity.
- VINIFICATION: Basket pressed. Native yeast fermentation. Malolactic fermentation blocked.
- AGING: Brief aging in stainless steel to preserve freshness and purity.
- TASTING NOTES: A bird's-eye view of Central Coast Chenin Blanc — weight from Los Alamos, bright aromatics from Shell Creek, and tension from the cooler inland sites. Melon, stone fruit, wet stone, and orchard blossom with crisp natural acidity and a refreshing, mineral finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, grilled fish, soft-ripened cheese, herb-roasted chicken, Thai cuisine.