91 Points: Josh Greene Wine & Spirits - April 2019

“This is MacRostie’s first pinot noir from outside of Sonoma County, sourced from a vineyard in Philo where the vines grow on an alluvial terrace 15 miles from the coast. That coastal influence is in the cranberry and brambly blackberry freshness of the fruit, with high-toned florals and deeper umami notes of cloud-ear mushrooms. Oak adds to the wine’s tannic weight, but those tannins are yielding and will merge into the fruit complexity with bottle age.”

Slightly warmer than average, the 2016 growing season proved to be a very good one, with conditions nearly perfect for growing Pinot Noir. A well-timed cool spell in August slowed ripening down, enabling the fruit to develop evenly to full maturity without sugars being too high. Day Ranch Vineyard is planted to clone 667, and we harvested our fruit on September 8th, 2016.

Exploring yet another area in Coastal Northern California, we ventured a bit north to just outside of Sonoma County in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley. This rustic landscape is near the town of Philo and is just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. This vineyard is planted on an alluvial terrace that abuts a mountainside.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 13.9%
• cases made:

  187 Cases

• bottling date: 10/31/2017
• aging:

  Aged 11 months in French oak, 29% new, 29% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

91 Points: Stacy Briscoe Wine Enthusiast - March 2023

“Delicate on the nose, this wine truly comes alive on the palate, opening to notes of wet stone, damp earth, fresh raspberries, red currant, red cherry, cranberry, wild strawberry, cacao and toasted wood. The texture offers corduroy-like tannins and a solid backbone of acidity that gives vivacity to the drinking experience.”

The season began with a warm winter, with no frost issues, and a mild spring that resulted in a nice, even fruit set. While the summer was quite warm, there were only a couple of short heat spikes, which ensured that the grapes were able to fully ripen while retaining the natural acidity we love. As a result, our crop was balanced and healthy, yielding wines with vibrant flavors and excellent depth and energy. Day Ranch Vineyard is planted to many different clones. We pulled fruit from Block 2.9, Block 2.11, and 2.18, which are planted to Clones 667, 115, and 91. Harvest occurred between September 17 and 26, 2020.

To make this wine, our love of exploration took us to another acclaimed coastal Northern California wine region, Mendocino County’s renowned Anderson Valley. Located just 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in the cool “Deep End” of the Anderson Valley, Day Ranch is planted on an alluvial terrace that abuts a mountainside. This wild, rustic terroir yields a complex and distinctive expression of Pinot Noir.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.90%
• bottling date: 09/01/2021
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 24% new, 43% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

The 2022 vintage was impacted by a third consecutive year of drought that resulted in a reduction in yields from 10-30%. The growing season was temperate, keeping us on track or ahead of normal growth. Then we saw some heat spikes that prompted our first picks. Our grapes from Gap’s Crown were harvested from blocks planted to Clone 828. The fruit was harvested by hand overnight on September 12th, 2022.

Gap’s Crown Vineyard is situated on the base of Sonoma Mountain in the Petaluma Gap AVA, named for the Petaluma wind gap that allows wind and fog from the Pacific to flow further inland than almost any other place in Sonoma County. Situated just below our own Nightwing Estate Vineyard, Gap’s Crown is planted on a southwest-facing slope with elevations ranging from 320 to 820 feet, and boasts some of the most sought-after fruit in Sonoma County.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.7%
• cases made:

  240 Cases

• bottling date: 08/01/2023
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 40% new, 30% once-used

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

91 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - 8/1/18

"This is an earthy wine, funky in rose garden and compost, with a demure entry that develops into a more full-bodied sense of thickness and dense tannin over time. There's a nice flourish of strawberry and rhubarb that takes on a compote-like lushness. "

