Roar Wines
About
Welcome to ROAR Wines, producers of limited production Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viogner, and Chardonnay from the premiere vineyards of Santa Lucia Highlands. As third generation Santa Lucia Highlands growers, we craft wines that express both the distinct character of the region and signature flavors of our vineyards.
Location Description
Located in the heart of Soledad, California.
Features
- Small portfolio of premium wines.
Additional Information
- Meeting / Conference Facilities:
- Caves:
- Wedding Facilities:
- Picnic Facilities:
- Dog Friendly:
- Winery Tours:
- Wine Tasting:
- Art or Architecture:
- Organic / Biodynamic:
- Awards:
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History
In 2001, after years spent developing the pedigree of our vineyards with top-tier wineries, we launched ROAR Wines to showcase the signature flavors of our vineyards and Santa Lucia Highands in a small portfolio of single vineyard and appellated bottlings. The name ROAR is inspired by our family’s passion for work and play; paying homage to the Monterey Bay winds that roar through our vineyards and the thunderous roar of a stadium full of sports fans.
The Team
Gary Franscioni is a third generation Santa Lucia Highlands farmer. His grandfather, Silvio Franscioni Sr, immigrated to the area from Switzerland in 1886, and started a dairy. Years later, Gary’s father, Joe Franscioni, shifted the farming focus to row crops including beans, potatoes and sugar beets. Gary grew up in the family business, and developed a deep respect for the land and what it could produce when nurtured properly. Upon graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in agri-business, he took over management of the family’s farming business, which owned and managed more than 200 acres of row crops in the Salinas Valley.
Recognizing the region’s potential for premium wine grapes, Gary turned his focus to viticulture. He planted Rosella’s Vineyard in 1996 and partnered with Gary Pisoni in the Garys’ Vineyard a year later. In 2001, after developing his reputation as a grower with Rosella’s and Garys’ Vineyard, Gary and his wife Rosella launched ROAR Wines.
Today Gary is the driving force behind ROAR, overseeing all vineyard and winery operations.
Adam Franscioni:
Adam Franscioni began working in the vineyards along side Gary when he was 10 years old. His first jobs included shooing birds with an air gun, dropping fruit, trimming leaves and his personal favorite, driving the tractor. Always a lover of numbers, when it was time for college, Adam pursued an accounting degree at the University of San Diego. After graduation, Adam worked in accounting for two years at a Southern California biotech firm. During this time, he began to develop his interest in and knowledge of wine, and realized that the family business was calling. He joined the winery in 2011 working his first harvest that fall. Since then, Adam has taken over the day to day running of the winery, working side by side with Gary and winemaker Scott Shapley in the cellar, as well as representing the winery at industry events, tastings and sales meetings.
Scott Shapley:
Scott Shapley and ROAR go way back, to the winery’s first vintage in 2001, which was made at Siduri, where he was assistant winemaker. A Monterey County native and graduate of UC San Diego with a degree in biology, Scott has since built an impressive resume as winemaker for Crushpad, Roessler Cellars, R-Squared Wine Company and Halcon Vineyards. He is an extremely talented winemaker, with a particular expertise in crafting limited production, cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Scott joined ROAR with the 2012 harvest – the vintage that landed us on the Wine Spectator’s list of TOP 100 Wines.
Practices & Techniques
Gary and Adam, together with winemaker Scott Shapley make the ROAR wines at our new San Francisco winery, one of the few “urban wineries” in the city.
Each wine is made barrel by barrel with minimal handling and maximum attention. The winery is completely gravity flow; the wines are not inoculated for malolactic (allowing natural ml to take place) racking is limited to the barest minimum and only at bottling.
Hand-sorting and punch downs are standard. Critical timing of fermentation for maximum extraction and balanced tannins is followed by extended rest – up to 16 months – in the finest French barrels.
Estate Vineyards / AVA
Designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1992, Santa Lucia Highlands is part of the western mountain range shielding the Salinas Valley from the Pacific Ocean. Located 15 miles inland on California’s central coast, between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, the region consists of southeastern-facing benches sitting above the morning fog and cooled by coastal winds that sweep in from Monterey Bay. The cooling fog, afternoon winds and extended sun exposure lengthen the growing season, allowing the grapes to hang on the vines longer, developing complex flavors while keeping their attractive, crisp acidity. This terroir makes the Santa Lucia Highlands perfect for growing premium Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier, and Chardonnay.