MERRY EDWARDS 2003 OLIVET LANE PINOT NOIR

San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 Wines of 2006

“Merry Edwards is sometimes called the ‘Queen’ of Pinot Noir, and with good reason since she produces very classy wines. This is but another jewel in her crown.”
Paul Lukacs, The Washington Times, August 2, 2006

94 points
“…great balance and structure, long finish.
This is consistently a wonderful Pinot.”
Greg Walter, Pinot Report, Issue #33

94 points
“…a massive wine…built for age”
Wine and Spirits, October 2005

92 points
“supple and silky smooth”
Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wines, October 2005

92 points
Michael Franz
Robert Whitley’s Wine Reviews On Line, October 12, 2005

91 points
“Trim and focused, it’s delicate, refined and delightful to drink.”
James Laube, Wine Spectator, September 30, 2005

90 points
“This is a silky, complicated and enjoyable wine.”
Steve Heimoff, Wine Enthusiast, December 1, 2005

“Exceptional: supple, rich and finely balanced, with excellent flavor and length.”
Ronn Wiegand, Restaurant Wine, Issue #107

. “This will evolve very much like a French Burgundy from the Cote de Beaune.”
Narsai David, KCBS RADIO July 15, 2005

Named one of the 100 Best Wines of 2005
by Wine & Spirits Magazine Winter 2006

MERRY EDWARDS 2002 OLIVET LANE PINOT NOIR

94 points
“WOW! This is a big, powerful Pinot with a lush, silky mouthfeel and gobs of flavor.”
-PinotReport, Issue #24

92 points
“The flavors are sophisticated, the wine dynamic and intense.”
-Wine & Spirits, October 2004

92 points
“... a sweet, lusciousness of cherry and strawberry flavor. The flavors are sophisticated, the wine dynamic and intense.”
-Wine & Spirits, October 2004

92 points
“A tremendous effort with ripe, intense, opulent yet firmly concentrated black cherry and blackberry fruit that's tightly wound and sharply focused.”
-James Laube, The Wine Spectator, August 31, 2004

91 points
“Sweet aromas of boysenberry, cherry, tar and briar. Copious flavors of strawberry, cassis, coffee, smoke and earth.”
-The Wine News, August/September 2004

“Full-bodied, fleshy, and very ripely flavored; this is a Pinot Noir with a generous palate impression, and a long, lightly oaked finish.”
-Ronn Wiegand, Restaurant Wine, issue #101

90 points
“Very highly recommended”
-California Grapevine, June-July 2004

(one puff)
“Keenly focused on fine and lively fruit in the nose…”
-Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, June 2004

Recommended in Gourmet, December 2004

“...A superb wine that benefits from a woman’s touch”
-The Robb Report, November 2004

MERRY EDWARDS 2001 OLIVET LANE PINOT NOIR

95 points
One of the top 12 Pinot Noirs of 2003
-The 2004 Pinot Passion Awards, PinotReport Special Awards Issue

95 points
"WOW! Merry Edwards' Olivet Lane bottling is Russian River Valley through and through. Take the great character from a 30-year old vineyard and add Merry's touch and you've got a world-class wine."
-Greg Walter, publisher, PinotReport, October 2003

( 93 points)
“ Here is a deep, round and mouthfilling wine whose pulpy cherry nose and flavors comes (sic) seasoned by notes of cocoa and sweet wood smoke.”
-Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine, February 2004

90 points
“Sweet, juicy flavors of plum, vanillin oak, smoke, tea and clove.”
-The Wine News, February/March 2004

+
“Fleshy and richly flavored; a well balanced, complex Pinot Noir, with a very long finish. It tastes of strawberry, black cherry, tobacco, toast, and new oak.”
-Ronn Wiegand, Master of Wine, Master Sommelier, in a featured SPOTLIGHT of three 2001 Merry Edwards wines in Restaurant Wine, Issue #97

Wine of the Week
(out of four)
“Extraordinary”
-Chris Knap, Wine Columnist, The Orange County Register October 23, 2003

“Medium deep red color - elegant aroma of ripe but firm cherries with the distinct background aromas of Pinot Noir. Lovely elegance on the palate with enough tannin to form a firm backbone - A few years of age would pay handsome.”
-Narsai David praising Merry Edwards Pinot Noir on the Bay Area’s KCBS Radio 81 AM on October 1, 2003.

