A Season of Gratitude

As the rains return to Sonoma County and the hillsides turn a comforting shade of green, I’m reminded how much joy the holiday season brings in wine country. The air smells of fresh, wet earth, and the vineyards seem to exhale after another exceptional harvest. It’s a time of year that offers the chance to slow down, gather with friends and family, and reflect on the moments that made the year so special.

At MacRostie, 2025 has been a year filled with connection, creativity, and celebration. Whether you visited us at our Estate House, opened some of your favorite MacRostie wines at home, or joined us at one of our many events, thank you for being part of it! Your enthusiasm and friendship are an inspiration and make everything we do more meaningful.

A Year of Celebration

This spring, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our MacRostie Estate House in Healdsburg, a milestone that let us raise a toast to the place we call home and to all of you who have made it such a welcoming destination. Over the past decade, the Estate House has become more than a tasting room; it’s a gathering place for laughter, discovery, and friendship. In 2025, it was also home to some amazing events, including our Sunset Series, an Open House to celebrate the 10th anniversary, and after-hours non-profit community mixers, all of which brought fresh energy to the Estate House. Attending these gatherings and meeting with our club members and other friends was a wonderful reminder that wine is ultimately about people, the moments we share, and the stories we tell.

The Spirit of Discovery

This year also marked the debut of two fantastic tasting experiences that truly capture who we are as a winery. We unveiled our Nightwing Food & Wine Experience, an immersive journey exploring wines from our Nightwing Estate Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap, and our Elevated Sparkling Food & Wine Experience, which celebrates our méthode champenoise wines with seasonal pairings. Collaborating with our hospitality and culinary teams to create these tastings was one of my favorite parts of the year. I love how our expanded food program showcases the natural harmony between our wines and food, with each bite and sip revealing new layers of flavor and texture.

2025 also marked the release of several wines in our Clonal Series, a fascinating collection that explores how individual Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clones express themselves from our Nightwing and Thale’s estate vineyards. From the perfume and spice of our Swan Clone Pinot Noir to the tension and grace of our radiant Clone 95 Chardonnay, these wines embody our passion for discovery and our small-lot approach to winemaking.

A Sparkling Season

Timed for the holidays, our Elevated Sparkling Food & Wine Experience shines a spotlight on our trio of sparkling wines—the 2022 Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and Brut Rosé. Bright, ebullient, and expressive, these traditional-method wines are some of my favorites to make. This season of celebration also gave us the opportunity to give back: in honor of Giving Tuesday, for every gift set sold, our dog-friendly team made a donation to the Humane Society of Sonoma County, helping provide safety, care, and second chances to animals in our community.

Critical Acclaim: A Year of Praise for MacRostie

Across the portfolio, 2025 brought a wealth of glowing reviews from leading wine publications, recognizing MacRostie’s continued excellence with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Our single-vineyard and Clonal Collection wines received exceptional acclaim, with critics praising their balance and depth of character. In particular, our Nightwing Vineyard wines continued to distinguish themselves as some of California’s most exciting cool-climate releases. The 2022 Nightwing Calera Clone Pinot Noir earned 94 points from Decanter, while Wine Enthusiast awarded 93 points to the 2022 Nightwing Swan Clone Pinot Noir and 94 points to the 2022 Nightwing Vineyard Chardonnay. The Tasting Panel also recognized the 2022 Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir, sourced from Nightwing, with 94 points. Together, these honors underscore the growing recognition of Nightwing’s remarkable potential and MacRostie’s enduring commitment to excellence. I was also thrilled to see our debut Stubbs Vineyard Chardonnay (our first wine from Marin County) earn 97 points from The Tasting Panel, which wrote, “It brings Puligny-Montrachet to mind and is terrific now but destined for a decade of positive development.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

As I look ahead to 2026, I’m particularly excited that we will be sharing a new Sauvignon Blanc under the MacRostie label and debuting many more new releases from the extraordinary 2023 vintage. Offering a perfectly long, cool growing season, 2023 was our kind of vintage here at MacRostie, and the wines are breathtaking. In 2026, we’ll also be unveiling new vintages from our Clonal and Sparkling programs, which just get better every year.

Holiday Reflections

Here at MacRostie, we’ll be gathering for our annual team holiday party in late December, where we’ll be popping the corks on our sparkling wines and opening large-format bottles from our library. Normally, we host a catered holiday party, but this year our team is choosing to do a potluck so that we can donate the money we set aside for the party to a local food bank. For us, this is a reminder that beyond celebrating the wonderful people in our lives, the holidays are about community, giving, and giving back.

Thank you for your support throughout 2025. As a winemaker, I feel immense gratitude for the land we farm, our amazing team, and the community of wine lovers who share our wines and keep the spirit of MacRostie alive and thriving. May the holidays grace your home with joy, peace, and good health.

Warmest holiday wishes,
Heidi Bridenhagen
Winemaker, MacRostie Winery & Vineyards