Merry Edwards Winery

Wonderful wines and wonderful experience. Merry Edwards has some of my favorite Pinots of anywhere in the world. Our host Scott was friendly, knowledgeable, and went out of his way to answer our questions. A special memory to kick off our anniversary weekend. Thank you!

What a fantastic tasting. Bernie was so welcoming and attentive. Presented the wines for a side by side comparison which allowed us to discover the nuances in the different Pinot noirs available. Bernie’s knowledge was superb and what a great representative for your brand. We are so glad to have chosen Merry Edwards for our tasting and you will not be disappointed.

Merry Edwards wine was fantastic. I loved the tasting room and outdoor patio. I had my wine tasting outside with Bernie. Bernie was Spectacular! So kind and full of knowledge. My favorite wines from the Tasting, 2022 Russian River Valley Pino Noir and the 2023 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc. 10/10 recommend!

Wonderful winery to visit. I’ve been a fan of Merry Edwards for only a few years, and I love all of their wines. They make delicious Pinots - from the fruit forward to the deeper, leathery ones. Their wines never disappoint. The winery offers tasting both inside and outside on the patio. They have 3 different tasting offerings - we did the middle one. However, we were there so long, they kept letting us try newly released vintages, bonus!!! Loved the explanations around where the vines were and how their locations changed the wine. I’ll definitely be back!

Consistently the best Pinot Noir winery in the state. My second visit, and was even better than the first. Our host Scott made it a very special event. Hopefully my next visit is right around the corner! Do yourself a favor and stop by for a tasting.

Wonderful experience with the best wine! Scott was amazing and spot on with the different tastes per wine, allowing us plenty of time to savor and enjoy each glass. The reserve wine tasting is not to be missed. Definitely a must visit on your trip to California wine country!

Loved all of the wines we tried in a regular tasting and some extra ones we got to sample. Hard to beat every taste at 93+ points! Also, Tom took fantastic care of us as he was super knowledgeable about the wines, history of the vineyard, and paced our tasting well!

We had such a great morning tasting here. Our host Linda was great, the wine was great, and the courtyard was so cute! We took a few bottles home, and I will definitely be returning! I would say it’s on the pricier side of tastings, but it is really high quality, and an informative experience.

Sauvignon blanc!! That's all I have to say, their sauv blanc is one of the best. It always is a favorite for any white wine. I always try to get a case and give it out as gifts. Did some wine tasting and loved their Pinots too. Cat on property Sauv Blanc!!

We love the Sauvignon Blanc, it's the best. I know Merry sold it to a bigger company a while ago, but the taste and quality is still there. It's just simply the best Sauvignon Blanc out there. We came here just to buy a case but saw that you get a free wine tasting if you purchase 3 or more. We were getting 12, so we decided to both try their reserve tasting. It was delicious. My son was able to play with the cat and walk around the garden. He enjoyed his time as well.

Believe it or not came here for the sav blanc. The Pinots stole the show but now I understand why the sav blanc is saved for the last part of the tasting. Absolutely delicious. The grounds are absolutely beautiful. We had Scott as our host. And wow- he was so kind, but even more knowledgeable about my the history and the wine. Thoroughly enjoyed him. We will for sure be back.

The service is wonderful and the space is serene. We came during a slower time towards the end of a Sunday and the wine, service, atmosphere was excellent. It's a small winery, recently bought out by a major champagne house, and they are known for their Sauvignon blanc. I also think their merlots are on many restaurant wine lists. The patio space is comfortable and they have a house cat sitting next to their vast vineyard. There is a semi private tasting room indoors with additional tasting space. Nice stop nearby.

Another fun and successful winery experience! Merry Edwards was high on my list to try after we'd read about the history, and it did not disappoint. More gorgeous views, amazing wine, incredible history, and great service. We brought charcuterie to snack and pair with our wine tasting and really enjoyed the gorgeous space where we were seated. We had the room to ourselves with a party of 8, and the service was on point. Always love to see women-owned or women-run businesses and Merry Edwards had a great story and I loved learning all about it. The wines were really great and our party ordered a few bottles to be shipped - a nice perk to not have to lug them around.

