Normally, Friday means another edition of what I call the “Random Samples” where I review a slew of the various samples that land on my doorstep over the course of the year. This week, however, the wines all come from one producer, Merriam Vineyards in the Russian River Valley.
I do not know much about the producer, other than what I could glean from their website, but this first foray into the wines (a second box arrived just as I was leaving for the airport) was impressive.
Peter and Diana Merriam bought the vineyard in the early 2000s since, among other attributes, the property reminded them of their family home in Cape Neddick, Maine. That just furthered my interest since I did my undergraduate work in Maine, just up the coast in Brunswick.
So here are the first half-dozen wines I have tried from Merriam, with more on the way shortly…
2022 Merriam Vineyards Fumé Blanc Danielle’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $30. Heavy Bottle. I have not had a ton of Merriam, in fact, this might the first bottle I have opened from the winery. Doing a bit of digging they have some roots on the East Coast, particularly New England and Maine, which are close to my heart. I need to dig in there a little bit. As for this wine? I am no fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but this is particularly compelling (and how many Sauv Blanc vines are there in the Russian River?). More tree fruit than tropical on the nose with intense peach, pear, and even apricot. The palate is round and delicious, with a balancing acidity and an herbal note. Whoa. Yeah, this is outstanding and makes me wonder why there is not more SB from Russian River? Excellent. 90 Points.
2019 Merriam Vineyards Merlot Windacre, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $65. Very Heavy Bottle (729g; 1lb 9.7oz). Under cork. As I mentioned in a previous note, I do not have a ton of experience with Merriam Vineyrads. Nor do I have a ton of bottles of Merlot under my “tasting” belt (insert Sideways joke here if so inclined). But. This is delightful. Fairly dark in color with black and blue berry, cassis, and a hint of plum on the nose. The palate is both more reserved and acid-driven than I had expected. Yeah, I would say this is more Old World than New, but at this point does it matter? This is delicious. Excellent. 92 Points.
2021 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Franc Windacre, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $55. Very Heavy Bottle (729g; 1lb 9.7oz). 100% Cabernet Franc. Cab Franc is a bit of the red-headed stepchild of the Bordeaux varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly the king, Merlot has the Right Bank and Saint Emillon (Miles be damned), Malbec has found a home in Argentina, and then there is Cab Franc (OK, I am ignoring Petit Verdot since its omission better fits into my narrative). For me, if I had to choose between any of the above as a single varietal wine, I would have to go with good old Franc (yes, even above Cab Sauv) since it just seems to have both more acidity and character, two elements that I find crucial in fine wine. And this wine certainly fits the bill with dark, close to brooding fruit (blackberry, cassis, plum), black pepper, and a lovely herbal aspect of sweet basil and sage. The palate comes of even better than I anticipated (particularly after some time open) with rich, even luscious fruit, plenty of spice, that herbal quality that I love in Cab Franc, and, yes, a zingy acidity. Just wonderful: vibrant, fruity, elegant, and layered. Bravo. Outstanding. 93 Points.
2019 Merriam Vineyards Miktos, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $84. Very Heavy Bottle (738g; 1lb 10oz). 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. A classic Bordeaux blend with an equally classic nose of dark fruit (blackberry, cassis), dark spice (black pepper, cardamom, even a touch of anise), an herbal aspect (sage), and a red rose aspect. Whoa. The palate is quite nice with fruit, of course, but it is surprisingly subtle along with a nice level of spice and plenty of chutzpah. Lovely. Outstanding. 94 Points.
2019 Merriam Vineyards “Right Bank”, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $84. Very Heavy Bottle (738g; 1lb 10oz). 60% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. Medium color with a more earthy note than the Miktos with some tart red and dark berry, quite floral, and a touch of spice. The palate is much more demure, even reserved with acidity being the driving force here and it works. Sure, I think it would work better with some food (perhaps the wagyu meatloaf I made earlier), but this is pretty fantastic on its own. Excellent. 92 Points.
2019 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gloeckner Turner Ranch, Rockpile Vineyard, Sonoma County, CA: $88. Very Heavy Bottle (738g; 1lb 10oz). 100% Cabernet from Rockpile. When you see Rockpile it is a) Probably fairly expensive and b) Probably really good. I would argue that Rockpile is coming close to American “Grand Cru” status, sitting above Lake Sonoma at 1300-1500 feet, it consistently produces some of the best Zinfandel and Cabernet in the entire county. And this follows that thinking. Plenty dark in the glass with spice, fruit, vanilla, and a floral aspect that sets this wine apart from the rest of the already stellar Merriam line-up. The palate continues along with the theme: rich, even unctuous fruit, plenty of body and depth, and an acidity that starts up front and continues right on through the finish. Yowza. Fantastic. Outstanding. 96 Points.
the drunken cyclist 