Oh, my stars! Merry Edwards’ Cuvee Eclipse shines

Have you ever known one of those humans with absurd musical abilities? Someone who succeeds easily in one discipline or instrument but can pick up another and master it in no time?

My father is just that type of person. He excelled early at the piano and from there picked up guitar, bass, accordion, harmonica, drums, and a few more I’m sure I missed. When living in Ukraine, he even taught himself how to play the bandura, a traditional Ukrainian folk instrument with dozens of strings. Meanwhile, I spent years attempting to be a mediocre guitarist, and failed. Some folks just have a knack for it.

Credit: Merry Edwards Winery

I was thinking of this concept as I tasted Merry Edwards’ new sparkling wine, the 2017 Cuvée Eclipse. It’s a Pinot Noir Champagne-method sparkling wine -- which aren’t easy to make. The process is complicated, the fruit needs to be just right, the execution just so. These wines speak so clearly that faults, should there be any, are laid bare.

See, Merry Edwards Winery is a Sonoma Pinot Noir legend. One of the pioneers of Pinot in Sonoma in the 1970s, Merry and her eponymous winery have been crafting elegant, exciting wines from different sites, expressing the diversity and purity of this grape.

But it was another project of excellence that drew me to this winery. It was sometime in the late 2000s when I discovered their Sauvignon Blanc. I had seen some rave reviews and had to try a bottle for myself. Not expecting all that much (Sauv Blanc just isn’t my thing), the wine blew me away, and I’ve returned to it many times over the years.

Since then, I’ve visited the winery several time, tasted dozens and dozens of new releases, and kept up with the winery’s changes and new vineyard sources. Merry retired in 2020, but the transition to winemaker Heidi von der Mehden has been seamless. The Sonoma County native worked side-by-side with Merry for several vintages before taking over, and the last four years have seen an excellent run of releases and stoke-inducing wines, and keeping the same signature and artistic expression alive.

Like my dad picking up a new instrument, the winery has a new player in its orchestra, and it works perfectly.

The new wine dates back to August 21, 2017 – the last total solar eclipse visible from North America. As this amazing event unfolded, the first grapes from the Richaven Vineyard, at Merry’s home, were harvested. After years of work, aging, and refinement, the wine is out and ready – just in time for the April 8 total solar eclipse.

A few very good friends of mine are driving to see the path of totality (in Ohio), but I will sadly not be able to join them. However, when tasting this wine, I get a deep impression of a singular event that, like the coming eclipse, will create lasting memories.

If you’re making plans to view the upcoming total solar eclipse, and you like sparkling wine, this is a no-brainer. But if you’re also just generally a Pinot fan and you want a killer sparkling wine to blind-taste your Champagne nerd friends on, this is a great choice. I really think it’ll excel in the cellar for a decade-plus.

This wine was received as a sample and tasted sighted.

2017 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Cuvée Eclipse - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $100
Pale copper color. The aromas are popping with all sorts of red apples, papaya, orange peel, and strawberry, with nuances of chalk dust and limestone. Add in some honeysuckle, whipped cream, bread crumbs, and almond skin and this is just a pleasure to sniff. On the palate, this wine is vibrant and with precise acidity but a rich textural depth, precise bubbles, and the balance is on point. Beautiful fruit expression, a mix of lemon, white peach, yellow apples, crunchy green pears, mixed with elegant tones of almond skin, lemon crème, honeyed white tea, chalk dust, bread crumbs, hints of shaved ginger. Beautiful richness/raciness combination, and the flavors are exciting and dynamic. I’m so glad they tried this wine, and it exceeded my high expectations. 100% Pinot Noir, 8.5 g/l of sugar, and aged six years on the lees. (95 points)

The value and adventure in Portuguese blends

Here’s a scenario…

You have nothing but $20 in your pocket. You’re on the way to a friend’s party, empty-handed. There’s a wine shop on the way with a great selection, divided up by country, and you need to pick up a bottle.

Where are you looking? I’m headed to the Portugal aisle first. 

Herdade de Espora's vineyards in Aletenjo, Portugal.

Portuguese wines have been at the top of my list when it comes to saving money while scoring wines that offer depth, personality, authenticity, and uniqueness. Twenty bucks doesn’t go very far these days. And so much has changed since I took my first wine trip to Portugal a decade ago. But I find it quite comforting to know that Portuguese bargain-priced bangers are still alive and thriving.

Blends rule to roost in Portugal, with a focus on the plethora of indigenous grapes. They can be hard to pronounce or remember at times (Viosinho, Gouveio, etc.) but the varietal differences allow conscientious winemakers to stitch together a patchwork that expresses the best of all worlds.

