MacRostie 2004 Pinot Noir

Recommended Wine:
MacRostie Winery & Vineyards 2004 Pinot Noir (Carneros ~ Los Carneros)

An Interview with the Winemaker:
Steve MacRostie, leading the flock of Los Carneros producers

Vineyard Notes:
The grapes for this Pinot Noir came from several excellent vineyards on both the Sonoma and Napa sides of Carneros, including, Beresini, Ferguson, and Domaine Chandon. Our very own Wildcat Mountain Estate Vineyard, high up in the hills on the extreme western edge of the Carneros AVA, emerged to play a leading role in the blend. Wildcat’s influence can be seen in the dark color, full body, and complexity of the wine.

Yields were on the low side, averaging three tons per acre, but Wildcat was much lower than that. The growing season was foggy and cool, bracketed by mini heat waves in May and September, so the grapes got off to a rollicking start, settled back into an ideal slow ripening pattern, and then sprinted to the finish. All the vineyards were harvested in a single busy week from August 31 through September 7.

Winemaker Tasting Notes:
Deep garnet in color, the wine shows intense black cherry and mild wood smoke aromas, with hints of clove and anise. Rich in the mouth, very full-flavored, the ripe cherry and cranberry flavors, wrapped in a touch of toasty oak, just keeps coming. Enjoy now or cellar for a year or two and find out what other goodies are in store.

Technical Notes:

Appellation:	Carneros
Harvest Dates:	August 31 - September 7, 2004
Bottle Date:	August 11th, 2005
Oak:	11 months in French oak (40% new)