From its dense medium-dark purple color to its fruit and earth aromas of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, tamarind, and fresh-ground coffee and cocoa nibs this opulent Zinfandel demands your attention. On the palate, it greets you with a lush, fruity entry and flavors of dark raspberry and black currant, with sophisticated layers of baking spice and perfume bringing harmony. Impeccably balanced, with velvety tannins and a rich flowing structure this is old-vine Zinfandel at its finest.
The fruit was picked by hand as whole clusters and hand-sorted at the winery into 1-ton fermentation bins. Following a 3-day cold soak, fermentation was kicked off using yeast to enhance aromatics and produce a healthy fermentation. Punch-downs occurred twice a day to give the cap oxygen and encourage color extraction. The wine was aged for 11 months in 46% new French oak and was bottled on August 4th, 2023.
Monte Rosso Vineyard is perched at the top of Moon Mountain at 1300 feet, where Red Hill loam soils contribute to the unique chemistry and style of the vineyard’s coveted Zinfandel grapes. This historic site’s Zinfandel vines are nearly 130 years old, producing remarkably concentrated and complex wines. Grapes for the 2022 Clockwise Zinfandel were harvested on two separate days, August 23rd and 31st, 2022.
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 founded a winery called 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, Clockwise is guided by Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen. We are thrilled to share our second vintage of Zinfandel from the famed Monte Rosso Vineyard.