From its vibrant, alluring color to its rich and floral aromas, lush, dense fruit and lovely grip, the 2016 vintage of The Loch is a stunning Pinot Noir. Fascinating and eminently age-worthy, it slowly unfurls in gorgeous layers of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, floral rose, all underscored by expressive notes of cinnamon and clove spice.
The grapes were harvested by hand and gently destemmed exclusively into small one-ton fermenters to focus the style of each vineyard and clone. After a three-day cold soak, fermentation began and lasted about three weeks. The wine was then put straight to French oak barrels as free run. After 10 months of aging, the wine was blended to create The Loch, aged in ten barrels, four new and six one-year-old. After another six months in oak, The Loch was deemed aged to perfection, and was bottled lovingly on February 14, 2017.
The 2016 vintage started out with an early budbreak followed by a warm growing season. Just when we were about to start picking, we had a cool spell in late August. This helped slow things down and spread out the harvest. Here at MacRostie, we pride ourselves on working with growers who know the land intimately. Vintage after vintage, the partnerships we have with our growers provide us with beautiful fruit. This artful blend was made from our very finest blocks and barrels of Pinot Noir from a handful of vineyards that span the Sonoma Coast. The Loch predominately comes from our Thale’s Estate Vineyard, which gives The Loch vibrancy and length. A cooler Dutton property in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley, brings blackberry and black cherry fruit and rich tannins. Wohler Vineyard in Russian River Valley adds earthy notes of soft leather and tobacco. Champlin Creek, a volcanic hillside site in Carneros, provides red fruit and baking spices of clove and cinnamon.
The Loch combines decades of winemaking mastery with our long history on the Sonoma Coast. It is a consummate blend, artfully crafted from our best blocks and barrels of wine. “The goal is simple, but not easy,” says Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen. “We search our cellar for our most beautiful wines of the vintage—stirring wines that sing on the palate. Then we begin blending.” Like a secret code unlocked by our winemakers, The Loch embodies everything that we know about making great Pinot Noir. We named this wine The Loch and its sister Chardonnay, The Key, as a nod to our founder Steve MacRostie’s Scottish heritage, and to his early experiences as a cryptographer deciphering codes in Europe for the U.S. Army.
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