Rococo 'Shell Creek' Chenin Blanc, Paso Robles Highlands District, San Luis Obispo County, 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 Shell Creek bottling is one of Rococo's most sought-after single-vineyard expressions, sourced from the sixth-generation Sinton family's ranch in the Paso Robles Highlands — one of the largest remaining Chenin Blanc holdings in California.
- WINEMAKER: Natalie Brown
- FARMING: Own-rooted vines, planted 1972. Farmed by the sixth-generation Sinton family, who have been on the land since the late 1800s. Approximately 25 acres of Chenin Blanc.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: Shell Creek Vineyard sits in the Paso Robles Highlands District at approximately 400 meters elevation, where the Sinton family has raised cattle and tended vines since the late 19th century. The vineyard's soils vary dramatically within individual rows — shifting from heavy clay to sand — with limestone scattered throughout, contributing the wine's characteristic mineral precision. The Highland District's elevation produces significant diurnal temperature swings that preserve natural acidity despite warm daytime temperatures. The Sinton family planted their first Chenin Blanc vines in 1972 on own roots; at over 50 years of age, these vines produce small, intensely flavored clusters.
- VINIFICATION: Basket pressed. Native yeast fermentation. Malolactic fermentation blocked.
- AGING: Brief aging in stainless steel to preserve freshness and minerality.
- TASTING NOTES: Mineral-driven and precise, with aromas of wet stone, yellow peach, and white flowers. The palate is focused and racy with crisp natural acidity, saline minerality, and a long, clean finish. Among the more structured and age-worthy expressions in the Rococo lineup.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, grilled fish, fresh chèvre, white-sauced fish dishes, lighter poultry.
Rococo 'Shell Creek' Chenin Blanc, Paso Robles Highlands District, San Luis Obispo County, 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 Shell Creek bottling is one of Rococo's most sought-after single-vineyard expressions, sourced from the sixth-generation Sinton family's ranch in the Paso Robles Highlands — one of the largest remaining Chenin Blanc holdings in California.
- WINEMAKER: Natalie Brown
- FARMING: Own-rooted vines, planted 1972. Farmed by the sixth-generation Sinton family, who have been on the land since the late 1800s. Approximately 25 acres of Chenin Blanc.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: Shell Creek Vineyard sits in the Paso Robles Highlands District at approximately 400 meters elevation, where the Sinton family has raised cattle and tended vines since the late 19th century. The vineyard's soils vary dramatically within individual rows — shifting from heavy clay to sand — with limestone scattered throughout, contributing the wine's characteristic mineral precision. The Highland District's elevation produces significant diurnal temperature swings that preserve natural acidity despite warm daytime temperatures. The Sinton family planted their first Chenin Blanc vines in 1972 on own roots; at over 50 years of age, these vines produce small, intensely flavored clusters.
- VINIFICATION: Basket pressed. Native yeast fermentation. Malolactic fermentation blocked.
- AGING: Brief aging in stainless steel to preserve freshness and minerality.
- TASTING NOTES: Mineral-driven and precise, with aromas of wet stone, yellow peach, and white flowers. The palate is focused and racy with crisp natural acidity, saline minerality, and a long, clean finish. Among the more structured and age-worthy expressions in the Rococo lineup.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, grilled fish, fresh chèvre, white-sauced fish dishes, lighter poultry.