Rockstar winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen was featured in the article, “This Sonoma winemaker is testing the limits of spreadsheets in the pursuit of great Pinot Noir” on the San Francisco Chronicle website written by Sara Schneider!

Big congratulations to Heidi for a well-deserved spotlight on her career!

“This Sonoma winemaker is testing the limits of spreadsheets in the pursuit of great Pinot Noir”

San Francisco Chronicle website
September 25, 2023
Sara Schneider

“Heidi Bridenhagen wasn’t the first undergraduate with a vague notion of medical school or the biotech industry to choose cellar boots in the end. There’s no shortage of overlap for all that science in the real worlds of medicine, biotech or winemaking.

But Bridenhagen’s 12-year tenure at Sonoma’s MacRostie Winery and Vineyards — first as assistant winemaker, shortly thereafter as winemaker — has supplied a singular chance to apply an inquisitive scientific mind to new programs for an already-iconic producer, building on founder Steve MacRostie’s reputation for distinctive Chardonnay. In lining up new fruit sources, designing a new production facility, and even mapping out a new vineyard, she has brought Pinot Noir into focus, especially. The result — through a cartographer’s delight of tiny blocks in that vineyard, and a spreadsheet-busting number of small fermenters in the winery — is complex versions of the Burgundian variety dialed in tightly to some of Sonoma’s coolest terroir (in both senses of the word).

Bridenhagen’s journey from a teetotaling Wisconsin background to precision Sonoma winemaking was equal parts childhood influence, serendipity and eagerness to dive into opportunity. 

“What I realized when I finished school, is that I didn’t want to go back to school,” said Bridenhagen, whose parents, in the landscaping business, instilled a love of the outdoors and plants. “And I didn’t want to be stuck in a lab all day.” 

So she gathered her hard-earned college-restaurant-server funds and decamped to Europe — France, Italy, Spain, Germany — for a year. Wine wasn’t the draw, but it was her love when she returned. 

A weekend jaunt to Sonoma, on a visit to see her sister in California soon after, launched her career. On hearing her story, a lab manager at Kendall-Jackson said, “You know, we’re hiring scientists for our lab for the harvest.” 

“I was, like, ‘sign me up!’” said Bridenhagen. “I did the 2007 harvest, and I just fell in love.”
 
It was in 2011, after an immersive stint alongside winemakers Michael Schroeter and Cara Morrison at Sonoma-Cutrer, that Steve MacRostie tapped Bridenhagen to be his assistant winemaker, just as he was looking beyond his Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, a high-elevation, windy icon on the edge of Carneros.

“We knew dark-fruited, black tea spice, elegant Pinot Noirs could be made in Russian River Valley,” she said. She “wanted to bring in vineyard sourcing that could make a different style” from the more red-fruited Wildcat Mountain. Familiar with the territory, she was poised to partner with pioneering families — the Duttons, the Sangiacomos and the Martinellis, among others — to expand MacRostie’s vineyard-designate portfolio.
 
It’s a rare Sonoma Pinot producer, of course, who isn’t chasing edgy, cooler fruit sources in western Sonoma County. MacRostie is all in today, with about 12 single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and eight Chardonnays every year. But not long after she was named head winemaker, in 2013, Bridenhagen was given the chance to design a production facility matched to her winemaking ethos (detail, detail, detail), on a new 13-acre Westside Road estate vineyard, named after Steve MacRostie’s wife, Thale.
 
As Bridenhagen describes it, she designed a hundred-ton winery (unveiled in 2015) to do a hundred-plus fermentations. “I want different palate expressions,” she said. “Instead of just making one thing, you’re breaking snapshots even tighter, to layer in the end.” 

Beyond the small fermenters, the facility is short on bells and whistles. “It’s not very complicated,” she said. “What I did give myself is a lot of temperature control, because that’s one of the only points of control a winemaker has once fermentation starts.”
 
Those rows of small fermenters have been called into service to amplify the latest tool in Bridenhagen’s evolution of MacRostie’s Pinot Noir program: the 74-acre Nightwing Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap American Viticultural Area (AVA). Vine-free when Steve MacRostie signed a 30-year lease on the land, Nightwing was a blank slate.
 
