About Gustafson Family Vineyards
Gustafson Family Vineyards is one of the defining producers of the Rockpile AVA, a dramatically remote and underappreciated appellation above Lake Sonoma that produces wines of extraordinary power and concentration from volcanic soils at 1,200 to 2,600 feet elevation.
The Rockpile appellation sits above the fog line and experiences extreme diurnal temperature swings, blazing hot days followed by cold nights that create a growing season unlike anywhere else in Sonoma County. The volcanic basalt and rhyolite soils are among the most distinctive in California, giving the wines a mineral intensity and structural complexity that sets Rockpile wines apart from the warmer valley floor expressions of the same varieties.
Gustafson has been farming this remote appellation since 1997, producing Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel that the Family Wineries Dry Creek Valley collective includes as one of its featured producers. The extraordinary views from the Rockpile estate over Lake Sonoma and the surrounding mountains make the appointment-only visit a genuinely scenic and memorable experience.
Gustafson Family Vineyards presents a featured lineup that includes Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Franc. Together, these bottles provide a focused introduction to the varieties, vineyard sources, and style that define the winery's current portfolio.
"High-elevation Rockpile AVA Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from one of Sonoma County's most dramatic and remote appellations, volcanic soils, 1,500"
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Featured Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon
Rockpile Cabernet Sauvignon
From volcanic soils at 1,500 feet above Lake Sonoma, one of the most powerful and structured Cabernet Sauvignons produced in Sonoma County. Built for decades of aging.
Zinfandel
Rockpile Zinfandel
High-elevation volcanic Zinfandel from the most dramatic Sonoma County appellation, concentrated, dark-fruited, and utterly unlike the valley floor Dry Creek expressions.
Petite Sirah
Petite Sirah
Volcanic-soils Petite Sirah of extraordinary depth and concentration, showing what this variety achieves when grown at elevation with extreme temperature variation.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
High-elevation Cab Franc with herbaceous complexity and dark fruit, a Rockpile expression of the variety that shows genuine Old World resonance.
🥂
Rockpile Volcano Tasting
$30
An appointment-only tasting on the remote volcanic Rockpile estate with panoramic views over Lake Sonoma, the most dramatically sited and geologically distinctive winery experience in Sonoma County.
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