The Winery:  The first bottling under the R.Merlo label was in 2004. Using the family name, Merlo - Italian for blackbird - Ray and Robin are now creating estate-grown wines that represent their winemaking heritage in a land they cherish – Hyampom Valley.     The Vineyards:  They planted the first vineyard in Hyampom in the mid ‘80s; at that time the Merlos were not directly involved in the ownership. Traveling to Hyampom on weekends was to help with the planting, and the harvests.  It wasn’t until the late 90’s that the Merlos entered into a formal partnership with Meredith Vineyards, an established, bonded winery.   The Wines:   At R. Merlo Estate Vineyards, the particular characteristics of our Hyampom Valley vineyards are carried through to the bottle. Our vineyards have allowed us to make an array of richly flavored and expressive wines, all true to varietal character and true to the land from which they come. Unlike most California wines, these deep, complex wines are not high in alcohol, nor overripe in flavors. Rather, the red wines reveal rich flavor themes with very large, bold, yet smooth tannin structure. The phenomenal skin structure of the fruit results in opulent, dark colors, practically impenetrable by light. The white wines display bright vibrant flavors with crisp natural acidity. R. Merlo Estate Vineyards produces unique varietal wines, all showing the extraordinary terroir of Hyampom Valley.