Winemaker Notes
Premium grapes were selected from the finest vineyards in the Alexander Valley, Sonoma Valley, Knights Valley, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek and Carneros to craft the best Sonoma County Merlot. The Alexander Valley grapes highlight bright cherry flavors, while the Knights Valley and Dry Creek Valleys give cassis flavors and elegant structure. The Sonoma Valley produces black and dense grapes with supple tannins. The last components - the cooler Russian River Valley and Carneros regions - contribute black, exotic aromas and firm structure.
"This Merlot opens with a huge burst of violets, lavender, ripe plums, lovely blueberry, cherry
and cassis scents. Spicy oak and polished tannins even the balance in this lush, rich Merlot
that pulls up bittersweet chocolate and finishes with cedar and black cherry fruit notes."
-Margo Van Staaveren, Winemaker
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.