I've only been here once years ago. Went today with some gal pals and it was absolutely fabulous. Our server/educator Max was the best. They have some lovely pinots and an over-the-top creamy sauvignon blanc like you've never tasted before. Beautiful venue it's a must do. The original winemaker Merry Edwards is quite fabulous and well-known in the area highly recommended

Merry Edwards, and specifically our tasting guide Max, was the highlight of our wine country trip! Max said it himself, the wines are so good, they basically sell themselves. I myself bought a bottle of Chardonnay to take home, but I regret not also taking a bottle of Russian River Valley Pinot as well. We did the Appellation tasting so we were able to compare different wines from different areas and it was super helpful to learn more about the AVAs and get an intro to wine country on our first day. Truly though, even after the trip, we still call Max our "friend" because he took such great care of us! He was recommending other wineries to check out based on what we liked, he even wrote down some notes for us. It truly felt like a buddy was walking us through his favorite wines and it made the experience top notch. Oh, and of course, Chloe, the 19 year old feline mistress was in the garden nearby overseeing all. Mustn't forget Chloe!!

Come for the wine, fall in love with the cat Absolute purrfection Cloe stole the show for me. Wonderfully sweet mascot who happily greeted and took pets from anyone who wanted to give them. Her sun bleached fur was so soft. Once I was able to drag myself away from the cat we had a lovely tasting. Enjoyed all of the wines that were presented. Nicely landscaped patio was the perfect spot to start our day in Sonoma.

After having the Sauvignon Blanc at Perry's on Union, the group I was with decided we had to go to Merry Edwards and try everything else they had. The tasting had some very clear winners with the Sauv blanc obviously, but the Coopersmith Pinot and the Eclipse Rose. After the tasting, they let us purchase a few bottles to enjoy in their garden tasting area. Plus they are super dog friendly which is always a plus. If you're around Sebastapol, you should stop by here and have a great time!

The service was fantastic and ambience was relaxing!! Enjoyed our glass of Sauvignon Blanc!!

Had a lovely tasting here late last week. The tasting room was very welcoming. We had a lovely view of the grapes. The Pinots were outstanding. Our host was so knowledgeable about which would go well with my palette. He was spot on. Highly suggest a visit.

I'm editing this review after follow-up from the establishment. I was really looking forward to visiting merry edwards as it was highly recommended by friends. As someone who works in the industry , I was disappointed in how they recognize industry. Only 1 tasting was comped, and there were no additional wines offered that weren't on the menu. The wine was good, but there is a lot of good/great wine in this region. After my original YELP review, Bernie (tasting room manager) reached out to me to address my concerns. As a result, they are modifying their website to better support industry tastings, and will be doing some retraining of staff. They also refunded me the tasting fee that should have been comped at the time of the visit. I really appreciate Bernie reaching out to me, and the fact that he took action to improve future visits. I will give them another try next time I get to Sonoma.

I had the extreme pleasure of drinking the 2019 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir a few times and I cannot stress how delicious it is and it is thee smoothest Pinot Noir I have ever had in my life! I hold all other Pinot Noir's up to their standards from this day forward. And now for the 2012 Merry Edwards Cuvée Olivet Sparkling Wine it has brioche notes as well as pear, also is late disgorged $80 a bottle it is absolutely worth it. Now Merry Edwards Legacy Russian River Pinot Noir 2019 again another divine Pinot Noir I just had to buy it they don't have very many left so I'm saving for a special occasion. The tasting rooms are in the main building, just beautiful with light woods and etched windows and French doors that open on to the outdoor patio area with tables with umbrellas and surrounding the patio were bright colorful flowers and the outstretched vineyards in the backdrop looking just like a postcard of our gorgeous wine country. *A little History* One of California's first woman winemakers, Merry Edwards began her career in 1974 after graduating with a master's degree from UC Davis' winemaking program. She worked as winemaker for multiple brands, including Mount Eden and Matanzas Creek, and consulted for dozens of wineries before creating the Merry Edwards label in 1997. Merry Edwards was integral in putting Russian River Pinot Noir on the map over the next decade and completed construction of her own winery on the site of her Coopersmith Vineyard in 2008. She was among the first California winemakers to embrace the importance of clonal selection and firmly believed that site-specific, terroir-driven viticulture was the only way to achieve broad success. Merry had begun her quest to acquire complete control over the winemaking process in 1996, when she purchased land in the Sebastopol Hills of Russian River Valley that would become the winery's premier single-vineyard Pinot Noir bottling, Meredith Estate. Her decision to follow this path would prove to be prescient. When Merry decided to retire and sell the winery, among the suitors was Champagne Louis Roederer, since the 200-year-old company's winemaking philosophy mirrors that which Merry embraced her entire career. It was a match made in Heaven. Now a Certified California Sustainable Winery, the brand entered a new chapter after Merry's retirement in 2020. 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. Love it Women power, getting it done to perfection. P.S. Special thanks to Sarah our server she was awesome she helped us celebrate my bestie birthday tasting aka party made it even better she was a delight. Cheers, if you love Pinot Noir this is your happy place. Cheers SYOY

