Rodnick Farm

Planted by Dick Graff on a northwest-facing slope on limestone and decomposed granite soils, the vineyard lies within sight of the Pinnacalitos, near the East entrance to Pinnacles National Park. At some 1800' elevation, we often pick this venerable vineyard starting at 2am under the stars of the Milky Way and the Perseid Meteor showers, to a soundtrack of coyotes on the prowl. Farmed for many years by another Chalone legend, Bill Brosseau (and previously known as the Antle Vineyard), the vineyard was purchased a few years ago, and now is farmed by Kurt Gollnick and Janet Rogers.

Nighttime long exposure of Pinot Noir at Rodnick farm at Chalone, with neat rows of grapevines receding into the distance and a silhouette of mountains visible under a very starry night sky.

Nighttime long exposure of Pinot Noir at Rodnick farm at Chalone, with neat rows of grapevines receding into the distance and a silhouette of mountains visible under a very starry night sky.

Nighttime pick of Pinot Noir at Rodnick Farm, with John providing guidance to three of the Birichino crew as they hand-sort fruit being loaded into a half-ton bin by the light of their headlamps and the tractor’s light bar.

Nighttime pick of Pinot Noir at Rodnick Farm, with John providing guidance to three of the Birichino crew as they hand-sort fruit being loaded into a half-ton bin by the light of their headlamps and the tractor’s light bar.

Black and white image of Rodnick Farm with windmill at right, overlooking a curving dirt road and Pinot Noir off to the left, and in the far distance, the fog-shrouded Salinas Valley and in the even-further distance, the Santa Lucia Mountains formin

Black and white image of Rodnick Farm with windmill at right, overlooking a curving dirt road and Pinot Noir off to the left, and in the far distance, the fog-shrouded Salinas Valley and in the even-further distance, the Santa Lucia Mountains forming the Western edge of the Salinas Valley.