WTN: Merry Edwards 2004 Pinot Noir RRV

Merry Edwards 2004 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

A dark raspberry kool-aid color deceived me to think this is not a serious wine, but one whiff changes that.

The nose of cherry-berry fruit and vanilla/sandlewood is a profile that I see in most of Merry Edwards' better wine, this being a blend of vineyard sources. So far, this bottle drinks best of her 2004 releases for current consumption and matches up well with a light dinner of grilled homemade fish sausage and sour cherry couscous. Maybe it was the vintage warmth that brings forward the fruit so well, but there's a silky, supple mouthfeel balanced over the acid here that I find very attractive. I rarely find this in California Pinot where ripe fruit is on display without overripeness, with no alcohol burn, and without a ham-fisted use of oak. Second of 4 bottles bought on release from the winery in Spring 2006, Da*m it , I wish I'd ordered more.

Yeah, I like what Ms. Edwards did in '04 as well, Jeff.

But then, I generally like what she does every year. With her predominately cold climate vineyard selections from the far west of RRV/Sonoma Coast, she manages to express that particular spiciness I appreciate from the area (without the raisiny/pruney qualities).

Hoke,

Yep, exactly, me too. She does quite well by me. She gets it ripe, ummm, right - without going too far past. The '04s should continue to be quite good for quite a while, several have a real chance to go a long way in big bottle. Hope you got some.

Add me to the Merry Edwards fans. Her RRV Pinots are some of the few that don't strike me as overextracted and heavy (Williams-Selyem does well, too, in my limited experience)

Mark Lipton

Mark,

Nice to hear from you. Are you tracking the Williams-Selyem wines ? It's been a long time since I've had one but I recall Burt having an unusually deft touch with the balance and texture.

I'm on the mailing list for both Merry Edwards and Williams Selyem (original owners at the latter have sold their operation) but can only afford to order selectively. I have four bottles of Merry Edwards's wines from four different vineyards coming in later this month. I have consistently liked Merry Edwards's wines although one I tasted several years ago had more blueberry flavor than I prefer. I was fortunate to be seated with the winemaker and her family members at a Pinot Noir dinner in Raleigh several years ago. I asked her about her early career (only two women in her class at UC-Davis and the other one did not remain in the wine industry.) I believe it was her husband who remarked that it was a pleasure to be able to sit there drinking her wines with us as they don't get to drink them very often (like the lobsterman who can't afford to eat up his livelihood by putting the lobsters on his own table ver often.)

Mark,

Nice to hear from you. Are you tracking the Williams-Selyem wines ? It's been a long time since I've had one but I recall Burt having an unusually deft touch with the balance and texture.

I got some from '04 in the cellar, courtesy of some good friends on the mailing list. I went to their annual release party with those friends back in '05 and tasted through most of their non-vineyard designated wines, which were across the board good, restrained versions of PN. Those were '03s, and I haven't had more recent years.

Mark Lipton

JC,

I actually like some of that blueberry note in her wine, if only as an accent and as long as it's not dominating the chorus.

It's funny that you should mention her early career. I tell of this tasting on the board every so often, so forgive me but it bears repetition.

I learned of Merry Edwards for the first time at a New Years eve dinner, I think in 1993. The host offered a magnum of her Mt. Eden Vineyards 1973 Pinot noir. It trumped an entire table of famous wines that night, some real heavyweight reviewer and personal favorites, including a fantastic 1985 DRC Grand Echezeaux. Basically her wine stunned the entire room and I became an instant Merry Edwards fan. It was the finest California Pinot noir I'd ever had, the equal of anything made of the Pinot grape I've had to this day. What an ethereal aroma, texture and finish.

I have long since given up chasing Burgundy's Pinot noir whim; I find far more satisfaction in the Rhone. But I lay down a few 750s and magnums of Merry's wines for long development, in hopes of finding some new version of magic from her hand on this grape again. She's special.

Wow! A California Pinot Noir that was stunning after two decades! I'm impressed!

I learned of Merry Edwards for the first time at a New Years eve dinner, I think in 1993. The host offered a magnum of her Mt. Eden Vineyards 1973 Pinot noir. It trumped an entire table of famous wines that night, some real heavyweight reviewer and personal favorites, including a fantastic 1985 DRC Grand Echezeaux. Basically her wine stunned the entire room and I became an instant Merry Edwards fan. It was the finest California Pinot noir I'd ever had, the equal of anything made of the Pinot grape I've had to this day. What an ethereal aroma, texture and finish.

I have long since given up chasing Burgundy's Pinot noir whim; I find far more satisfaction in the Rhone. But I lay down a few 750s and magnums of Merry's wines for long development, in hopes of finding some new version of magic from her hand on this grape again. She's special.

Great story, Jeff, but your search may not bear much fruit. That '73 MEV PN not only was made by Merry Edwards, but made with cuttings of PN brought by Martin Ray (by way of Paul Masson) back from Louis Latour's vineyards to the Santa Cruz mountains. I seem to recall that she actually got some cuttings of those "Martin Ray clones" when she planted her vineyards in the RRV, but there's more than a bit of difference in terroir between those two sites.

Mrk Lipton

Mark,

Sure, I agree Mark. I've heard this about the cuttings and clones too. I won't see that same magic from her RRV sources, but perhaps her touch will conjur up something new and different instead.

It's fun and I am rarely disappointed with her efforts. She's my Joe Swan now; once you've had their greatest wine, you know you gotta follow along to see what's next.

Mark,

Sure, I agree Mark. I've heard this about the cuttings and clones too. I won't see that same magic from her RRV sources, but perhaps her touch will conjur up something new and different instead.

It's fun and I am rarely disappointed with her efforts. She's my Joe Swan now; once you've had their greatest wine, you know you gotta follow along to see what's next.

Funny that you should mention Joe Swan, as Rod Berglund is one of the few other CA PN producers whose wines I look for. He's bit less consistent than Merry Edwards, though, but also gets more terroir IMO.

Mark Lipton

Mark,

I agree very much, Merry's hand is what one sees more, whereas Rod was doing some really fine work at Swan with each property; I've lost track of his current efforts except for what I hear from folks here.

I met Joe at his place probably in late '84 and his zinfandels were what drew me to him. My Dad was a customer for a few years and we never figured out why Swan got zero attention. After, and in the '90s with Rod there, the PN was what I found more exciting. They both really get it for me.

The pinot noir grape is so interesting; Burgundy's prices chased me away. Once i start looking to pick up a few bottles of things again, I will have to set what's up at JSW.