Evan Merriam is the winegrower at Merriam Vineyards in Sonoma’s Russian River, a family-owned winery commemorating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Born and raised north of Boston, Evan spent his early years fishing, sailing, and skiing throughout New England, while making regular trips to California to help with bottling and wine events. After graduating college, he moved to Healdsburg in 2017 to join the family business full-time. Working closely with winemaker William Weese, Evan gained hands-on experience in all aspects of production and vineyard life. Today, he leads day-to-day operations focusing on sustainability, hospitality, and continuing the legacy his parents began. Outside the winery, you’ll find him exploring California’s rivers, mountains, and coastline.
Media Inquiries: Sofia Spieler sofia@charlescomm.com | https://www.merriamvineyards.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
For us, it’s that Merriam Vineyards is truly a family story. My parents didn’t grow up in wine, they owned a wine shop in Massachusetts and simply fell in love with it. That passion eventually led them to move across the country, buy a vineyard in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, and start making wine themselves.
I grew up around the winery and watched them build it from scratch. It wasn’t always easy, but they were committed to doing things the right way, focusing on the land, becoming certified organic for our winery and home vineyard, (which not many in California achieve), and making wines that reflect where they come from. Now I help run the estate and carry on what they started.
We’re still small, still family-run, and every decision we make comes back to that original vision. I think that kind of story, one rooted in passion, risk, and a love of the land, is what makes Merriam special.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
If nothing was holding me back, no budget, no time limits, I’d love to create a place where people could really slow down and connect with the land. I’d build a small retreat on the property where guests could stay, walk the vineyard, help out during harvest, and even cook or fish nearby. I want people to experience more than just a wine tasting — something that feels like home, like being part of the process.
I’d also love to open a small seasonal tasting room back on the East Coast, maybe in coastal Maine or Massachusetts, where my family’s wine journey started. It would bring our story full circle and let people connect with Merriam Vineyards without needing to travel far.
And if I could really dream big, I’d protect more land around us – keeping it wild, planting trees, and creating space to teach others about sustainability and farming. Wine is what brought us here, but it’s the land that keeps us going.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
The one wine that really captures who we are at Merriam is our Windacre Vineyard Merlot. It comes from the very first vineyard my family purchased in 2000, so it’s been part of our story from the beginning. The site is dry-farmed, sustainably managed, and sits in the heart of the Russian River Valley, a place that’s shaped everything we do.
Merlot’s finally getting the respect it deserves again, and I think this wine helps tell that story. It’s structured but smooth, with great aging potential and balance. It’s not flashy – it’s honest, expressive, and something we’re really proud of vintage after vintage. For me, it’s the wine that says: this is who we are, and this is where we’re from. Read my review of the Windacre Estate Merlot here.
Bonus Question – What are your wholehearted convictions related to the wine business?
One thing I really believe is that the wine business should stay personal. It’s easy to get caught up in trends, branding, or chasing scores, but at the end of the day, wine is about connection. Whether it’s someone visiting a tasting room, meeting a grower, or sharing a bottle with friends, that experience should feel genuine.
I also think transparency matters. People want to know where their wine comes from, how it’s made, and who’s behind it. The more we can keep that trust and keep things honest, from farming practices to hospitality, the better off the whole industry will be.