MERRY EDWARDS 1999 OLIVET LANE PINOT NOIR

95 points "Wow! This is so intense and flavorful and yet so balanced - it just doesn't get much better than this." - PinotReport, June 2002

93 points  - Wine & Spirits, February 2002

"These four Pinot Noirs are, bottle for bottle and from the same winery, among the finest we have tasted from the USA in the 1999 vintage." - Ronn Wiegand, Restaurant Wine, Issue #86

  (92 pts) - "This wine is also very much keyed on ripe and energetic fruit and, it racks up another hit for Ms. Edwards. It is medium-full bodied and quite velvety in feel..."
- Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine - November 2001 issue

"WOW! What a beautiful wine to lay down for a few years. Exceptional lingering richness of flavors."
- Narsai David, KCBS Food News, August 24, 2001

92 points "Gorgeous nose of crushed blackberry and spicy oak. Intensely concentrated with opulent flavors of cassis, black cherry and raspberry. Continued impressions of spicy oak and black cherry in the long, harmonious finish."
- The Wine News, August-September 2001

First place (92 of 100 points) "Very highly recommended" - California Grapevine, August - September 2001

"This is one to savour for its subtle beauties. It should be cellared for at least two years, and it has the complexity and balance to age for at least five or six years."
- Norm Roby at Decanter.com

 - The most elegant bottling of the batch. It’s a medium-bodied wine with soft tannins, bright cherry fruit, a kick of allspice, and a kiss of oak. Drink now.
- Wines of the Week by Leslie Sbrocco, The New York Times, December 4, 2001

MERRY EDWARDS 1998 OLIVET LANE PINOT NOIR

Top 100 Wines of 2001 - San Francisco Chronicle

  (92 pts) "Quite Possibly the best Pinot yet seen under Merry Edwards label, this deep, impressively concentrated youngster hits all the marks squarely from density and definition to balance and fundamental richness." - Connoisseur's Guide, February 2001

"As the winemaker/owner of Meredith Vineyard Estate and Merry Edwards Wines, [Merry] Edwards is emerging as one of California's most thoughtful and articulate producers of Pinot Noir." Merry Edwards 1998 Olivet Lane Pinot Noir has more density and weight [than the 1997 wine] and is layered with fresh berry flavors."
- Gerald Boyd, San Francisco Chronicle, January 10, 2001

"With its harmonious fruit and oak, this wine is a beautifully integrated package..."
- Leslie Sbrocco, WineToday.com, November 13, 2000

Raspberry and spice aroma, smoky oak backnote; lively flavors, good depth and complexity; great finish. Nice with ribs, Chinese chicken salad. - June 13, 2001

Cellar Selection - "While most wine drinkers agree about the virtues of Pinot Noir, few can agree on where the best Pinot Noir is grown in California. Russian River Valley in Sonoma County is one of the top choices. Olivet Lane, a small vineyard on bench land in the Russian River Valley, has supplied some top Pinot Noir grapes to various wineries over the years. Edwards has a long-term relationship with the vineyard owners, and considers grapes from Olivet Lane among the best in Russian River Valley.
- Gerald Boyd, San Francisco Chronicle, September 15, 1999

"We are happy to report that these Pinots exceed all expectations as first releases. They possess beautiful subtle black cherry and plum fruit, and are velvety on the palate. Given the price differential, I could live happily with the less expensive bottling, but you should not be discouraged from enjoying the greater depth and toasty-smoky oak complexity offered by the Olivet Lane Pinot."
- Norm Roby, Your Guide to Winery Direct Wines, June 16, 1999