Winemaker Notes
The Merry Edwards 2016 sonoma coast pinot noir is the combined blend of the eight individual lots of wine grown at five distinctive vineyard sites. The profile is a true cool-climate expression of pinot noir - elegant and nuanced in aroma with a palate that’s light on its feet. This pinot is equally comfortable as a before-dinner treat or paired with an early course as part of a sumptuous banquet. This highly expressive pinot noir has an aroma suffused with Queen Anne cherries, red and gold raspberries, blueberries and plums. Balancing this abundant fruit is a savory side - aged italian salami, prosciutto, rosemary, mushroom and black tea. Notes of grand marnier, cinnamon spice, cracked black pepper and lightly smoked oak add even more depth. On the dense entry, fine tannins build a sweet, mellow palate. It is laced with brown spices, a hint of bramble, cocoa powder and a bit of cranberry. One might even find a hint of the blood orange and lemon-infused averna amaro from sicily, which provides additional depth. An elegant, well-balanced wine, the finish is firm and focused. It pairs well with sliced papaya, rice pilaf, and pureed banana squash with butter, white pepper and fresh orange juice.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Sultry red fruit is seasoned in cardamom and baking spice with a lovely lilt of orange peel that accentuates the underlying acidity. Thick and concentrated on entry, the wine settles into a velvety smooth and floral expression of coastal crunchy fruit.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
In a time where single-site bottlings of Pinot proliferate, it is all too easy to overlook those simply labeled by their appellation, but we have commented before on just how good how many of the latter can be. This one claiming no more than Sonoma Coast origins dramatically makes just that point and is a lovely, well-filled, near-velvety offering that hits all of the varietal bases with a wealth of juicy, ripe cherry fruit leading the way. It has enough structural grip to ensure years of successful cellaring, but it is the one of its family that we would opt to drink first and will serve as a most tasty foil to a well-seasoned pork roast in the relative near term.
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.
The Sonoma Coast AVA is large in area but, not counting overlapping regions like Russian River Valley, only has a few thousand acres of grapevines—and it’s no wonder. Much of the region is rugged and not easily accessible. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s fog and cool breezes limits the varieties that can be cultivated, but it proves to be an ideal environment for high quality Pinot Noir.
Since fog is a frequent fact of life here, as are heavy marine layers that sometimes bring rain, the best vineyards are wisely planted above the fog line, on picturesque ridges that capture enough sun to provide even ripening. That, with the overnight drop in temperature that reliably preserves acidity, results in fine expressions of Pinot Noir that often receive tremendous critic and consumer praise alike, and are often in high demand.