Month: December 2022

Happy holidays from the Russian River Valley! As our milestone 35th anniversary draws to a close and the holidays approach, it is a wonderful time to reflect on the year that was, and the promising one ahead. In the world of wine, every vintage brings new experiences and new opportunities, and that was certainly the case in 2022. Here at MacRostie, the big news was the unveiling of our new Nightwing Estate Vineyard in the acclaimed Petaluma Gap AVA.

Located near the famed Gap’s Crown Vineyard, Nightwing reaches heights of 1,400 feet and was planted as a mosaic of 35 blocks, with 44 acres of Pinot Noir and 30 acres of Chardonnay. While designing Nightwing, which features a wonderful diversity of elevations, exposures, and soils, Steve MacRostie and I were able to select all of our favorite clones and rootstocks. I am a huge fan of the Petaluma Gap AVA, and being able to design and plant an estate vineyard from the ground up in the region was one of the highlights of my career.

Many of you were able to join me at our party at the Nightwing Vineyard, where we had a live band, delicious food, and large-format wines. It was a wonderful way to christen the vineyard, and I can still remember standing with guests as we watched the fog roll in through the Petaluma Gap. During the party, we shared our debut 2020 Nightwing Vineyard Chardonnay, which was a big hit! For those who haven’t already added this inaugural wine to your collection, I’m excited to share the news that it just received 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, which hailed it as “a great achievement.”

As we look to 2023, we have several exciting new releases planned, including our debut Nightwing Vineyard Pinot Noir, our first-ever Blanc de Blancs, and Blanc de Noirs sparkling wines, and a new vineyard-designate Pinot Noir from the famed Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. I am also really excited about our new Clockwise Zinfandel from the legendary Monte Rosso Vineyard. If Zinfandel vineyards were classified as Grand Cru sites, the historic Monte Rosso Vineyard in the Moon Mountain AVA would be one of them. First planted in the 1880s, it is without question one of the world’s great Zin vineyards.

In closing, I want to thank our wonderful club members and customers for another fantastic year. Your patronage and support is a constant source of inspiration as we strive to craft wines that stir the senses and satisfy the soul.

May your holidays be filled with joyful gatherings and delightful wines!

Warmest wishes,

Heidi Bridenhagen
MacRostie Winemaker

Heidi Bridenhagen, Winemaker

In 2011, when I joined MacRostie, we had less than 10 employees and no Estate House. Back then, Steve and Thale MacRostie would host our team at their home for an annual pre-harvest celebration, where meals always started with a glass of sparkling wine on their patio followed by an intimate seated tasting, and you definitely couldn’t leave without a tour of Thale’s beautiful garden! When we visited, Steve and Thale made us feel like members of their family or dear friends visiting from far away.

A few years later, with renowned wine country architect Douglas Thornley set to design our MacRostie Estate House near the charming town of Healdsburg in the Russian River Valley, we wanted to emulate what Steve and Thale did so flawlessly. This included greeting guests with a glass of wine and providing beautiful spaces for people to relax and enjoy each others company.

This month marks ten years since we unveiled our stunning Estate House. I remember the excitement when we broke ground, the pride that we all felt when we welcomed our first guests, and countless wonderful memories from events over the years. The response to our Estate House has been amazing, both from customers who have made it their wine country home away from home, and from the press, with the Estate House being hailed as one of “The Ten Most Beautiful Wineries in California” by Condé Nast Traveler, the “Best Tasting Room in Napa and Sonoma” by San Francisco Magazine, one of the “Best Winery Patios in Sonoma & Napa” by Sonoma Magazine, and one of The Press Democrat’s “Go-To Sonoma County Spots to Take Out-of-Town Guests.”

The Estate House changed everything for MacRostie. It gave us our Thale’s Estate Vineyard and a new small-lot winery exclusively for Pinot Noir. Most importantly, it gave us a home that we could share with our growing community of customers, club members and other friends. Guided by the gracious approach to hospitality we learned from Steve and Thale, and by the vision of architect Douglas Thornley, the Estate House made MacRostie more than a name on a label; it made us a place where wine lovers can explore our wines and share their passion with like-minded wine enthusiasts.

Douglas Thornley, Estate House Architect and Wine Club Member

When we set out to build the MacRostie Estate House over a decade ago, we sought out the talents of award-winning architect Douglas Thornley. Not only is Douglas one of wine country’s most sought-after architects and the creative force behind such spectacular wineries as Cuvaison, Hamel, Baldacci, and Paraduxx, he is a longtime MacRostie club member, so we knew we were in great hands!

When Douglas, who is currently a principal at Goring & Straja Architects, was designing the Estate House, one of his goals was to give Steve MacRostie the winery home he’d always wanted. “I took the idea of creating a ‘home’ for Steve and MacRostie literally and found inspiration in the region’s agrarian residences with gable forms and wood finishes. I also worked to create a destination with multiple indoor and outdoor spaces for visitors to enjoy.”

For the interior, this includes exposed Douglas fir rafters and a beautifully rendered wall of cathedral-like cabinetry, 10-foot-high glass windows overlooking the arrival plaza, and collapsing Schweiss doors that fold up and in, providing a canopy framing the Estate House’s showplace Barrel Hall. Outside, the Estate House offers three patios: a covered terrace overlooking the Russian River with sweeping views of Mount St. Helena, a balcony terrace looking towards Thale’s Vineyard, and a private terrace off the sophisticated VIP room. The property also includes custom water features, a paved terrace with curved seating walls, and a hidden gravel terrace with custom multi-sided wood-bench seating under a beautiful old oak within the vineyard.

For Douglas, three factors make a successful winery. “A successful winery is a three-legged stool. It offers great wines, great staff, and a memorable space that people want to return to again and again. MacRostie does all three.” Looking back on his design a decade later, Douglas is particularly happy with the way the Estate House blurs the lines between the indoors and outdoors, especially the courtyard with its view into the barrel room. “The goal was to create a fluid relationship between the inside and outside. In places, this includes using tumbled American stone flooring materials both indoors and out, and interior walls clad with exterior materials to blur the lines between the two, with the goal of creating a bright and modern sense of space.”

Douglas fondly remembers the opening of the Estate House. “It takes a team to create something special like the Estate House, and I will always remember the big unveiling party they had for the staff and design team. It was a magical moment.” As a club member for over a decade, Douglas loves to come to the Estate House to watch guests interact with the space. He also has his own favorite spots. “When I visit, I particularly love the north porch. It’s my favorite place and has my favorite couch. It’s also the hotspot of the Estate House, where I can watch everything that I helped create come to life.”

A decade after its opening, we continue to find new ways to showcase the beauty of Douglas’s design. From unique wine events like our upcoming Spring Soirée to our wildly popular Sunset Series, where guests savor the stunning vineyard views as they enjoy different pop-up chefs and live musicians, the Estate House is an idyllic spot to savor, celebrate, and unwind. With tasting options like our new Nightwing Experience, which features a flight of 90+ point, limited-production Nightwing wines paired with caviar and local artisan cheeses and charcuterie, it is also the perfect place to foster a deeper connection with MacRostie and our wines.

For those who love wine and food events, or are planning a wine tasting trip to explore the best of Healdsburg or Sonoma County, our tasting room offers an unforgettable all-season destination. We hope to see you soon!