Merry Edwards, one of the winemakers who put Russian River Valley Pinot noir on the map, has been named the 2026 American Wine Legend by Wine Enthusiast. The magazine announced the honor in a release, and the Press Democrat covered it this week.
Edwards began her career in 1974 at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There she helped isolate the Pinot noir clone 37, which now carries her name. She was the founding winemaker at Matanzas Creek Winery in Sonoma County from 1977 to 1984 and then ran a consulting practice for other wineries.
She started her own label, Merry Edwards Winery, in 1997. A tasting room in Sebastopol followed in 2006, and in 2008 she and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, built a winery on their Coopersmith property.
In 2013 Edwards was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame and won a James Beard award. She is one of only three women to have received both honors.
She promoted Heidi von der Mehden to winemaker in 2018. In 2019 the winery was sold to the Roederer family's group, and Edwards retired in February 2020 after 47 vintages. Von der Mehden still makes the wines, and Roederer has recently opened a tasting room in Anderson Valley.
"She built an exceptional winery and brand when women faced significant barriers to leadership in winemaking," said Nicole Carter, president of Merry Edwards Winery. "Her accomplishments are remarkable and paved the way for many of us in the industry."
The honor is part of Wine Enthusiast's 2026 Wine Star Awards, an annual program that recognizes people and companies in the wine and spirits industries.