This week I have four wines from two respected producers. From the Douro in the north, comes Vale do Bomfim, which was kicked off by the renowned Symington family in 2004.Their red blend has been a staple of inexpensive but expressive Douro juicy goodness for years, and last year they added in a white blend. I’m happy to report that wine also rocks. Both the branco and tinto are of sourced from Quinta do Bomfim in the Douro Valley, the same site that produces Dow’s long-lived and beautiful Vintage Port.

Esporão is a legend of the Alentejo region in southern Portugal. I visited this area for a week five years ago and was blown away. It’s an expansive, diverse, historic, and important region, with

They now have all 1,300+ acres of vineyards certified organic. I visited their sprawling property near Alqueva Lake in 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Test vineyards with dozens of varieties of grapes allow them to test out what works, and they have a fascinating blend of indigenous and international varieties to work with.

They’re something of a spokesperson for Alentejo, or a gateway producer, as they make more wine than anyone in the region, their wines are exported to dozens of international markets, and they’re on more shelves in wine stores than any other producer in Alentejo. And I think that’s a great thing, because these wines are attractive from entry level to the most expensive. But even the term expensive is relative here, because Esporão screams value.

The new vintages of the reserve red and white come in at $23 bucks and overdeliver for the price. If you’re not familiar with the Alentejo region of Portugal, this is a great place to start, and they’re so crowd-friendly, you can’t go wrong bringing a bottle over to a friend’s house.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2022 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Branco - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo

SRP: $23
Bright yellow colored. The nose boasts rich pears, yellow apples, limes, with complex tones of shaved ginger, white tea, almond skin, breadcrumbs, and honey. The palate shows pleasantly plump texture with tangy acidity, a balanced appeal, with flavors of honeydew, pears, orange slices, and guava. There’s a nice salty mineral kick that accents the fruit, and I get tones of white pepper, honeycomb, almond, and some floral potpourri elements. Flinty, salty, vibrant, this is an easy six-pack buy for Spring and Summer cooking and warm weather. A blend of Antao Vaz, Arinto, and Roupeiro, fermented and aged in stainless steel and 25% new American and French oak. (91 points)

2021 Herdade do Esporão Reserva Tinto - Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo
SRP: $23
Medium purple color. An aromatically inviting display of violets, pepper, coffee, cedar, and clove, over top of deep black cherries and currants, with hints of tar and earth. The palate is fresh, showing dusty tannins, with a bright but complex vibe. Tart currants, roasted figs, and plum jam blend really well with elements of black pepper, lavender, mint, charcoal, some chewing tobacco. Balanced and juicy, but complex and versatile as well. A fascinating and delicious blend of Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Aragonez, and Cab Sauv. (91 points)

2021 Dow Douro Vale do Bomfim Branco - Portugal, Douro

SRP: $15
Vibrant purple. Lovely deep aromas of black cherries, red and black currants, with spiced black tea, notes of leather, clove, anise, and coffee grounds. The palate has lively acidity and fine-edged but structured tannins – I love the balance. Juicy black cherries, saucy dark plums, tangy black currants, the fruit is blended with elements of coffee grounds, graphite, dark chocolate, anise, and black pepper, with a hint of nuanced oak. An exciting and crowd-pleasing value that packs a lot of depth and personality. A blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz, 20% Touriga Franca, and 10% Tinta Barroca. Crazy value alert! (90 points)

2022 Dow Douro Branco Vale do Bomfim Tinto - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $15
Pale lemon color. Bright and inviting with lemons, kiwi, and green apples, with all sorts of cool salty, chalky, limestone, and floral perfume tones. Racy and vibrant on the palate but a rich depth of texture, balanced nicely, with juicy pear fruit, some pineapple, and lime zest. Notes of almond skin, honey, chalk dust, and rocky stream vibes. Balanced, fresh, an insane value. Would make a great six-pack buy for seafood and Spring gatherings. A mix of 30% Viosinho 30% Rabigato 20% Gouveio 20% Arinto. (89 points)

Pinot Noir highlights: Santa Cruz Mountains

This the first in a series where I’m focusing on two of my favorite places in California when it comes to Pinot Noir.

While it was Sonoma that gave me the California Pinot itch many years ago, I’ve found my palate aligns perfectly with the Pinots of the Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area. Defined by higher altitude vineyards, grapevines here are coaxed to ripeness in the cool coastal mountains, and affected by the Pacific and nearby San Francisco Bay. Large diurnal temperature swings in the growing season, and warmer air getting trapped above the fog in winter, it all combines to give winegrowers a unique and exciting playing field.

