2020 Clockwise Red Blend

92 Points: Rich Cook Wine Review Online - June 2023

“This label is coming into its own, and it’s a fine vintage from which to do so considering the scarcity of Napa Vally red wines from 2020 due to fires. No fire issues here — just pure Clone 43 Cabernet goodness on the bright side of the varietal spectrum. It is made in a nice tight style, with bright red fruit and dried herbs dancing together nicely. I would age this a good while in the cellar and wait for the elegance to emerge.”

90 Points: Jim Gordon Wine Enthusiast - August/September 2023

“Good, fruit acidity and medium tannins give plenty of energy to this medium-bodied, tangy-textured blend of Bordeaux varieties. Its raspberries, red cherries and subtle oak spices are delicious and direct.”

For more than 30 years, MacRostie has focused on making benchmark Sonoma County Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. While this focus has allowed us to cultivate a remarkable level of experience, we are wine lovers who also find joy in exploring and discovering new regions and new wines. As a result, several years back, we created a new winery-within-a-winery here at MacRostie. We called it Clockwise—a name that captures many of the elements that are important to us from a winemaking perspective, including timing, wisdom, and knowledge. Just like at MacRostie, the winemaking for Clockwise is guided by gifted Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen and winemaking icon Steve MacRostie. Our Clockwise Napa Valley Red Wine was crafted using four of the five traditional Bordeaux varietals and is composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, and 7% Merlot, yielding a layered and complex Cabernet-based red blend in a more classically Old World style.

• composition:

  54% Cabernet Sauvignon
  7% Merlot
  7% Malbec
  32% Cabernet Franc

• alcohol: 14.3%
• cases made:

  13 Barrels
  300 Cases

• bottling date: 08/04/2022
• aging:

  Aged 22 months in French oak; 50% new and 50% once-filled

• fermentation:

  Five day cold soak, 2x/day punchdowns with extended maceration