Perry was amazing! The setting and wine were tremendous. We just adopted a puppy and they were more than accommodating. Please visit!

Lovely afternoon. Wine was good (well structured, interesting) delivered with the right balance of historical, technical and personal stories from our wine educator. Well paced and organized selection from sparkling to a cab-like Pinot with a sweet Sauvignon Blanc to end the flight.

Our group just had another fantastic tasting experience at Merry Edwards, again hosted by the superb Wine Educator Max. We can't even imagine visiting without his extraordinary and encyclopedic knowledge of their fantastic wines, even on the library selections (which are so wonderful to be able to purchase and enjoy along with their current releases). As always, Max treated our group of wine and food professionals with the utmost professionalism, enthusiasm, responsiveness, passion, and integrity. Even our pup was welcomed with kindness and fine hospitality :). Since our initial tasting at Merry Edwards with Max, my friends and I have been sharing our rave reviews with everyone we know and sending them to Merry Edwards. With Max, Merry Edwards finally has the superior customer service experience and wine educator to match the stellar quality of their wines. Kudos Max!

It only took a sip for me to realize why Merry was named the queen of pinots! Beautiful tasting area and super friendly staff.

After lunch, it was time to go wine tasting! One of the boys researched wineries in Sebastopol and found out Merry Edwards does free tastings. And you don't even need an appointment. My group of five stopped by on Thursday, February 22nd around 3:30pm. It's more like a presentation with a tasting, so there were two others who joined us. *2015 Russian River Pinot Noir ($48 bottle) *2015 Meredith Estate Pinot Noir ($66 bottle) *2015 Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir ($60 bottle) *2016 Sauvignon Blanc ($36 bottle) I'm more of a cab girl, so I found these really light. Also, I was hurting a bit from the night before, so it was really hard finishing any of the glasses. I actually just took a few sips of each and then poured out the rest. (Yes, I didn't finish one glass of tasting sized wine. So sad!) The guy running the tasting was knowledgeable and friendly. Very personable. In the end, one of the boys bought a bottle of the sauvignon blanc for his girlfriend. Good place for a low keep tasting. Especially if you like pinots. It does smell very much like cow sh!t outside, so make sure to take pix of the vineyard quickly. (It's probably just the fertilizer.) Overall, a nice stop with complimentary wine tastings.

Lovely winery that offers an amazing wine tasting experience. It's always a pleasure and we love to introduce friends to the wines offered. It's a must stop if you're in the area.

One of the finer wineries in Sonoma. We came one day to tasted the Pinot Noirs. We went from one glass to another. Our server gave us a history of Merry Edwards. It was nice to hear about her experiences in making wine. Some were good, others were really good. I would say the tasting room was nicely set up. The wines we tasted were relatively young. Some wines need a few years to mature. Older wines have better flavor. Merry Edwards makes good wine.