A bit warmer than average, the 2016 growing season proved to be a very good one, with near-perfect conditions for growing Pinot Noir. A well-timed cool spell in August slowed ripening down, enabling the fruit to develop evenly to full maturity without sugars being too high. The vines at Champlin Creek are planted on a hillside to Clone 667. The clusters are loose and the berries are very small, which results in a low juice-to-skin ratio. The grapes were picked on September 19, 2016.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came exclusively from Champlin Creek, an exceptional vineyard located on a windswept hillside in western Carneros near Sonoma Town. Champlin Creek features volcanic soils, which means it is rocky and well-drained. The site’s challenging combination of wind and rocky soils results in a wine with deep color and excellent tannins.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.50%
• bottling date: 10/31/2017
• aging:

  Aged 12 months in French oak, 17% new, 48% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

92 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - May 2020

“Tangy, edgy acidity underlies the buzzing core of this structured, high-toned wine from the new appellation. Stony mineral and crisp, crunchy red fruit defines its mediumbodied frame of complex tannin integration and graceful finish.”

The 2017 vintage followed a cool, very wet winter. The soils were moist and rich and required extra meticulous care with cover crop management and canopy management. There was a heat spike at the end of August that sped things up. The heavy winds that keep this vineyard cool did their job as we were able to give the grapes a few more weeks on the vine after the heat. Our block of Rodgers Creek is planted to the Pommard clone. The grapes were harvested by hand in the cool, early morning hours of September 15th, 2017.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came from a vineyard called Rodgers Creek, which is perched at an elevation of 1,000 feet overlooking the city of Petaluma. It lies near the Rodgers Fault, which it is named after. This rugged, west-facing site benefits from rocky volcanic soils, and the steady cooling winds that flow through the Petaluma Gap.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.1%
• cases made:

  6 Barrels
  127 Cases

• bottling date: 08/14/2018
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 50% new

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

The small clusters and berries of the Pommard clone at Klopp Ranch consistently produce a wine of extraordinary color and depth. The 2018 growing season began with warm winter weather, before things turned cool and rainy in February, which prevented an early budbreak. While the rains continued, things warmed up again in March, providing ideal nutrients and growing conditions for the vines. From June onwards, the weather was lovely and temperate, with sunny days and cool nights ensuring excellent flavor development and acid retention in the grapes. As harvest drew near, the weather turned warm providing a final push to ripeness. The grapes from Klopp Ranch were harvested by hand in the cool evening hours of September 13, 2018.

The father-daughter team of Ted and Lauren Klopp have been farming in the Russian River Valley for over two decades. Their home ranch is on Laguna Road, where the vines are tucked away in the nook of a foggy valley. Our rows are planted to the Pommard Clone in rich, fertile Goldridge soils, where the vines produce small, intensely flavorful clusters of grapes.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.50%
• cases made:

  16 Barrels
  403 Cases

• bottling date: 07/25/2019
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 25% new, 25% one-year-old

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs

93 Points: Virginie Boone Wine Enthusiast - May 2020

Excellent; highly recommended “Stemmy, bright and earthy, this is a high-toned and citrus-driven red from the cool-climate appellation and site. Mineral-like crushed rock adds to the texture and length of the wine, accentuated by well-integrated tannin and oak.”

The 2018 growing season began with warm winter weather, before things turned cool and rainy in February, which prevented an early budbreak. While the rains continued, things warmed up again in March, providing ideal nutrients and growing conditions for the vines. From June onwards the weather was lovely and temperate, with sunny days and cool nights ensuring excellent flavor development and acid retention in the grapes. As harvest drew near, the weather turned warm providing a final push to ripeness. At the same time, the heavy winds that keep Rodgers Creek cool did their job, allowing us to give the grapes a few more precious weeks on the vine. Our block of Pommard Clone Pinot Noir from Rodgers Creek was harvested by hand in the cool, early morning hours of September 26, 2018.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir came from a vineyard called Rodgers Creek, which is perched at an elevation of 1,000 feet overlooking the city of Petaluma. It lies near the Rodgers Fault, which it is named after. This rugged, west-facing site benefits from rocky volcanic soils, and the steady cooling winds that flow through the Petaluma Gap.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.30%
• cases made:

  15 Barrels
  366 Cases

• bottling date: 08/07/2019
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 27% new

• fermentation:

  Gently desteemed into open-top fermenters; three day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs