Wildcat Vineyard Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley

Wildcat Vineyard Pinot NoirWild Child

This aptly named wine hails from a hilltop vineyard where grapes probably should never have been planted. But like a wild child with a mind of its own, praise the Pinot that grower Steve MacRostie soldiered on.

Wildcat Vineyard Pinot Noir

2014 Vintage

Tasting Notes

Any discussion of this wine always focuses on the ‘are you kidding me’ vineyard that sits close to San Pablo Bay in a rough, challenging environment where the vines are rarely out of the marine layer and a punishing wind. There’s a savage, feral character that’s easy to believe is the badge of a survivor. Dark fruits abound, as do spices, in a full-bodied wine that delivers a surprisingly lithe and elegant display of femininity, pretty in its own way with aromas and flavors tinged with strawberry, rhubarb and rich black tea. There are days when you can hear the roar of the racetrack not far away, a fitting anthem for a Pinot Noir that stands apart.”

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Winemaking

Vineyard: Wildcat Vineyard
Vintage: 2014
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard Category: Single Vineyard
Body: med/full
Profile Notes: dark fruit, black tea, herbal, earth
Production Volume: 211 cases
Harvest Date: September 9, 2014
Sugar: 23.8 Brix
Acid: 0.56 gms/100ml
PH: 3.6
Aging: 11 months in French Oak, 34% new
Bottling Date: August 19, 2014
Alcohol %: 14.1

2014 Maccolades

~ 91 Pts. / “Pale and silky; lush and smooth, ripe cherry and spice; tangy and fresh, bright and long.” – Anthony Dias Blue, Tasting Panel Magazine

2013 Vintage

Tasting Notes

Setting the tone, the color is intense, garnet, a deep ruby. Intensity continues on the nose, with dark cherry and sandalwood layering alongside herbs and dirty earth (in a very good way). And yes, the wine is intensely feminine, full-bodied yet elegant, bursting with dark fresh berries and a mélange of black tea, vanilla and cloves topped with Asian spices. Juicy, with noticeable oak spice and earthiness, the intense (catch the theme here?) finish is firm and round, with great structure and a persistence that just won’t be tamed. A Wildcat.

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Winemaking

Vineyard: Wildcat Vineyard
Vintage: 2013
Appellation: Sonoma Coast
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vineyard Category: Single Vineyard
Body: med/full
Profile Notes: dark fruit, black tea, herbal, earth
Production Volume: 217 cases
Harvest Date: September 19, 2013
Sugar: 25.5 Brix
Acid: 0.60 gms/100ml
PH: 3.69
Aging: 11 months in French Oak, 30% new
Bottling Date: August 19, 2014
Alcohol %: 14.9

2013 Maccolades

~ 91 Points “Outstanding” / “Smooth, juicy and lush with spice, structure and a long, rich finish; deep, spicy and long.” – Anthony Dias Blue, Tasting Panel Magazine

2013 Maccolades

~ 93 Points “Gold Medal” / “There’s a lot going on in the nose of this single-vineyard wine from Sonoma County’s Wildcat Mountain, including wild strawberries with a sweet edge, an engaging lavender component, freshly tilled soil, a sanguine note of iron and, after some swirling, a vanilla note. It’s all beautifully balanced; nothing clunky or syrupy. Sleek in the mouth, where impressions of crisp cranberry and black tea emerge, the wine’s powdery, fine-grained tannins are barely noticeable as the 14.9% alcohol level seems more like 13%. This is a Pinot Noir that’s defined by its sublime litheness; like a wildcat, it’s light on its feet. Lay it down for up to a decade, serve it alongside beef bourguignon, or simply sip and savor it.” – Bob Johnson & Glen Frederiksen, WineLines Online

2013 Maccolades

~ 5 Stars “Exceptional” / “Among MacPhail’s best releases yet. Superb, fleshy, richly flavored, and full bodied; a luscious wine with intense cherry, blueberry, clove, spicy oak, rosehips, and nutmeg aromas/flavors. Very long, lingering finish.” – Ronn Wiegand, MS/MW, Restaurant Wine

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