I never met a Sauvignon Blanc that I liked... until Merry Edwards. Well done! My husband and I were both pleasantly surprised and brought home a bottle along with a fine Pinot. Tastings are free and though reservations are not mandatory they are strongly advised. There were a couple groups being turned away prior to our 2:30 pm weekday reservation due to a booked afternoon. The gentleman conducting our tasting was knowledgeable of the Russian River Valley and of the history of Merry Edwards and her winery. We were provided a sheet of paper and pen to take notes which was helpful, as well as cheeses for pairing. Though friendly and informative, it did seem a little rushed. We were on to the next wine before we were done experiencing the first. Understandable that they are wanting to get the next group in on time, but we felt pushed out at the end. Deducting one star as a result, but otherwise top notch and would definitely recommend, especially to fellow feminists interested in supporting women in male dominated industry. Also, five stars for the friendly cats roaming the grounds. Meow!

Beautiful ambiance and great service! We worked with Matt who was very knowledgeable and helpful. Loved the wines and the overall experience.

I love Merry Edwards Winery. I've visited this place on numerous occasions and always had such a pleasant experience. From the beautifully crafted Pinot Noirs to the ever popular Sauvignon Blanc, I'm a fan. In fact, it was the Sauvignon Blanc that brought me to this place many years ago because I was/am such a fan. In recent years my palate has changed a bit so I don't enjoy the rich Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley as much as I used to but, the ones at MEW are well crafted and super drinkable right away for those who love a little fruit in their glass. For me, the star of the show is the aforementioned Sauv Blanc. It's crisp, round (from the battonage) and such an elegant style that most aren't making in California. Check this place out after the COVID shenanigans, you'll be happy you did. Oh, and make sure to call head for an appointment.

This was our first of 10 wineries over 4 days. We discovered Merry's wines at a friend's house party recently. What a great start! STAFF: 5 stars. Esposa and I had a tasting by appointment in a private room, joined by 3 wine noobs. The staff told us about Merry's personal story then delved into each wine. He was personable and approachable. Very nice. He adjusted his presentation to account for a range of wine knowledge and tastes. FACILITY: 4 stars. This is a nice facility with a cute little outdoor garden, patio, and fountain. The lobby is a bit business-like. The tasting rooms are off to the sides. WINE: 5 stars. We tasted white, red, then white again. What? Yeah, though their Pinot Noirs are very good, it is their Sauvignon Blanc that is the true star. I personally am not a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, because most wineries make it too acidic with strong tones of grapefruit. Merry takes a unique approach by barrel aging, which adds complexity and warmth, balancing out the acidity. The result is an ultra-smooth and, frankly, unusual white wine. It belongs at the end of the tasting becuase it stands up to the reds. The was the ONLY Sauvignon Blanc we purchased on this trip!

Highest compliments for a most memorable tasting afternoon of ethereal wines presented by Tasting Room Associate Max Reed, who is simply one of the very best winery hosts we've ever experienced in all our decades of global wine tasting. He was absolutely fantastic with his attention to detail, ability to answer every wine question, wonderful energy, generosity, and professional capability. We enjoyed such a leisurely and informative tasting due to his flawless pacing, attentiveness, product knowledge, and responsiveness. His superior hospitality enhanced the entire wine tasting experience and gave us an even deeper appreciation for all the stellar wines at Merry Edwards. We purchased current releases and library wines based on his most helpful vintage recommendations. Our group consisted of long time wine industry veterans and Max just astounded us with his gold standard of exceptional hospitality. We've been visiting Merry Edwards for decades and Max was the absolute best host we've ever had. He has our very highest recommendation and we sincerely hope that all wine lovers will visit Merry Edwards to experience his level of service. Cheers to Max and the entire Merry Edwards Winery team!

I am local to Sebastopol and took 5 guest to this winery with expectations of good wine and local services. Do NOT go here. I had a credit card thrown in my face and told that Merry charged $120 for their champagne, because "they could" and that "SF people would pay it", not because it was quality. They do not care about quality or customers, just pumping tourists through at inflated false prices. I was in sock at the customer experience and the volatile experience we encountered. Don't go! Be ware! Inflated $$$ at a time when people are draining others because "they can".

