Winemaker Notes
The Russian River Valley Chardonnay begins with gorgeous fragrances of papaya and lime. Along with its enticing tropical aromas, this wine displays a sophisticated note of crushed gravel. While it has a full, supple entry with a hint of creamy oak, the finish is refreshingly crisp and reminiscent of green apples.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Heidi Bridenhagen blends this from six vineyards, building complexity out of a contrast of flavors, from green fig to sweeter citrus and deep umami scents of fruity mushrooms. It’s savory and smoky in its grounding, and cleansing in the end. Pour it with roast snapper and wild mushrooms.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay Russian River Valley offers slightly more richness and depth, with tropical fruits, Caramelized pineapple, and honeysuckle notes. It has a layered, medium-bodied texture, nicely integrated acidity, solid balance, and as with the Sonoma Coast release, is a terrific value.
Founded in 1987 by Sonoma County winemaking pioneer Steve MacRostie, MacRostie Winery & Vineyards has established itself as one of the Sonoma Coast's defining wineries. Since taking over as Winemaker in 2013, Heidi Bridenhagen has taken the vineyard program to new heights, partnering with legendary winegrowing families, including the Duttons, Sangiacomos, Martinellis and Bacigalupis, as well as crafting wines from MacRostie's own Thale's Estate, Nightwing and Wildcat Mountain vineyards. With breathtaking panoramic views from the MacRostie Estate House overlooking the Russian River Valley, the MacRostie team has set a new standard of hospitality excellence in the region.
WINEMAKING: The journey from land to bottle is organic, intuitive and more often felt than calculated. Rather than beginning with an end state in mind, Winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen let each vineyard’s grapes dictate what they want to become. The winemaking team has access to a remarkable level of vineyard diversity, enabling exploration of the entire Sonoma Coast and beyond, producing bright, balanced, and complex wines. Heidi oversees 150+ small fermentations each vintage, yielding a broad palette of flavors to work with at the blending table. Every bottle of MacRostie wine is an expression of time and place, crafted to accompany your special moments.
In July 2022, Wine Spectator Magazine named Heidi Bridenhagen as one of the “Next Generation of Chardonnay Stars.” Since Heidi was named winemaker, MacRostie has been recognized for making many of the finest wines in its history and has earned more than 450+ scores of 90 points or higher from major wine publications.
SUSTAINABILITY: Since 2015, MacRostie is one of less than 150 California wineries (out of more than 5,000) to hold the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) accreditation. CCSW certification requires a process of “continuous improvement,” and we are constantly expanding and refining our sustainability program. MacRostie believes in creating wines that reflect the bounty of the Sonoma Coast, while protecting the region and its environment. Sustainability is a fundamental element in how MacRostie approaches growing and making wines and respects that the land carries through in every part of the process. MacRostie’s focus on sustainability can clearly be seen in many areas of operations, from water conservation to energy efficiency, composting and waste reduction.
COMMUNITY: MacRostie is a proud partner of No Kid Hungry and believes in No Kid Hungry’s mission to end childhood hunger in the United States by helping the millions of U.S. children struggling with hunger. As a proud long-term partner, MacRostie’s annual financial contribution provides the equivalent of 200,000 meals for children facing food insecurity.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.