Roger Roessler Black Pine Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2018

Having spent over 40 years opening and running dozens of restaurant businesses, mostly in Durango, CO and Santa Fe, NM, Roger Roessler found himself with a natural and growing attraction to wines and winemaking. Over the years, his restaurants went through many changes, including an increased emphasis on fine wines. One of those restaurants was the historic Swiss Hotel, located on the plaza in Sonoma, and while working on that project in the 1990s, he found himself drawn to make a permanent home in the wine country. In the heart of wine country it wasn’t long before his idea of making wine became a reality, and Roessler Wine Cellars was born. During the years from 2000 to 2011, crafting single vineyard and appellation blended Pinot Noir became a new passion. And in this period, Roger began to think of a new vision and direction: create truly great value wines that expressed the characteristics of place as well as their varietal character. Now the Pinot Noir he loves so much has been joined by a handful of other unique wines.

While the wine is great to enjoy on its own or with some warm olives or a little cheese, it pairs perfectly with a wide range of foods. The concentrated fruit and complexity of the wine work well with anything off the grill. It’s particularly wonderful when paired with pan roasted duck or rabbit served simply with a pan sauce and sautéed seasonal greens to accompany it.