SONOMA WINES
Merlot
Sonoma County
Merlot
Sonoma County
Picked from the Best of Sonoma County
Our Merlot is built from fruit grown across Sonoma County, drawn from our own certified sustainable estate vineyards and from trusted growers who have farmed these hillsides and valleys for generations. Warm, sunny days ripen the fruit fully. Cool evening breezes and fog off the Pacific roll in at night to keep it fresh and balanced. Every vineyard we source from brings something of its own, and bringing those pieces together is how we build a Merlot with real depth.
Vineyard Sourcing
Sauvignon Blanc thrives in Sonoma County, where it is carefully cultivated in our Sonoma Valley Wild Oak Vineyard and the Russian River Valley Lagomarsino Vineyard. We also source premium grapes from other renowned Sonoma County regions, including Alexander Valley and Bennett Valley. The warmer microclimates in these areas contribute rich, full flavors and aromatic intensity, while the cooler regions bring refreshing crispness to the wine. This harmonious blend creates a wine that is vibrant, balanced, and lively.
Vineyard Sourcing
The grapes in our Sonoma County Merlot are sourced from our Certified Sustainable Estate Behler and Wild Oak Vineyards as well as from premier growers throughout the region. Merlot thrives in Sonoma’s picturesque valleys where warm days are cooled by evening breezes and fog from the Pacific Ocean. Each carefully selected vineyard contributes distinctive and individual qualities to the finished wine.
The First Merlot in the Sonoma Valley
In 1971, our founder Joe Martin planted the first Merlot vines in Sonoma Valley. At the time, hardly anyone in California was betting on the grape. He saw something in it, and in this place. More than five decades later, those roots still run through every bottle we make. Growing Merlot here was never a trend we followed. It's a story we started.
Rich, Round, and Easy to Love💖
Merlot earned its following for a reason. It’s the wine that welcomes you in, plush and generous, with soft tannins and a smooth, rounded feel across the palate. There’s real structure underneath, enough to give the wine shape and let it age gracefully, but it never turns heavy or hard. That balance of richness and ease is what makes a great Merlot just as easy to open on a weeknight as it is to pour for something worth celebrating.
The grapes for our Sonoma County Merlot are gently de-stemmed, then cold-soaked for two days to enhance color and flavor extraction. Fermentation takes place in small, separate lots, allowing each to be carefully crafted to highlight its unique characteristics. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 15 months in French oak barrels—20% new—before final blending and bottling, resulting in a beautifully balanced and expressive Merlot.