The team dug some 20 soil pits to inform mapping out small parcels in the varied terrain, with elevations from 800 to 1,300 feet. They matched rootstocks to soils, clones to rootstocks, changing up combinations to discover and capture the best of the motherlode of diversity. 

“It’s not just one vineyard,” said Bridenhagen. “It’s like 10 vineyards, with different aspects, clones and soils” across the 35 blocks they laid out in the end.
 
The 2021 Pinot Noir, available now, is the first red off of Nightwing. Its exceptionally expressive nose is perfumed with florals and earthy forest floor aromas, followed by a complex palate layered with pretty dark cherry and berry fruit, dried herb flavors, and the texture of robust tannins — an exotic promise from an inaugural vintage.
 
The experiments continue. There are block-by-block pruning trials, row-by-row watering, fertilizing routines — all in pursuit of the most focused components possible to layer into the new terroir Bridenhagen has at her fingertips to express.

MacRostie himself couldn’t be happier with where Bridenhagen is taking the brand he founded 36 years ago. “She has further cemented the status of our Chardonnays as Sonoma County benchmarks,” he said, “while building our Pinot Noir program into something remarkable.”

Well deserved, and congratulations to Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen for being one of “Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025,” selected by Wine Industry Advisor! Cheers to all the amazing recipients for their incredible achievements and career impacts.

Wine Industry Advisor

January 13, 2025

Alexandra Russell 

“Announcing Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025”

“As has become a January tradition, Wine Industry Advisor has again chosen 10 individuals from within the wine industry who showcase leadership, innovation, determination, and inspiration — both within the industry and in society at large — as its Most Inspiring People honorees.

These individuals were selected from more than 100 nominations submitted by WIA members last November. It wasn’t easy, but the editorial team zeroed in on people who, they felt, have positively impacted the U.S. wine culture (and beyond) over the past year.

Below are our 2025 Most Inspiring People, in (mostly) alphabetical order. Thank you for the commitment, passion and motivation you inspire in our industry each day. 

Editor’s Note: One feature profile will be released per day for the next 10 business days. Links to full articles will activate as they’re published.

January 13, 2025

Laura Ness 

“Wine’s Most Inspiring People 2025: Heidi Bridenhagen — Opening Doors for Women in Wine”

Wisconsin-born Heidi Bridenhagen’s already distinguished wine career had its genesis in a happy confluence of circumstance. While growing up, her parents, avid gardeners, owned a landscaping company and retail nursery/garden store where she worked when she wasn’t waitressing at a boat-up bar and grill.

After graduating in spring 2006 with a biochemistry degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Bridenhagen moved to the Bay Area to join her sister, who lived in Menlo Park. “I thought it would be an adventure, and that I would get to spend time with her while looking for a job in biotech.” One June day, the two went wine tasting in Sonoma. “We had not a care in the world, and we were just there to enjoy, explore and try a bunch of wines!” she says. 

At their last stop at Kendall-Jackson Estate, an employee (who happened to be the lab manager at one of the Jackson Family wineries) overheard the sisters musing about working in the wine industry. Soon, Heidi was moving to Healdsburg to begin her job as a lab technician. And so it began. 

“Heidi has emerged as a dynamic and empowering leader recognized for her collaborative spirit, winemaking acumen and commitment to opening doors for the next generation of women industry leaders,” says Miriam Pitt of J.A.M. Public Relations. “Leveraging her background in biochemistry, she combines the rigor of a scientist with the soul of an artist in her approach to winemaking.” 

Building a legacy

In 2013, at the age of 29, Bridenhagen was named just the third winemaker in the storied history of Sonoma’s MacRostie Winery and Vineyards (est. 1987). 

Her love of ag helped her relate easily to legendary winegrowers including the Duttons, Sangiacomos, Martinellis, Bacigalupis, Kent Ritchie and Bill Price, as she established one of the Sonoma Coast’s most formidable vineyard programs. She also encouraged the building of a dedicated Pinot Noir winery, switching to one-ton fermenters and completely reimagining MacRostie’s Pinot Noir program. 

A little over a decade later, she is the director of winemaking for Distinguished Vineyards, overseeing the company’s portfolio of wineries, which includes MacRostie in Sonoma County, Markham and TEXTBOOK in Napa Valley, Argyle in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Dough Wines, the company’s pioneering philanthropic partnership with the James Beard Foundation. 

