MacMurray
Ranch is an ethereal place. Nestled in a quiet enclave of Sonoma’s Russian
River Valley, as you enter the estate, the clock dials back a few decades. Massive, gnarly oak trees scrape the sky. Rows of vines
rise up from the forest and stretch to the hills — it’s conducive to a sense of awe
and admiration.
On
a recent trip to Napa and Sonoma, I spent the afternoon and evening touring the
property and dining at the ranch house. The MacMurray Ranch is home to
the annual Taste of Sonoma
event,
which brings together thousands of wine lovers with hundreds of local wineries
and food vendors. I’ve never attended, but after spending time at the ranch, I
realized it is a perfect spot it is to throw a huge party.
The
ranch is massive, comprising 1,500 acres, and has been farmed since the 1850s. The
American actor Fred MacMurray purchased
the property in 1941, and began farming crops, raising cattle and raising
a family.
Kate MacMurray, Fred's daughter, grew up here,
and she was my gracious host for an afternoon and evening at the ranch. She's a
genuine, wise soul, exuding a rich sense of historical perspective. As we
toured the property, she told nostalgic stories about the ranch and spoke about
"Daddy and Mom" with a tone of reverence.
Fred
MacMurray passed away in 1991, and it wasn’t until five years later that the
first grape vines took root in MacMurray Ranch soil.
While grapes are a
relative newcomer to this historic site, it’s a beautiful spot for viticulture.
This estate is sprawling and diverse, with different
slopes and soils.
 |
| Kate MacMurray at home on the ranch. |
"We're Pinot here," said Winemaker Boyd Morrison, a tall, pensive guy with a passion for site-specific nuances in the Pinot Noir Grape.
"That's mostly where our passion is."
After touring the vineyards with Boyd and Kate, we gathered at the
highest point of the ranch to taste some barrel samples of 2014 Pinot Noirs. The
wines came from four different estate vineyards (three in the Russian River and
one much further south in the Santa Lucia Highlands). The three Russian River
Vineyards (along with MacMurray Ranch) are usually blended together in one of three appellation
bottlings, the Russian River, Russian River Reserve and the Winemaker’s
Block, while the Santa Lucia wine is bottled separately.
Below
are my notes on the four different Pinot Noirs.
2014 Pinot Noir Two
Rock Vineyard
Russian
River Valley - 223 acres of Pinot Noir
Gorgeous
nose of bright strawberries, raspberries, rose hips. Fresh and vibrant palate
with tangy acid to zest up a bold texture. Bright raspberries and juicy
cherries mix with notes of pepper and clove. I could see this wine adding a
whole lot of aromatics and spice to a blend.
2014 Pinot Noir Del
Rio Vineyard
Russian
River Valley - 44 acres of Pinot Noir
Darker
cherries on the nose, more savory spices as well. Full and chewy on the palate,
a deep but smooth texture. Plummy, jammy cherries and raspberries. I get sweet
tobacco, loam, clay, violets. A deep and somewhat compact wine that could add a
whole lot of structure to a blend.
2014 Pinot Noir Laguna
Ranch
Russian
River Valley - 21 acres of Pinot Noir
More
aromatically compact but does show some deper red currant and cherries along
with some clove and pepper. Bright acid on the palate but a rich and chewy
presence. Rich but tangy cherries along with roses, black tea, tobacco. A long,
warm finish. Bold but shows lots of finesse.
2014 Pinot Noir Olson
Ranch
Santa
Lucia Highlands - 390 acres of Pinot Noir
Bright
red cherries on the nose, sweet strawberries and raspberry jam. Chewy texture,
medium-low acid, this shows jammy raspberries and black cherry fruit. I get
notes of lavender, cedar, cola, sweet herbaceous elements as well.
California
wine giant Gallo Family bought MacMurray Ranch about 16 years ago. Kate told me
the family sold to Gallo with a few conditions. They wanted to sell to a family
company that would respect the unique history and aesthetic of the place. Also,
the purchases couldn’t disturb an old fence on the property that was built by
Chinese laborers in the 1800s. Lastly, the land had to stay agricultural.
Considering the site was prime Pinot Noir territory, Gallo fit the bill and
bought MacMurray Ranch. The money from the sale was used to create a non-profit
foundation in the name of Kate's parents.
After dark, a group of other wine writers and I gathered around a table in the old ranch
house for an amazing meal. The food, served by renowned local chef Gia
Passalacqua, was absurdly delicious. "Meals were very important
here," Kate told me as we dined. "That's what this ranch is all
about, bringing people together in a joyful setting."
My notes on the wines tasted with dinner are posted below.
2014 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Gris
Russian River Valley - California, Sonoma
County, Russian River Valley
SRP:
$20
Smells
of creamy yellow apples, nectarines and rich yellow flowers. Bright acid on the
palate keeps this lively while the creamy fruit rolls in (pears, nectarines,
yellow apples). I get notes of honeycomb and floral perfume. A very pretty
Pinot Gris with lots of life. The fruit comes from MacMurray Ranch and Two Rock
Vineyard. Very good for the price. (87 points)
2014 MacMurray Ranch Chardonnay
Russian River Valley - California, Sonoma
County, Russian River Valley
SRP:
$20
Great
aromatic vivacity: green and yellow pears and apples, honeysuckle, almond and
some flinty notes. Crisp but buttery, the balance is wonderful. Tastes of the
ripest pears, sliced green apples, with notes of honeycomb, cinnamon, yet some
mineral tinge throughout. Love the balance of freshness and richness in this
Chard. From Laguna Ranch, Del Rio and Two Rock Vineyards. So good for the
price. (88 points)
2013 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir
Reserve Russian River Valley - California,
Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP:
$37
Nose
of juicy black and red cherries, raspberry jam, along with tobacco, roses and
wet earth. A full and velvety approach on the palate, bold, almost aggressive,
but some moderate acid for balance. The fruit tends toward the jammy red
currants and raspberries, but the fruit is tinted with notes of rhubarb, red
clay, caramel and coffee. Long, rich, warm, even exotic. A richer style but
very pretty – this will improve for quite some time. From Laguna Ranch, Del Rio
and MacMurray Ranch Vineyards. Aged 10 months in 1/3 new French oak. (90 points)
2013 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Block Selection Russian River Valley - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP:
$60
A
wonderfully complex nose of black cherries, raspberries, red licorice, sage,
clove, roses, tilled soil. So silky and refined on the palate but the richness
is evident. The red fruit is tangy and fresh and complemented by rhubarb pie
and tobacco flavors. An underlying mineral essence as well, with hints of
savory elements that will come out with time. A much more refined Pinot than
the Russian River Reserve, and one of my favorite wines of the trip. From Del
Rio, Laguna Ranch and MacMurray Ranch Vineyards. (92 points)
2007 Gallo Family Vineyards Sémillon
Late Harvest Style - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Rich aromas of peach nectar, candied orange peel
and clover honey. Smooth and rich on the palate with apricot jam, pineapple
cake, orange marmalade, also some candied ginger and caramelized sugar. Medium
acid helps balance the richness. Very delicious. (87 points) |
| The MacMurray Ranch has a lot of different slopes, angles and soils, allowing the Pinot grapes to gain significant complexity. And here's some GoPro footage from my time at MacMurray Ranch: |
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