Should I ever open a winery, it would be just like this one. Unpretentious and all about excellent wine. This place is special because of the wine and the tasting experience. It is unique because the tastings are free, the tastings are done in a private room without the distraction of people lined up at a counter and the focus of the wine is the pinot noir that Merry makes. I was dubious about a winery called "Merry Edwards". Maybe it's because I'm just one of those Neanderthals that believe libations and BBQ should only be championed by the male species - or maybe "Merry" sounds too happy for such serious work as making wine. Whatever the case, I was dead wrong! What I got from the tasting experience is that Merry is not only an excellent vintner but a pioneer of women making wine and viticulture. Her technique for making wine involves early hour harvest (like having the crew arrive at 3 a.m. with powerful outdoor lights setup) so that the temperature of the grapes is at the lowest temperature to optimize the crush quality - and having the grapes processed in the vineyard itself. I was impressed for such attention to detail. Well, there is as much of a story as one would want in the tasting presentation. I was quite interested because Merry was a student at U.C. Berkeley about the time I was (1973) and we had similar majors. She was making beer in her apartment as she understood the similarities to making bread. One of her professors suggested U.C. Davis as a way to extend her interests in botany and brewing. The wine at Merry Edwards is among the best I've ever tasted. You can only purchase the wine at her winery or an upscale restaurant. I took a photo of the restaurants that feature her wine. I'm thinking, "If these guys are smart enough to serve her wine, they must have good food!" Oh... of special interest is also three framed letters and menus that were hosted by the state department (United States) featuring Merry Edwards wine on their menus. I was impressed! Reading the menus and thinking of such a fine meal required only the best wine. Well, if it's good enough for a state meal, it's probably good enough for my table. The wine is not cheap, but if you want something special, Merry Edwards is where you get it if you want a really good Pinot.

So on a Monday, a friend and I called to see if we could get into Merry Edwards. The person that answered the phone said no they were completely booked for that day, which seemed a bit odd since again it was a Monday. We were over wine tasting near there and we're on our way to another place and decided will maybe if we stop in maybe they would have a cancellation. As we pulled into the driveway we noticed no cars there and thought oh good maybe they are available. We walked up to the door and again, saw no one around and we were greeted by a women. I said hello and said we don't have a reservation but thought we just perhaps be able to come in for a quick tasting since no customers were there and the tables were empty. She stated that "oh no without a reservation and we couldn't come in and they were completely booked for the day and that there was no way they could give us a tasting". I was a bit take it back seeing how they could've just offered us a glass of wine and said sorry we don't have enough staff today or whatever the reason and we would've understood but she quickly dismissed us. I have always loved their wine and wanted my friend to be able to try it but the customer service was just not there that day so in good faith I can't recommend people go in there. We stopped at several other wine places that day without reservations, and all of them said well we could perhaps give you a glass of wine to try but without a reservation we can't give you a full tasting. That's the kind of service that they need to have especially in these times there's so many businesses are going out. I won't be back

Amazing Pinots and what a Sauv Blanc! Linda from the tasting room was very knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. Chloe, the vineyard kitty, was also a great

Unfortunately I didn't get as far as a tasting due to the incredibly hostile customer service and poorly delineated policies around reservations. I needed to modify a reservation to switch from terroir to a different tasting and was not able to per the website -- I needed to cancel it and make a new one. When I received a charge on my credit card for the cancelled tasting, I called to discuss the matter. The tasting room manager was so aggressively rude about my cancelled appointment that I didn't even have space to explain the situation. Not to mention, the cancellation policy on the website says nothing about charges for cancelled appointments. I tour wineries for a living and I have never experienced the absolute arrogance and rudeness as at this location. This places gives Sonoma county and Russian River wineries a bad name.

One of the only wineries that offer a free tasting- and it's fabulous wine. We normally stop by every time we journey to the coast to pick up a few bottles. If you want an excellent wine tasting experience- call in to schedule one. They will spend time discussing the wines with you and you have the opportunity to sit with different glasses and compare the different selections they have next to each other. Love their Sauvignon Blanc and their late harvest. Although we have quite a few bottles of their Pinot Noir as well. Each region and year tastes a little different, so you'll have to try them out to see what you favor. They've always been warm and personable every time we've come for a visit. They have a resident cat who you'll see hanging around. The gardens in front are beautiful and welcoming. Enjoy!

We had a very enjoyable wine tasting at Merry Edwards. The wines-especially the pinots-were very nice and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. They do it old school at Merry Edwards and thus the tasting was free and on a walk-in basis. The grounds were pretty as well. It will be nice to add Merry Edwards to our wine roster.

