Vineyard: Meredith Estate

OwnersKen Coopersmith, Merry Edwards
AppellationRussian River Valley
StoryMerry Edwards purchased this 24-acre site in 1996. It was an abandoned apple orchard southwest of the Sebastopol city limits. Two years later, she and her spouse, Ken Coopersmith, converted the parcel to Pinot Noir.
Dates Planted1998
Acres20
LocationSebastopol Hills on the southern edge of the Russian River Valley. Summer fog shrouds the area, typically until midday.
AspectSouth/southweat; 8-12% slope
SoilsGoldridge sandy loam
VarietiesPinot Noir
Clones115, 667, 777, Mt. Eden (UCD 37), Swan
Trellis Spacing5' x8'; vertical trellis; rootstock 10114 & Schwarzmann

Wineries sourcing from this vineyard

Reviewed wines produced from this vineyard

2012 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., $57. · Dark reddish purple color in the glass. Toasty black cherry aromas and rich black cherry, plum and pomegranate flavors. Very fruity with balanced tannins and fruit-driven finish. A luscious, rich California style. Score: 90-91. Reviewed April 4, 2015 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2010 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., $57. · Dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Very ripe fruit profile on the nose offering aromas of blackberries, black raspberries, Asian 5-spice and subtle oak. Rich, ripe and full-flavored with oodles of sappy black fruits. The decadent fruit core is supported by balanced tannins and finishes with uncommon intensity and length. Not my preferred style, but this wine will find many fans relishing its mouth-coating explosion of fruit. Very good. Reviewed June 23, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2006 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

505 cases. 30% Rayhill, 25% Thorn Ridge, 15% Guidici, 7% Connell, 5% Sexton, 5% Bailey, 5% Keefer, 5% O’Connor and 3% Meredith Estate (at least one barrel from each of Freeman’s vineyards included). Aged 10 months in 30% new and 79% seasoned French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass. Inviting aromas of fresh dark red cherries and berries with hints of briar, forest floor and vanillin. This wine has an appealing savory riff, adding interest to the middleweight core of dark red cherries and raspberries. The oak is complimentary, the tannins are quite modest, and the finish is juicy and refreshing. Drink or hold mid term. Score: 93. Reviewed September 5, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2005 Merry Edwards Meredith Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., $54. · The aromatics display oak-dusted black cherries and blackberries.. The ripe dark fruits are cloaked in oak on the palate and the wine finishes with plentiful herbal notes, a slight bitterness and healthy tannins. Reviewed January 20, 2008 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2004 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

280 cases. 62% Meredith Estate, 23% Bailey, 8% Thomas Road and 7% Keefer. Aged 11 months in 38% new and 62% 1-year-old French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. The wine leads off with earth-kissed aromas of ripe, dark fruits with a hint of spice. Strikingly flavorful on the mid palate with an array of dark red and black stone fruits and berries. Very silky in the mouth with suave fine-grain tannins, bright acidity, and a substantial finish that really hits all the high notes. Drink or hold short-term. Score: 94. Reviewed September 5, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2003 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

140 cases. 86% Meredith Estate, 7% Thomas Road, and 7% Galante. Aged 11 months in 50% new French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Less aromatic than the 2002 vintage, offering shy aromas of dark cherries and berries and spice. Very flavorful, yet light on its feet, featuring discreetly concentrated flavors of blackberries, Bing cherries and black currants. A stylish wine with an earthy bent, fully integrated tannins, and a touch of heat on the fruitdriven finish. Drink or hold short-term. Score: 89. Reviewed September 5, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2002 Freeman Akiko’s Cuvée Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

600 cases. Sourced from Thomas Road and Meredith Estate vineyards. An ideal vintage with a small but fully ripened crop. Aged 15 months in 57% new French oak barrels. · Fresh, moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. This wine features dark fruits that are very ripe and an underlying earthiness in the aromas and flavors. Scents of blackberry and black plum lead to fresh flavors of dark berry jam and black cherry with a hint of oak in the background. The tannins are very supple creating a silky texture and the finish has some noticeable length and intensity. Drink or hold shortterm. Score: 90. Reviewed September 5, 2013 WINERY » ARTICLE »