Macauley Bacigalupi Vineyard Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022

The Macauley Vineyard label was originally launched in the early 1980s by Mac Watson's late mother, Ann Macauley Watson, with a highly regarded late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc. Many years later, with a stint at Rudd Winery under his belt, Mac resurrected the brand, and today carries on a special legacy that his mother started nearly 30 years ago. Mac's longtime friend, Kirk Venge serves as the celebrated winemaker for the Macauley Vineyard wines, continuing a very trusted relationship the two have shared since childhood. In addition to partnering with famed grape growers David Abreu and Andy Beckstoffer, these small-production wines have continued to grow to the top of the charts with critics and collectors.   We are pleased to share the inaugural release of the 2019 Kalyteros-a selection of the best barrels from two acclaimed Oakville vineyards in their portfolio.

Behind the winemaking is Kirk Venge, a Napa native whose name has become synonymous with rich, bold, extravagant wines. Growing up in Rutherford in the heart of the Napa Valley, his childhood memories are steeped in grape growing, winemaking and the fragrance of a wine cellar. Some of Kirk's earliest memories are of helping his father, Nils (another Napa Valley winemaking legend), with basket-pressing Cabernet from the family's Saddleback Vineyard and of manning the pump switch during late-night barrel-racking projects. After graduating from Saint Helena High School, Kirk pursued a degree in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis, one of the most well-regarded institutions for these studies in the world. Since then, he has worked harvests all around the world but has always kept his home here in the Napa Valley, making some of the most well-regarded wines over the last couple of decades, including Macauley, Hunnicutt, B Cellars, Bacio Divino, and his own label, Venge Family Vineyards.

The 2022 Chardonnay is a brighter, crisper, and leaner Chardonnay than the brand has ever made in the past, yet still fermented and aged for 11 months in the stainless steel, concrete egg and neutral French oak barrels. "The ’22 fires off fresh and bright rounds from the start, with notes of wet stone, lemon skin, quince and lemongrass. It’s not a big wine, but one with focus, purity, energy and crisp edges. Savor the lifted aromatics and citrusy mouth feel. The stone minerality awakens the palate and shows the kind of balance of salinity that will draw you back for sip after sip. It’s just gorgeous." - Kirk Venge