Rockpile Wine Country
As its name might suggest, remote Rockpile near the Mendocino County border has the type of gravelly, well draining soil that grape vines love. Like its neighbor to the southeast, Dry Creek Valley, Rockpile is known for its excellent Zinfandel grapes. The Rockpile appellation sits on dry, rugged ridgelines above the Lake Sonoma Recreational area.

The Rockpile appellation was a part of Sonoma county largely overlooked and undeveloped prior to the Warm Springs damn project completed in 1983. Italian immigrants have been growing grapes in this area of the California wine country since 1872. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petite Syrah also thrive at Rockpile where they are kept above the fog line and given extra sun exposure during hang time than many other areas in the Sonoma wine country.

San Francisco Tours to the Wine Country

Legend has it that the appellation's unusual name comes from the Rockpile Ranch, where Sheriff Tennessee Bishop would put prisoners to work building roads to his mountain home. It was the men on the chain gang who allegedly dubbed the place "rockpile."

Rockpile Wineries: 0
Rockpile Wine Grape Growers: 11
Rockpile Vineyard acreage: 200