Last Fall, I had another Zoom tasting with the fine folks from Merriam Vineyards in the Russian River Valley. As I normally do, before the call, I did a bit of research and discovered that Peter Merriam, who founded the winery with his wife, Diana, is a native of the great state of Maine.

Some of you may recall that I did my undergraduate studies in the Pine Tree State, and I still consider it my second home, even though I only spent a few years there. Even though Peter and I do not share an alma mater (and worse, one of his children attended our biggest rival), I felt an immediate kinship once I heard his “DownEast” accent.

The connection was further solidified knowing that the two honeymooned in France and their love of wine and eventual purchase of a winery was fostered in the country where I have spent a large portion of my life.

While I still have not visited the winery, I plan to change that this Spring. As for the wines? They were pretty fantastic, top to bottom. 

2023 Merriam Vineyards Chardonnay Eastside Estate, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $46. Heavy Bottle (602g; 21.2oz). 30% new French oak. Peter Merriam fell in love with wine on his month-long honeymoon in France, and it continued as the owner of a package store north of Boston. After he bought a Merlot vineyard in Sonoma in the early 2000s, he couldn’t wait to graft some over to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He desired to produce wines that emulated the stars of Burgundy, using California fruit. This Chardonnay (which has a significant amount of Chardonnay Musqué in the blend) is a testament to those efforts. Light to medium yellow in the glass with a wonderfully aromatic nose of tropical fruit, white acacia flower, a touch of minerality, and just a hint of spice. Fruity, weighty, tart, a bit spicy, and fantastic on the palate with nice balance throughout. While there is no doubt this is a juicy California Chard, it is far from the overoaked monsters that defined the region for far too long. While I am loath to use the term “Burgundian”, this Merriam certainly tips a cap in the direction of France. Excellent. 92 Points.

2023 Merriam Vineyards Pinot Noir Diana’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $56. Responsible Bottle (599g; 21.1oz). I tasted this blind, as part of The Eighth Annual World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American Pinot Noir. Medium to dark with an earthy element to the nose that masks the bright red fruit underneath. Quite tart on the palate, but it works well with that earthy element. Also, plenty of acidity and a very lengthy finish. I feel this will be better with a bit more time in the bottle, but it is really good right now. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2021 Merriam Vineyards Miktos, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $84, Very Heavy Bottle (736g; 25.9oz). 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 15% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot. Under cork. Another top-end wine from Merriam and another really heavy bottle. Sigh. I am going to get to work on it… As for the contents? Dark, but not brooding, with oodles of spice and black fruit on the nose. The palate is inviting and tasty for sure, with plenty of the black fruit that the nose did portend. That dark fruit is paired with a zesty tang that certainly matches the fruit step by step. There is a touch of silky tannins here that are certainly approachable, but indicate some cellaring is possible. But this is all so delicious now, why wait? Outstanding. 93 Points.

2021 Merriam Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Rockpile AVA, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $88. Very Heavy Bottle (736g; 25.9oz). Under cork. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This bottle was part of an online tasting with the owner and winemaker at Merriam, but I didn’t pop the bottles during the tasting since, well, I was in France, and I did not have them with me; a fairly solid excuse if I do say so myself. I had big hopes for this wine, as I have been quite impressed with all of the wines I have tried from Merriam, and this is one of their higher-profile cuvées. First impression? Meh. Overly fruity in the glass without much depth; really more of a supermarket kind of crowd pleaser. But. On Day 2? Yowza. And. Whoa. Rich, textured, layered, and complex, this is certainly on the big side of Cabernet, but that is what one would expect from the Rockpile AVA. Dark, just short of brooding with plenty of black and blue fruit, paired with a subtle floral aspect and plenty of verve. Why the two extremes between Day One and Day Two? While I do not have a ton of experience with Rockpile wines, those that I have tried have needed time to open up and express their full potential. My suggestion? Decant this wine for an hour or two; or better yet, cellar it for at least a half a dozen years. You can thank me in 2032. Outstanding. 94 Points.