MacMurray Estate Vineyards

Do you remember actor Fred MacMurray? He was a popular film and TV star of the 50’s and 60’s. When Fred wasn’t acting he followed his dream and became a dedicated rancher. Fred bought an old ranch in Sonoma County California in 1941 and began to work with cattle. The wine part of the MacMurray ranch began in 1991 when it was found to be in a perfect location for growing the Burgundian grapes, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and armed with this information Fred’s daughter Kate created the vineyard. It did not take long before the MacMurray wines began to receive national as well as international recognition by continually garnering the highest ratings from wine experts year after year. The current releases are now on dealer’s shelves and in restaurants continuing the tradition begun by Fred, they are excellent.

 
MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2012 Russian River Pinot Noir ($28). Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley is probably the finest region in California for growing the Pinot Noir grape and the MacMurry Vineyard is located in the center of that region. The cool microclimate of the Russian River Valley allows the grapes to develop slowly and it is that slow ripening which results in the grapes developing deeper and more concentrated flavors. Couple development on the vine, careful selection of the fruit, slow fermentation, and aging for 8 months in French oak barrels and you have the MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2012 Russian River Pinot Noir. This exceptional wine exhibits a broad spectrum of flavors, with cherries and red berries being the most prominent. There are also many other flavors lying in the background with oak and an earthy mushroom flavor being the most obvious. This very well made, medium bodied wine is drinkable now or can be laid down for as long as five years, to gain additional complexity and depth

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MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2012 Central Valley Pinot Noir ($23). The MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2012 Central Valley Pinot Noir offers everything that has singled out the great Pinot Noir’s of the past; an inviting ruby color, a firm body, a captivating aroma, a positive and definable flavor and a long, enduring finish, all wrapped in a smooth, velvet-like robe. The aroma displays cherry, raspberry pomegranate and oak. The flavor is about as classical as it can get; black cherry, spice, and a hint of truffles. All of these carry over to the finish where they linger on the palate for a very long time. This is a great Pinot Noir made in the tradition of the Burgundian classics and reconfirms our belief that exceptional Pinot Noir wines can be made in the United States. We can recommend this wine to you without any question and we know that the MacMurray Estate Vineyards Noir experience will captivate you as it did us. This is a wine that we feel should definitely not be missed.

 
MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2013 Russian River Chardonnay ($20). There are plenty of Chardonnay wines on the market, so for one to stand out over the others, it has to be exceptional and the MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2013 Russian River Chardonnay is just that. The aroma is overflowing with vanilla, melon, clove, honey, and spice. The flavor prominently displays apple, orange blossom, vanilla and that flinty background sensation that marks all Sonoma County wines. The flint and the apple carry over to the long and complex finish, which is complimented by hints of tropical fruits. This wine also has that soft, velvet, buttery mouth feel sought after by all Chardonnay winemakers. To sum up the Chateau MacMurray Estate Vineyards 2013 Russian River Chardonnay, it is a near perfect wine. From beginning to end, this is a grand wine and is worth far more than its $20 price tag. We also would like to thank MacMurray Estate Vineyards for reestablishing our faith in the Chardonnay grape and the wines that can be made form them. If we sound as though we were impresses, we were.