Bringing others along
The Dough Wines endeavor definitely feeds her soul. 

“As a brand and as a community of food & wine lovers, we support positive changes to the culinary arts and beverages professions,” reads the website. Dough makes an annual contribution to the foundation to support its mission.

“At Dough, we are making wines with an ambitious purpose,” says Bridenhagen. “We are trying to change minds and change the industry. We are fighting for equality in the kitchen, and for greater awareness of food sustainability.” 

To further these goals, in 2022, Bridenhagen joined the Bâtonnage Women in Wine Mentorship Program. As a Level 2 Mentor, she worked one-on-one with a mentee for eight weeks, developing strategies for success, calling it “a very intensive interaction that was fun, emotional, challenging and rewarding.” The program serves to create a pragmatic, positive, inclusive course forward, wherein individuals who have traditionally been overlooked (or spoken over) achieve equal opportunities, equal representation and, especially, equal leadership positions within all sectors and tiers of the food and beverage industry. The goal is to create an inclusive space for constructive conversation (and action) surrounding all different facets of the wine industry

Already there are encouraging signs. “In 2018, only 19% of restaurants had women head chefs,” says Bridenhagen. “Today, it is close to 25%. Whether it’s gender equity or a deeper understanding of the need for a sustainable food system, the needle is moving in the right direction.”

Thank you Tim Fish, MaryAnn Worobiec, and Aaron Romano for recommending the MacRostie Estate House in the article, “Day Trips Through Sonoma County: Travel with our senior editors around the valleys of Sonoma” on the Wine Spectator website!

Wine Spectator website

June 2024

Tim Fish, MaryAnn Worobiec, Aaron Romano

“Day Trips Through Sonoma County: Travel with our senior editors around the valleys of Sonoma”

“While Healdsburg is a town where tasting rooms, restaurants, shops and hotels are all at your fingertips, it is also the perfect center from which to plan out adventures into Sonoma’s premier winegrowing regions. Venture out of the village and onto the roads, and let your wine passions be your guide. If you love Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, head southwest to the shady Russian River Valley; if it’s Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc you seek, cruise through scenic Dry Creek Valley to the northwest. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot country is north of town, in Alexander Valley.

Discover the Russian River Valley with MaryAnn Worobiec

Visiting Healdsburg means you’re close to one of the most exciting regions for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: Russian River Valley. The entire appellation encompasses about 10,000 vineyard acres, 50 wineries and hundreds of growers—too much to explore in one day. But using Healdsburg as a base, set your sites on Westside Road, one of the most iconic stretches in the region.

Many vintners see Russian River Valley as a Goldilocks spot, where the cooling Pacific Ocean interacts with inland Sonoma County; just a few miles in each direction might be too warm to grow Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. Westside Road has a wonderful concentration of outstanding wineries and famous vineyards. Plus, it’s a gorgeous drive—winding roads and beautiful scraggly oak trees, many covered in moss and dripping with lichen.

Start your day with a cup of coffee from Black Oak Coffee Roasters, a charming café just off the Healdsburg square. Then, plan ahead for lunch on the road by stopping around the corner at Troubadour Bread and Bistro for their grab-and-go sandwiches. They are all delicious—my favorite is the baguette with jamón, brie, butter and a drizzle of honey. I also love the sumac roasted carrot with pesto, burrata and arugula. Chocolate chip cookies or one of their stellar loaves of bread are a must for later, if not sooner.

Heading out of town is simple. Just south of the square you’ll find Mill Street, which turns into Westside Road after you pass under Highway 101. Almost immediately, you’ll start to see the wild scenery, vineyards and old barns that define the landscape. The road winds and twists, but for the most part, you’ll be heading south. Keep in mind that at any point the Pacific Ocean is just 20 to 30 miles due west.

Take note of the sign for the Madrona as the road takes you on a sharp turn to the left. It’s a beautiful Victorian inn that’s had a recent makeover, making it a lovely place to stay, but it’s also a terrific place for lunch, dinner or drinks. The caviar and onion dip served with warm potato chips, the kimchi deviled eggs and one of their signature cocktails would be a perfect refresher after a day of wine tasting.