Thomas Fogarty vines. Credit: Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains

With a history going back to the late 1800s, this area has been recognized as its own AVA for more than 40 years. The region has expanded, with some 1,600 acres planted to wine grapes and some 300 growers today. This is a land of smaller wineries, lots, and total production. But the gems are not hard to find – they’re all over. 

These distinct conditions allow different sites in the AVA to express very different tones and flavors. But, overall, to describe Pinot from the Santa Cruz Mountains I’d use words like: airy, bright, tangy, spicy, herbal, high-toned, etc.

It is always a pleasure to return to historic producers like Mount Eden and Ridge, and I love me some spicy Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernets and creamy but zesty Chardonnays. But the Pinot just hits differently here. 

I’ve been floored by single-vineyard or blended wines from producers like Rhys, Beauregard, Kutch, and others. But to prove my point about the exception nature of these Pinot Noirs, I have three wines this week from producers that are new to me. From Thomas Fogarty, Lester Estate, and Sante Arcangeli Family, these wines offer a great window into what makes this region special. If you are yet to dig deep here, and you’re for of Pinot, there’s plenty to explore in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

These wines were received as samples and tasted single-blind.

2019 Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Windy Hill Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

SRP: $85
Bright ruby color. The nose sports a mix of cool black and red cherries along with spiced cranberry relish and tones of rose petals, sage, herbal tea, black pepper, some leather – really complex and the aromas make me salivate. The palate shows moderate tannins and an airy but punchy feel. Tart black cherries, tangy raspberries, crunchy cranberries, the fruit is beautiful and laced with elements of minerals, warm clay, potting soil, fallen leaves, dried rose petals. Crisp, deep, complex, lasting. (93 points)

2019 Thomas Fogarty Pinot Noir Will's Cabin Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
SRP: $85
Medium ruby color. The aromas are gorgeous, with airy raspberries and strawberries along with juicy black cherries. Notes of sage, earth, forest floor, rhubarb, rose petals, and pine resin add a lot of complexity. The palate is so crisp and effortless, with dusty tannins and brisk acidity – structured but super fresh. Tangy cranberries, fresh raspberries, and crunchy red cherries offer a lot to enjoy, and the fruit is backed up by tones of dusty earth, savory herbs, mushrooms, dried rose petals, black tea. A lot going on but it’s seamlessly integrated, and it should age wonderfully. (93 points)

2021 Lester Estate Wines Pinot Noir Traviso - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
SRP: $57

Deep ruby. Gorgeous aromatics on display, with the freshest raspberries and strawberries, tangy pomegranate, all backed up by complex notes of violets, rhubarb, white pepper, and all sorts of clay and tilled soil. The palate is juicy, spicy, and tangy, with structured but refined tannins on a bed of brisk acidity. The cherry, cranberry, and raspberry fruit is juicy but tart, and interwoven with complex vibes of rhubarb, clove, leather, clay, and rich soil. I get some mineral and rocky elements that last long onto the finish. So lovely right out of the gate, but this will get even more refined, complex, and integrated over the next five years. (94 points)

2019 Lester Estate Wines Pinot Noir Mercurio - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
SRP: $57
Dark ruby color. Deep but inviting aromatics of cranberry and raspberry compote, with all sorts of spicy-herbal complexities: sage, pepper, tobacco, rhubarb, these breezy-floral tones, it’s all quite lovely. The palate sports lovely balance between the smooth tannins and crisp acidity, with gushing, tangy fruit (raspberries, red cherries, cranberries). The non-fruit elements really shine and define this wine’s flavor profile, with these stony minerals and earth, rhubarb and white pepper, and all sorts of floral nuances. Focused and refined already but this has a long life ahead of it. (93 points)

2021 Sante Arcangeli Family Wines Pinot Noir Split Rail Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
SRP: $60
Light ruby color. Smells so juicy and alive, with tangy red cherries, wild raspberries, and a well-blended host of rhubarb, spiced tea, tobacco, earth. Lots of floral and potpourri tones to parse through as well – basically, aromatically awesome. Ripe but nuanced on the palate with brisk acidity and suave tannins. Pretty, tangy red fruits (red currants, cherries, strawberries), with nuances of light roast coffee, dusty earth, dried roses, rhubarb, all sorts of cool stuff going on. A crystalline focus, bright and expressive in its youth, but I’d love to see this in five years. (94 points)