Winemaker Notes
This is classic Olivet Lane, with aromas of cherries, violets and fresh strawberries along with subtle earthy notes of forest floor and mushroom. The entry is round and lush, balanced on the palate ? overall a well-structured wine supported by oak. A dusting of pretty brown spice and a hint of cream soda linger on the finish. Given some time in the bottle, this elegant and engaging wine will continue to develop for years to come.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A bright ruby color, the 2021 Pinot Noir Olivet Lane is toasty on opening, with notes of incense, cedar, cranberries, and high-toned spices. All about elegance, it’s medium-bodied and refreshing, with refined, sweet tannins, a silky texture, and a clean lift of fresh acidity. A well-balanced and highly charming wine, it will benefit from another couple of years in bottle to shed its more primary fruit.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and open-knit, this friendly style leads with plum compote and cherry preserves, backed by hints of anise and hibiscus on the finish. A crowd-pleaser. Drink now through 2029. 600 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Pinot Noir Olivet Lane is scented of sour cherries, cranberries, charcuterie, tobacco and woodsmoke. The light-bodied palate offers concentrated, crunchy fruit. It has a silky texture, refreshing acidity and a long, spicy finish.
Merry Edwards Winery was founded in 1997 and produces critically acclaimed terroir-driven Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blanc using site-specific viticulture in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations. Over two decades, Merry assembled a stellar collection of vineyards and with her meticulous attention to detail crafted Pinot Noirs of immense depth, elegant structure and exceptional longevity. Her Sauvignon Blanc is among the most sought after in the world.
Now a Certified California Sustainable Winery, the brand entered a new chapter after Merry’s retirement. Merry’s handpicked successor, Winemaker Heidi von der Mehden, and Winery President Nicole Carter have taken up exactly where Merry left off and will continue to make wines treasured by legions of Merry Edwards’ fans well into the future.
While the Russian River Valley is a large appellation with multiple climate zones and soil types, it is best known for cool-climate varieties, with Pinot Noir as the most celebrated. The grapes benefit from a reliable late afternoon flow of Pacific Ocean fog through the Petaluma Gap and along the Russian River Valley that ensures slow and steady ripening and the preservation of grape acidity. Today many of California’s most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards are in the Russian River Valley, along with its sub-appellation, Green Valley.
Historically Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs had bright red fruit and delicate earthy, mineral notes. But changes in viticultural and winemaking practices have led to stylistic changes in some of the region’s wines. Adjustments to canopy management, among other techniques, have resulted in riper fruit and bolder wines as well. These show flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cola, spice and darker, loamy earth tones, accenting traditional Pinot Noir notes of strawberry, raspberry and light cherry.