Just five more minutes down the road and you’re at your first stop, Flowers. This winery is known for its estate Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the rugged Sonoma Coast—a dizzying drive more than an hour up the coast. But thankfully they brought the Sonoma Coast closer to wine lovers in the form of this tasting room. As the staff rightfully points out, the Russian River Valley is a gateway to the wilder and harsher setting where their grapes grow.

The Estate Vineyard Immersion experience ($125 a person) pairs four wines (including a library wine) with four curated food pairings; I’ve never enjoyed winemaker Chantal Forthun’s wines more than during one of these presentations.

Less than a mile down the road is MacRostie Winery. Steve and Thale MacRostie founded their winery in 1987, and I’ve been a fan of their single-vineyard and regional blends of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for as long as I can remember. Now in the hands of head winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen, the wines remain stunning, and the tasting room is a great spot to enjoy them. Modern, airy and minimalist, the focus here is the view of the hilly vineyard planted around the tasting room.

Just a mile and a half farther along Westside Road is Rochioli Winery, founded by one of the pioneering families (and most recognizable names) in the region. Now fourth-generation farmers, they first planted Pinot Noir back in the 1960s, selling grapes to other pioneers in the region—including Davis Bynum and Williams Selyem. The family started making its own wines in the 1980s.

The Rochioli tasting room is among the more modest in the region but no less exciting to visit, surrounded by immaculate gardens and with views of acres of their estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Plus, a visit there means you’re tasting Rochioli wines—a huge win in my book.

Practically across the street is Arista, another family-owned property. I love this peaceful, low-key spot that the McWilliams family built. They intentionally left plenty of the region’s natural beauty when planning their estate—you can really get a sense of their connection to the land. There are goats, cows and sheep around and this is a good spot to stroll with a glass of wine in hand—and perhaps nibble on that sandwich from Troubadour. This brand’s focus is on Russian River Valley Chardonnays and Pinot Noir—I’m not alone in believing that winemaker Matt Courtney is among the most talented winemakers in California today.

Your last winery stop will be Gary Farrell. While it’s just a 4-mile drive away, it’s going to take 10 to 15 minutes to get there, as Westside Road gets particularly curvy on this stretch. As you note signs for the famous MacMurray Ranch, you’ll drive by Wohler Road—note that for later.

Gary Farrell is no longer at his namesake winery, but the wines are in good hands under the direction of winemaker Theresa Heredia—Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Russian River are the focus. It’s also worth noting that even though it’s one of the larger operations in the area, the winery is owned by vintner and entrepreneur Bill Price, who owns iconic Sonoma vineyards including Durell and Gap’s Crown as well as Kistler Vineyards and Three Sticks.

The tasting room sits above the treetops, giving it tremendous views you can enjoy on the newly opened Overlook terrace. Enjoy a glass of wine out there and hope to run into Benny, the extremely cool winery cat.

After that, you could head back to Healdsburg, but if you feel like pushing on with your exploration of the area, take a detour to Forestville. It’s not so much a town as just a couple of blocks, but it has all the necessities, including an organic coffee spot (Sunshine), organic ice cream (Angela’s) and an adorable and tasty bakery (Nightingale Bread) with terrific bread and focaccia.

To get there, backtrack slightly to Wohler Road and then cross over the Wohler Bridge, a one-lane, historic truss bridge that crosses the Russian River. It’s just another five minutes from there to Forestville.

If you need a longer pit stop, Forestville has two restaurants that are easy to recommend: Canneti Roadhouse Italiana, which serves up comfort versions of Italian food in a friendly setting, and Sonoma Pizza Company, which is a cheerful, wood-fired pizza spot with delicious pies. Check out the Tati, with mortadella, mozzarella, pistachios, frisee, chives, parsley, oregano, lemon and garlic confit, or the Mushroom Mycopia, with St. Jorge cream, mixed local mushrooms, mozzarella, green garlic, roasted onions and chimichurri.

Forestville will also get you to Highway 116, which is another thoroughfare of Russian River Valley, where you’ll find Paul Hobbs, Merry Edwards and Dutton-Goldfield. But that’s for another day.”