Merry Edwards was a winery that was highly recommended by 2 other wineries we had visited that day - but unfortunately we were only halfway impressed by the winery itself & aren't really sure why we even bought their wine Right as the Mr & I showed up, we see a "receptionist desk" & we're told a group tasting has just begun & we could join that group.....apparently they only do tastings via group & not as people enter Tastings are free - but we left there w/ the feeling we got what we paid for We enter a room w/ sliding doors & the person is just about to finish up the 1st wine so we bypassed it until later & started paying attention to the 2nd.....or so we thought She went through all those wines so quickly that nothing stuck out for us. There was no time to savor or enjoy our tastes but we maybe thought we found a Pinot we liked enough to purchase.....but couldn't remember the name of it ( see previous reference to speedily going through tasting ) So when we come out to the "receptionists" & ask about our "maybe" wine, they tell us they have no clue about which wine we're referring.....um, okay Well, the tasting-guide came out from the back, so we asked her & it was almost like she even forgot her reference to this wine as well ( something about a blind taste test ) but then finally remembered, so we purchased & were out the door No tour of the facility, no invitation to linger or ask about their wines - it was do your tasting & make your purchase but by all means, get out W/ no opportunity to enjoy the establishment or hear any details about their wines, we left thinking: Gosh, were we even there?

This winery is small with comfortable outdoor seating . We did wine tasting all the wines were delicious and the young man who helped us was extremely knowledgeable. I will be sure to stop by on our next trip up.

Second stop of our Sonoma County Russian River Valley wine tasting tour brought us to Merry Edwards (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/merry-edwards-winery-sebastopol?select=Ja5Wh4bWJ4wYHu27GtzVtA#Ja5Wh4bWJ4wYHu27GtzVtA). Having enjoyed a Merry Edwards pinot noir at a restaurant, we made it on our list for a future wine tasting trip. We arrived for our 11am tasting reservations and we were met by Lori and the four of us were seated in a private room for our tasting. Lori was very informative and gave us a history of Merry Edwards and how she worked in the wine industry and eventually opened her winery, Merry Edwards. She is known as a pioneer in the wine country. We tasted four pinot noirs and a sauvignon blanc, a new varietal for the winery. Lori poured each pinot into the glasses in front of us. She had us taste each of the pinots. Then she asked us to eat a piece of cheese that was in front of us and taste the wine again. As she said, the taste of the wine helped soften up the pinots. Then she poured the sauvignon blanc to finish off our tasting. Not as dry as the usual sauvignon blanc and it had a nice light, sweet taste. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/merry-edwards-winery-sebastopol?select=Ja5Wh4bWJ4wYHu27GtzVtA#zmKVPG7GvY4GZW_AshwQZA) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/merry-edwards-winery-sebastopol?select=Ja5Wh4bWJ4wYHu27GtzVtA#ndSb3fjctOYR_CoxPwgsJA) The one hour tasting experience was very informative and was an educational seminar. The pinots were just as delicious as I remembered when I had it at the restaurant. A great wine tasting experience. If you don't have a reservation for a private tasting, they do have walk-up tastings.

I decided to visit this winery because I had read about the wine maker prior to coming to Sonoma. Unfortunately we were not impressed with the wine. Tastings are free, thankfully but even the award winning Pinot was not much to my liking. It was interesting to hear about the process though.

I found Merry Edwards at MC2 and fell in love with their Pinot. I combed my neighborhood wine shops in search of this spectacular bouquet to find that they only distribute to local restaurants, online or at the Vineyard. My love affair began and shall continue.. with every harvest the complexity of her vintage only increases this passion. Like all fine wines, with age you blossom, cultivate depth and define perfection. Congratulations on your success...

