Vintage Albuquerque is pleased to recognize 2010 Honorary Chair Merry Edwards for her many contributions to the growth and development of the wine industry in California and beyond.

One of California’s first women winemakers, Merry Edwards began her career at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1974. She went on to become the founding winemaker at Matanzas Creek in 1977 and remained there until 1984. For the next decade, Merry consulted for numerous wineries, large and small, in Oregon and many diverse appellations of California.

In 1997, family and friends joined Merry to found Merry Edwards Winery, with a focus on producing Pinot Noirs with a sense of place from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. Living her dream, she and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, now manage five estate vineyards: Coopersmith, Cresta d’Oro, Flax, Georganne and Meredith. They continue collaborative relationships with several other dedicated growers to supplement this estate production. Two regional blends and six vineyard designates are bottled. In 2001, a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc blend was added to the portfolio.

Merry and Ken completed their new winery facility in 2008 on the site of Coopersmith Vineyard. In this new venue, tastings are hosted to educate visitors about Merry’s handcrafted wines and site-specific viticulture. Merry’s wines are available direct from the winery, in select retail markets and in fine restaurants throughout the United States.

During 2009, Merry collected a stellar array of accolades. In addition to being voted the #1 Most Popular Pinot Noir in the Wine & Spirits Restaurant Poll for the fourth year out of five, Merry’s wines could be found on several Top 100 lists. Her 2007 Russian River Sauvignon Blanc came in at #9 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in the world, the only white wine in the Top 20. Her 2007 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir made the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100, and her 2006 Klopp Ranch Pinot Noir was ranked #28 on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 list.