MacRostie
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Very pale straw in color, with bright, creamy, lemon custard aromas, and a bit of floral vanilla to boot. In the mouth it is rich and round, with tropical pineapple and hints of key lime pie. Like said pie, the finish is both crisp and creamy.
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Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Very dark garnet in color, this Pinot is juicy and ripe, lush and full. The nose is café mocha and purple plums, and it’s very plush and rich in the mouth, with black cherry and chocolate flavors. Finishes clean and refreshing, with a hint of allspice.
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Carneros Pinot Noir
An explosion of big ripe black cherry fruit enhanced by hints of cinnamon and clove. The wine is full and luscious, soft and round, but with lots of impact. The balance is perfect. Delicious to drink now, but will age quite nicely.
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Wildcat Mountain Chardonnay
Classic pale straw in color, with profound aromas of honey, lime oil, and custard, with hints of whole-wheat toast and wet stone. In the mouth it is lush with ripe tropical fruit and manages to be very rich yet light at the same time, almost like drinking a Meyer lemon soufflé.
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Wildcat Mountain Pinot Noir
Very dark garnet color, with a big, bright cherry nose, sporting hints of cola, spice, cocoa, and toast. The palate is rich, juicy, and round, with more chocolate and rich, ripe raspberry flavors. The structure is positively liquid velvet, and the finish lingers on and on.
Learn more & find pairings »MacRostie Winery and Vineyards was founded by winemaker Steve MacRostie in 1987. As a believer in the unique character of Sonoma Coast fruit, and an innovative winemaker pioneering a more fresh and sophisticated style of Chardonnay, Steve dedicated himself to crafting wines embodying an authentic sense of place. To do so, he began working closely with several small, independent vineyards to ensure continuous access to the finest grapes. At the same time, Steve worked to champion quality in the region, both in the vineyards and the winery.
During the early 90s, Steve discovered an amazing mountainside ranch possessing spartan volcanic soils over fractured andesite, located in the western borderlands of Carneros. Situated partly in the Sonoma Coast appellation, this ranch enjoyed a unique microclimate that Steve believed would be ideally suited to producing profound Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. In 1997, inspired by a desire to cultivate his own great piece of land, Steve's adventurous spirit led him to enter into a partnership with Nancy and Tony Lilly to develop Wildcat Mountain Vineyard from this unplanted pastureland. That same year, MacRostie also moved its winery to a facility south of Sonoma.
Since founding Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, Steve has worked to meticulously develop this world-class site in two careful rounds of planting that have culminated in 58 total acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. These vines are cultivated using the same earth-friendly, sustainable farming practices that Steve requests from his partner vineyards. Fruit from Wildcat has continued to develop its beautiful signature flavors, adding layers of depth and nuance.
Wildcat Mountain Vineyard
Sonoma Coast, California
In 1997, Steve MacRostie discovered an amazing property situated in the remote western borderlands between Carneros and the Sonoma Coast - the Wildcat Mountain Vineyard. This pioneering mountain location offers a unique composition of well-draining shallow, volcanic soils over fractured andesite, with elevations ranging from 500 to 700 feet. Adding to its appeal for producing exceptional cool-climate varietals, the vineyard enjoys clockwork morning fog, followed by afternoon sun, with moderating cooling breezes. As a result, Wildcat Mountain Vineyard has a very long growing season that allows the fruit to achieve optimal ripeness, with good acidity and excellent structure.
After meticulously examining the property and selecting the ideal early ripening rootstocks, and a diversity of clones, Steve began the careful planting of 58 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah vines in 1998. These plantings are broken up into 18 different vineyard blocks spread across five fields, with a variety of elevations, exposures and soil types. Each block is pruned separately and at different times, using strategies specifically designed to meet the needs of the vineyard section. In addition, irrigation methods are tailored to each block by monitoring leaf water potential. Measurements are made with a pressure bomb, and the vines are allowed to maintain a moderate amount of stress.
The vineyard is cultivated using sustainable farming practices. In practice, this means utilizing more earth-friendly methods to naturally replenish elements in the vineyard that are taken out for winemaking. This includes the use of seeds, stems and skins left over from the winemaking process, which are composted and returned to the soil. In addition, cover crops are grown to build soil health. Few synthetic fertilizers are applied, and organic sulfur normally serves as Wildcat's only protection from the damp fog. All of this helps to maintain the integrity of this rustic site, while supporting its native population of eagles, barn owls, hawks and bobcats.
As Steve and the MacRostie team gain more intimate knowledge of this beautifully evolving vineyard, and as the vines gain more maturity and depth with each passing vintage, Wildcat is consistently producing grapes with profound flavors. A true reflection of terroir, the accompanying wines from Wildcat Mountain Vineyard are earning a much deserved reputation for their broad, rich character, and intensity of flavor.
MacRostie Cellar Door
MacRostie Winery & Vineyards
21481 8th Street East #25
P.O. Box 340
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 996-4480 - Phone
(707) 996-3726 - Fax
macrostiewinery.com
Kevin Holt, Winemaker, MacRostie
As only the second winemaker in MacRostie's 20-year history, and the handpicked successor to founding winemaker Steve MacRostie, Kevin Holt continues the winery's tradition of crafting exceptional wines from Carneros and Sonoma Coast fruit. A gifted, instinctive winemaker, Kevin approaches his craft as an artisan, working with the natural shape and character of the grapes to create wines that authentically reflect a rich and compelling sense of place.
A native of California, Kevin studied law in Austin, Texas. During law school, a job in a local wine shop changed his life, inspiring a love of wine and a new professional direction. Kevin embarked on a 10-year career in fine wine sales and marketing that carried him around the country, while exposing him to the great diversity of world-class wines. During this same period, Kevin first met Steve MacRostie, and the two struck up a professional friendship. A student of wine, Kevin next went on to study viticulture and enology as a graduate student at University of California, Davis.
In 1998, Kevin joined Testarossa Vineyards in Los Gatos as assistant winemaker, where he gained invaluable experience working with the winery's portfolio of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay."Pinot and Chardonnay are my first loves as a winemaker," says Kevin. "When you are working with great vineyards, both varieties possess this amazing potential to be exceptional and distinctive; they literally speak of the earth." Following his time at Testarossa, Kevin spent four years at Quivira Vineyards in Healdsburg, where he was promoted from assistant to associate winemaker. During this period Kevin honed his skills, developing a natural ability (based in part on years of wine tasting) for envisioning the final product during the blending process. In keeping with his desire to work with Carneros fruit, Kevin next joined the winemaking team at Artesa.
In June of 2004, after an extensive search, founding winemaker Steve MacRostie personally selected Kevin to take on the winemaking responsibilities at MacRostie Winery and Vineyards."As winemakers, there's a connection between us. We both have an obsession for making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and we both love Carneros and Sonoma Coast fruit. Just as important, we have a shared vision about winemaking, and a shared philosophy about quality. As a result, there's a level of trust between us that has made for a seamless transition."
Building on the traditions established by Steve, Kevin is thrilled to be working with MacRostie's family of growers, and with fruit from the winery's beautifully maturing Wildcat Mountain Vineyard. "As a winemaker, I enjoy the best of both worlds. Having this array of outstanding fruit gives me a wonderful range of flavors to work with. At the same time, it helps us ensure consistency and quality from vintage to vintage."