MacRostie 2022 Nightwing Vineyard Calera Clone Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap California ($68)

This is a bewitching, nervy wine with tart cherry, pomegranate, blueberry, raspberry, coriander spice and paprika notes that persist through a curiously spicy finish. It's 100% recognizable as California pinot noir, but it is also impeccably elegant and nuanced. The brightness, tension, and freshness of the wine really speaks to the Petaluma Gap origins. The Petaluma Gap refers to a gap in the Coastal Range where the daily influx and outflow from from the Pacific Coast marine layer can be particularly intense, windy, and chilly. And if you want to dig deeper into the Calera clone story, you can follow the link.  (94 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber 

 

MacRostie 2021 The Key Sonoma Coast

 This small production Chardonnay ships mainly to MacRostie wine club members. It zigs and zags between rich vanilla, butter, and toast notes and zesty lemon drop and nectarine flavors. It's a very complex wine blended from some nice vineyard sources, but it does want for a little more acidity. It's plush on the palate, but it doesn't leave your mouth watering. Definitely recommended for fans of rich California Chardonnay. (91 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: MacRostie Sonoma Coast Rose of Pinot Noir ($30)

 Another not-inexpensive, but stunning, rosé landed in my refrigerator this week. There aren't many grapes that make better rosé than Pinot Noir, and there aren't many wineries in Sonoma County that make better Pinot Noir than MacRostie, which in recent years has become one of my very favorite labels. This spring/summer release is keenly focused with expressive, but elegant, strawberry and watermelon fruit flavors and a nice, bright finish. (93 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: MacRostie 2018 Klopp Ranch Pinot Noir Russian River Valley ($58)

 

There were only 16 barrels produced of this single-vineyard offering from the cool Klopp Ranch site planted on Goldridge sandy loam soils. I love the precision of this Russian River bottling. It's very focused with blackberry, blackberry seed, raspberry, and conifer forest notes. Those loamy soils give it a great plushness on the palate and the finish goes on and on. It's just a beautifully made wine, and it's well worth the price. (96 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber