Whom You Know Highly Recommends the MacMurray 2007 Pinot Noir, Central Coast

Whom You Know is pleased to continue our coverage of MacMurray Ranch!  It is one of the premier Pinot Noir producers in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley, and has been a farmstead since the early 1850s, when Col. Hugh Porter returned from the Mexican war and built a home there for his family.  

There are many wines to choose from, as shown below. We have previously recommended the Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/02/history-lives-in-vineyards-of-macmurray.html

We found the Pinot Noir Central Coast equally desirable!

Porter chose a place in a bend in the river, where Porter Creek now flows through meadows, vineyards, and hills on its way to join in the water’s rush to the sea. Clear springs ran out of the hillsides around the valley floor, and the land was generous. Wild oats grew in abundance, and wildflowers bloomed after winter rains. 

Porter’s family lived on the land for several generations, farming livestock and market crops in the rich silt soils of the valley floor.  In 1941, actor Fred MacMurray, a legend of Hollywood’s Golden Era, bought the ranch brought his family there to enjoy the natural wonders of Sonoma County and to share the solid, rewarding lifestyle of a gentleman rancher. 

For MacMurray and his family, Hollywood was work, and the ranch was home. He raised prize-winning cattle, and the children rode horseback through the hills. He added on to the ranch, buying land when neighbors wanted to sell.  For 50 years, the MacMurray Ranch was nurtured under his hand. 

In 1996, the Gallo family bought the ranch from the MacMurray family and began their current term as caretakers of the land. They restored the original buildings, planted trees along the creeks, and planted grape vines behind the farmhouse.  

Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris wine grapes now flourish where cattle once roamed. The ranch covers more than 1500 acres on both sides of the Russian River, and only about 450 acres are under vine.  In addition to the Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, the ranch carries a few acres of Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Zinfandel. 

A variety of Pinot Noir clones are planted in the specific microclimates of the Lower, Middle, and Upper valleys of the ranch.  Dijon, Pommard, and Wadenswil clones are each matched to specific places, block by block, row by row, to get the best results from every vine.  

The old homestead is still shaded by giant oaks at the edge of a meadow.  Most of the neighbors are now farming for flavor and making world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. But there are still a few diversified farms nearby, dairy and cattle and market crops, that are signposts pointing to a past when land was everything, and the future was measured in generations.

At Whom You Know we will be reviewing a few of these wines. We loved the Pinot Noir Central Coast just as much as the Sonoma Coast.  MacMurray is our favorite Pinot Noir producer.

The Whom You Know Champagne Wishes Panel raved:

Another Winner from MacMurray Ranch! Their 2007 Pinot Noir, Central Coast comes from a large region that is great for wine making and growing grapes. With lots of hills and unique terrain and soil the grapes are hearty and full of flavor and complexity. From grapes like these, MacMurray Ranch produces another wonderful Pinot Noir. It possesses extreme fruit characters of red and black fruits. Dark currants, cherries and blueberries permeate my nose at first sniff. These intense flavors blend brilliantly with a bit of a earthy note. Good acidity and a hint of oak makes this a bit jazzier. A light to medium body sits perfectly with my palette. The wine is lively, balanced and at a terrific price-point. Pinot Noirs are great paired with all meats and some fish like Tuna and Salmon. Also lovely paired with the comfort food like pasta bolognese and an all American hamburger. Definitely a rich experience!

A balanced and even-tasting red wine, the Macmurray Ranch Central Coast Pinot Noir 2007 just bursts with the fruity notes of dark berries like blueberry, raspberry and cherry, with just the right amount of earthiness and woodsy notes.  When swilling in the glass, the aroma is sweet and floral.  Upon tasting, the wine is slightly sweet and fruity, the tartness is minimal, it's a good wine for those who are just discovering red wines. It's pleasant and mild enough but contains all the notes that makes red wine appealing.  Compared with the Macmurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007, I think this is the milder and softer red wine, complementing a wider variety of dishes and cuisines.

As it is now March and not the depths of winter, -thank goodness!- we at Whom You Know were searching for the perfect red.  We wanted something that was full and delicious, yet not overbearing as some reds can be.  Pinot Noir is a great choice, and the MacMurray 2007 Pinot Noir Central Coast is among the best on the market, especially for the price.  We at Whom You Know attend many wine conferences that display both domestic and international choices, and we have not seen any Pinot Noirs that we prefer over this one.  The boldness is the right level to swing into spring with, and this wine would successfully pair with many kinds of dishes.  

THE WHOM YOU KNOW CHAMPANGE WISHES PANEL ENDORSES THE MACMURRAY  2007 PINOT NOIR, CENTRAL COAST.  IT IS THE ONE OF THE BEST REDS TO SWING INTO SPRING WITH! ***  Kate MacMurray and the Spirit of MacMurray Ranch   HEALDSBURG, CA -- Kate MacMurray takes the long view of life among the vineyards of MacMurray Ranch. “Life at the ranch still follows the cadences of the changing seasons,” she says, “as it has for as long as I can remember.” Kate was only six weeks old when her parents, film actors Fred MacMurray and June Haver, brought her to the Russian River Valley ranch that had been in the family since 1941. They raised crops and cattle and took an active role in the local agricultural community. The 4-H Club, Future Farmers of America, and other land-linked organizations were welcomed at the ranch from all corners of Sonoma County. Today, MacMurray Ranch, with its old homestead, rolling hills, and the well-kept vineyards, remains a gathering place for the community and for wine aficionados from around the world. “There is a wonderful sense of timelessness here,” Kate says. “The seasons in the vineyard mark the gentle turning of the earth. I tell time by the vines.” Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes were planted in the mid-1990s, and the first vintage of MacMurray Ranch wines arrived with the new millennium. Kate sees parallels between her life today on MacMurray Ranch and her former life as an actor and writer in Hollywood. “One of the techniques actors use is called ‘sense memory’, reaching for remembered aromas or flavors to evoke a time and place and emotion. Tasting our Pinot Noir wines is like that…one sip reminds you of wild berries; the next sip is earthy and warm like a summer afternoon; the next carries the sense of cool ocean fog. You really get a whole movie in every glass.” Kate’s active role in the Russian River Valley includes her support of the local equestrian community, the Healdsburg Museum and Historical Society, as well as hosting nationally renowned events such as the Sonoma Wine Weekend Showcase, and the Russian River Valley Winegrowers’ annual “Grape to Glass” harvest celebration. MacMurray Ranch Winemaker Susan Doyle and Kate together are creating the ongoing story of MacMurray Ranch. Kate loves to share Susan’s wines with her guests at the ranch, and she travels to all corners of the country to present the wines and tell their story.   “There’s a saying that you only get encores on stage, not in life, but every harvest here is a renewal for us, a promise kept and a new promise made in the wine itself.”  http://www.macmurrayranch.com/