Winemaker Notes
#16 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2024
The special care they take to bring out the very best in this variety shows in their results. They use a specific mix of clones – two-thirds Shenandoah (Clone 1) and one-third Sauvignon Musqué – that results in a wine brimming with floral and tropical fruit aromatics with a citrusy, juicy core. Barrel fermentation and twice weekly lees stirring help us create the characteristic creamy texture and rich body that you’ve come to know and share with your friends and family.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A stunning white, this leaps out of the glass with aromatic mango, orange blossom and salted ripe melon flavors. Gains complexity from grilled peach, lemon oil, savory litsea oil and toasted herb elements, with a fleshy, creamy texture and fresh acidity.
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Tasting Panel
Barrel fermented and aged sur lie for five months in (18% new) French oak, this wine glistens with Meyer lemon and honeydew. Pineapple, gardenia, and sweet basil line the palate, lending zing to a finish of salty minerality.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A bright silver color, the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley is an exuberant white with lots of personality in its aromas of quince, citrus blossoms, and fresh chive, as well as softer floral and tropical tones with flinty lift. Medium to full-bodied, it has a rounded and supple texture.
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James Suckling
A layered and creamy white with melon, apple puree and hints of kiwi. Medium body, creamy, and lovely al dente finish. Just a hint of sweetness.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc has gregarious aromas of white peach, kiwi and citrus blossoms. The light-bodied palate is bursting with tropical fruit. It has a soft, rounded texture, mouthwatering acidity and a long, flavorful 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.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
A standout region for its decidedly Californian take on Burgundian varieties, the Russian River Valley is named for the eponymous river that flows through it. While there are warm pockets of the AVA, it is mostly a cool-climate growing region thanks to breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir reign supreme in Russian River, with the best examples demonstrating a unique combination of richness and restraint. The cool weather makes Russian River an ideal AVA for sparkling wine production, utilizing the aforementioned varieties. Zinfandel also performs exceptionally well here. Within the Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. The former, farther from the ocean, is relatively warm, with a focus on red and white Bordeaux varieties. The latter is the coolest, foggiest parcel of the Russian River Valley and is responsible for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.