***My winery/tasting room reviews are rated based upon many factors. First is QPR or quality to price ratio of the wine. In other words, is the wine priced according to how good it is. The second factor is the tasting room experience. This involves the staff, grounds and anything unique about the winery.*** Tasting room fee: FREE Wine price range: $29-$58 Setting the gold standard for tasting rooms in California is Merry Edwards. We made an appointment with Ron for a tasting. Upon arrival, we are ushered to a private room for a sit down tasting with Ron. It is just him and us. In front of us is a cheese plate, notepad and pen and six crystal glasses. Ron starts off with a history of the winery. He then goes to an easel with a large map and explains about the terrior. He talks about and points out the specific vineyards they source from. I feel like I am in a board meeting, but a fun one dealing with wine. Ron then proceeds to pour six different pinot noirs into each glass. He talks about each one as he pours. We taste and take notes. I do this without looking at the price sheet, I do not want this to influence my thoughts. We go through all the wines. I choose my favorite, then look at the price sheet. Damn palette, I choose the most expensive one as my favorite. I opt for purchasing a couple bottles, though I wanted to buy many more. This was a wonderful experience. For those learning about wine, this is a wonderful way to see how the same grape can differ so much when farmed from different vineyards. It is truly a unique experience. Ron is first class all the way, he is someone who loves what he does and loves sharing it with everyone. Why can't all tasting room experiences be like this? If you are in a large party, going from winery to winery to get buzzed, please avoid Merry Edwards. This place is intended for people looking to learn and discover. Sorry to sound like a snob, but oh well. This was the highlight of our tasting experience in the region. Their wines are limited in distribution, I have rarely seen them at select stores. They are also available at finer restaurants. This is one reason to buy what you can afford while you are here. They have a few picnic tables outside around a fountain. They are surrounded by flowers and their vineyards. A true A+ experience!

Worst tasting I have ever done. Terrible customer service and hospitality Unwelcoming. We were a group of 8 and 4 of us were there 5 minutes before our reservation. The "manager" said we all had to be there and she couldn't hold the room (even though the tasting takes 45 minutes and the next reservation was in 1.5 hours). So the other group arrived in an uber because we are being safe drivers, and we were now 4 minutes after our reservation and had to go do a "walk in" tasting. They seemed very irritated and confrontational about us being "late". They never once said the entire party needed to be there at arrival. And we said "they are in a cab and will be here in a few minutes". Anyway, we go and do our tasting, and the first thing the pourer says is "well since you missed your reservation...". Like WTF? What an ass. We didn't miss anything... The people running this winery (which my friends frequent and like their wine), were pompous. I have never felt so unwanted at a winery. We go to Napa, Somona, Livermore, Paso Robles, Willamette, Chelan on a regular basis, And never once has anyone treated me in this manner. Shame on them. And their Pinot Noir sucks. It has a bad after taste and sells for $57! What?! And I love Pinots. I will say the Sauv Blanc was nice. I will never ever go back there or recommend. Boo

It was my first time visiting wine country and Merry Edwards did not disappoint. They don't have a tasting fee and you get to try out all their wines. My favorite was the chardonnay (but I'm a little bias because I love white wine so much) though my boyfriend loved the reds. The lady who gave us the tasting was more than welcoming. There was no wait time and she was so nice! She let us know all about the regions, the notes in the wine, the story behind the design of their label, and she answered all our questions. They also had a few adorable cats roaming around who are so sweet! The cats are the protector of the vineyard basically. So, you should definitely check out Merry Edwards! I left with a few of their amazing wines and can't wait to come back to pick up some more!

We had our first tasting a few days ago. I heard about "Merry Edwards" via the great ratings I found in the wine spectator. I do agree that the winery is very corporate and the walk in tasting would be cooler if it were held in a more scenic area of the winery. That being said I would have to say that the tasting experience was amazing because it's a defacto private tasting. Because it's held in one of the offices with only your group the person conducting the tasting can and does devote all their time to your specific questions. She didn't have to run off to some other patron to keep them going on the list. I felt that we were well taken care. The wines are small production so the pours are small but it's not supposed to be a half glass of wine. You are there to taste not get drunk. The sauvignon blanc was great and we also purchased the Georganne and Meredith estate pinots which were really good also. The white was $36 and the pinots were $63. I didn't even know that the tastings are free when we decided to visit which is a plus. By the way there was no hard sale to buy anything. Thank you "Queen of Pinot.

