Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Merry Edwards with a Private Chauffeur
Single-vineyard Pinot Noir from one of the pioneers of the Russian River Valley, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Merry Edwards made her first wine as an amateur in 1970, earned a master's degree in enology at UC Davis and was winemaker at Mount Eden Vineyards and Matanzas Creek before a long consulting career. Collectors who followed her work backed her own label, and she launched Merry Edwards Winery in 1997. In 2019 she chose Maison Louis Roederer as her partner, and she retired in February 2020 after 47 vintages.
Her work on Pinot Noir clones changed the industry: at Mount Eden in 1975 she propagated the selection now known as UCD 37, or Merry's Clone, and in 1985 she and Dr. Harold Olmo presented the first clonal seminar at UC Davis. Winemaker Heidi von der Mehden, her chosen successor, makes single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from sites such as Meredith Estate, Olivet Lane and Coopersmith, along with a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc.
Tastings are seated and by appointment, in a vineyard-view room or on the patio, and the Appellation flight ends with the winery's Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc. The winery and all its vineyards are Certified California Sustainable.
Tasting Fees
$45 for the Appellation Tasting of Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley wines. $90 for the Reserve Tasting of the most sought-after Pinot Noirs. One fee is waived with a 3-bottle purchase.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
2959 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tastings by appointment.
Known For
Single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Founded
1997
Good to Know
Allow 60 to 90 minutes for a tasting. À la carte snacks are available daily. A second tasting room, in Philo in Anderson Valley, is open Thursday to Sunday.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Russian River Valley hotel such as Farmhouse Inn in Forestville or Vinarosa Resort & Spa in Santa Rosa.
10:00 · Pickup at Farmhouse Inn or Vinarosa Resort & Spa
Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room inn on River Road in Forestville, is about 15 minutes from Merry Edwards, and Vinarosa Resort & Spa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, is about 25 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:30 · Merry Edwards
The Appellation Tasting ($45) or the Reserve Tasting ($90), by appointment; allow 60 to 90 minutes.
12:00 · Iron Horse Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A Green Valley sparkling wine house founded in 1976, whose wines have been served at the White House since 1985. The outdoor Tasting with a View is $35, seated on the hour. Reservations required; seatings daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1:15 · Lunch at Willow Wood Market Cafe
About 15 minutes away. A café, soda fountain and general store at the center of Graton since 1995, serving down-home comfort food. Lunch from 11:30 a.m., with brunch on Sundays. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:40 · La Crema Estate
About 25 minutes away. La Crema's estate tasting room sits on Saralee's Vineyard, planted in 1989 by Richard and the late Saralee Kunde. The seated Estate Tasting of six wines is $35, for up to 8 guests. Open daily; appointments encouraged, walk-ins welcome.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back in Forestville or Santa Rosa by 3:55 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Dutton-Goldfield Winery
Adds about an hour. Next door to Merry Edwards on Highway 116, with walk-ins welcome for tastings from $35; open daily until 4 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
About $115 to $160 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need an appointment at Merry Edwards?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment, daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Merry Edwards?
$45 per person for the Appellation Tasting and $90 for the Reserve Tasting, as of September 2026. One fee is waived with a 3-bottle purchase.
Who owns Merry Edwards Winery?
Maison Louis Roederer, since 2019. The winery is part of the Roederer Collection with Roederer Estate and Scharffenberger Cellars in Anderson Valley and Diamond Creek Vineyards in Napa Valley.
What is Merry's Clone?
A Pinot Noir selection, UCD 37, that Merry Edwards propagated at Mount Eden Vineyards in 1975. Her research on matching clones to sites changed how American winemakers think about Pinot Noir.
Who makes the wine at Merry Edwards today?
Heidi von der Mehden, whom Merry chose as her successor in 2015. The two worked side by side until Merry retired in 2020.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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