2019 The Key

95 Points: Meridith May The Tasting Panel - July 2022

“According to winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen, ‘Carneros is the foundation for this wine,’ but she also sources from the Russian River and the Petaluma Gap, selecting grapes from five vineyards. Richly textured, each lot was French-oak aged for 10 months in barrel before blending and an additional six months in barrel post-blending. A wave of buttered, charred peaches and a nectar of honeyed pear frames the layered mouthfeel. Resplendent with notes of chamomile, white flower petals, and lime bitters, acidity casts a spotlight on a sweet basil finish.”

90 Points: MaryAnn Worobiec Wine Spectator - July 2022

“This has juicy citrus flavors at the core, with details of nutmeg, honeycomb and a firm streak of minerality and acidity. Shows plenty of harmony on the finish. Drink now. 281 cases made.”

Here at MacRostie, we pride ourselves on working with growers who know the land intimately. Among its key vineyards, this blend combines fruit from five of our most prized sources: Olivet Lane, Bacigalupi Frost Ranch, Dale Ricci Vineyard, and the Dutton’s Braughton and Shop vineyards. Some of these you may know from our single-vineyard Chardonnay bottlings. Each component is carefully selected by our winemaking team to create the harmonious symphony that is The Key.

We are now in our sixth year of crafting master blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, The Loch and The Key, named 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. Combining decades of winemaking mastery with our rich history on the Sonoma Coast, The Loch and The Key are consummate blends, artfully crafted from our best blocks and barrels of wine. Like a secret code unlocked by our winemakers, The Key embodies everything we know about making great Chardonnay.

• composition:

  100% Chardonnay

• alcohol: 14.1
• cases made:

  273

• bottling date: 02/24/2021
• aging:

  Aged sur-lie 10 months French oak: 33% new; 50% once-filled.

• fermentation:

  Whole cluster pressed then racked into French oak for primary and malolactic fermentation.