Award-winning winery and I can see why! The full-bodied pinot noirs and savignon blanc are exquisite. Haven't had many wines as tasty, classic, and well thought. I was very impressed with the knowledgeable and enthusiastic gentleman (Derek) who did our private wine tasting. He explained the science of the wines, as well as the importance of weather, water, location, soil, etc. It was extremely educational and fun as well. They are not stingy with their pours and you get a great diversity of wines with the tasting. The tasting room is nicely appointed. The most important part is how friendly everyone was. I left feeling uplifted in spirit and more educated about winemaking. I loved supporting a Bay Area woman winemaker and this well-known celebrity winemaker....bravo to Merry!

**Updated** 07/21/17 -- The $45 bottle that I purchased was the best bottle of wine that I've ever had. No joke. Upgraded to 4 starts from 3. Merry Edwards was a bit out of the way for us. Arriving somewhat early on a Sunday we were among the first to arrive. After entering the building we were taken to a 'conference room' for our tasting. The staff was very friendly and explained the different varieties to us. The wine was tasty, but the bottles were definitely on the expensive side. We ended up purchasing a $45 bottle, but decided against opening it and enjoying some on their property. We were a bit turned off by the business-like atmosphere and decided to save the bottle for a special occasion when we got home. Merry Edwards offers good wine, but there is much room for improvement in their presentation.

Wow. Some of the best wine I've tasted. Went there with two of my best friends on a beautiful Sunday and tried some of the best Pinot I've ever had. Meredith Estate and Coopersmith were my favorite. Also, not a white wine guy - but the Chardonnay was spectacular. Tasting is complimentary, but buy some bottles before you leave - you won't regret it.

Originally Merry Edwards winery was not on my Sonoma agenda. A local mentioned to us that their wine was superb, he went on to tell us about heir awards and then said that they were located just down the street. Terrific I thought, so after we visited Dutton we headed over to Merry Edwards. The wine was great, the sommelier was polite but brief with his descriptions and the actual tasting took all of 10 minutes. My biggest gripe was the rude secretary in the front. You would think that if your job was to be a hostess, maybe a good attitude would be required trait. Guess not because this lady was stank. Overall impressions: Not impressed. The tasting is free, the wines are good, stop at your own discretion.

I had really high expectations going in, given the history and reputation of Merry Edwards, and when I called ahead to make a reservation for my group of 8, they were really friendly. Unfortunately, besides their pinot (which also might be a bit over-hyped now) and sauvignon blanc, the experience was a little underwhelming. The private tasting room was pleasant but strangely corporate (it felt more Napa than Sonoma), and the wine didn't live up to my hopes and I didn't like them as much as some of the wines coming out of the nearby Sonoma wineries (e.g., Scherrer, Hartford, Woodenhead, Freeman). It was a nice stop in our trip, but not a highlight and I probably won't be going back. I did leave with a surprising find though - their Sauvignon Blanc (with some residual sugar!) was quite tasty, so I picked up a couple of bottles!

I had no idea that Merry Edwards was now open for drop in wine tastings until I blew passed it along Hwy 116. I eventually doubled back. It is very corporate in feel as you have to wait in front of people sitting at desks, answering phone and fiddling with computers. But, the wines are worth the wait. They're long sold out of their high scoring famous Sauv Blanc and the tasting consisted of three Pinot Noirs ranging in price from $36-54. Each was special in its own way. Even if this is outside your budget, stop in for the taste of something special.

This place is great for single vineyard pinot noir. I came here because I remember working at a restaurant that sold this particular wine and people SWORE by it. The tasting experience here is VERY HIGH END. They do small groups of people in these very posh rooms. Our wine attendant was extremely nice and knowledgeable. The whole experience was great, I was just not a big fan of the wines. Also if you like that creamy buttery Chardonnay look no further.

Completely overrated in my humble opinion. Heard a lot about the Sauvignon Blanc, but was disappointed - (go to Dutton Estate if you want to be blown away). Reds were way too hot, especially for Pinot. The whole tasting is strange because it only happens at time intervals in one room with one person - Hospitality was seriously lacking - wines were poured to a completely rehearsed and UN-enthused script, with no room for questions. She didn't even smile ONCE. Not sure what people like - with so many world class wines around, you would be much wiser to save your time for another winery.