Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Merlot
Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Merlot is a 750mL red wine from Sonoma County, California — Merlot built, per Kenwood's own description, from Sonoma County's best appellations: the estate vineyard in Sonoma Valley for colour and texture, with Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley fruit adding rich fruit and spice. It is made in Kenwood's small-lot style, each vineyard lot kept separate through fermentation and ageing before blending. The listing carries no vintage, and no ABV is stated here because published figures for Kenwood Merlot belong to a different bottling tier — the bottle's label is the authority. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: Not stated — no verified figure for this bottling (see applier flag); check the label
- Size: 750mL
- Varietal: Merlot (no blend percentages published)
- Appellation: Sonoma County, California — Sonoma Valley estate, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley fruit
- Winemaking: Small-lot fermentation and ageing, lots kept separate until blending
- Producer: Kenwood Vineyards — founded 1970 in the 1906 Pagani Brothers cellar, Kenwood, Sonoma Valley
Small Lots from Across Sonoma County
Kenwood Vineyards was established in 1970, when John Sheela and his brothers-in-law Mike and Marty Lee converted the old Pagani Brothers jug-wine cellar — built in 1906 in the town of Kenwood — into a premium winery built on keeping every vineyard lot separate. The Sonoma County Merlot is that philosophy in a blending wine: estate Sonoma Valley fruit for structure, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley fruit for richness and spice. (The winery returned to Gary Heck's Korbel ownership in 2026, closing the Pernod Ricard era.) Shop the range on the Kenwood Vineyards vendor page or browse the red wine shelf.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Ripe plum and dried cherry with spicy cinnamon, licorice and vanilla (brand copy). Palate: Fruit-led and full, with redcurrant, toasty oak and cinnamon in the listing's profile. Finish: Well balanced and lingering.
How to Enjoy
Serve at cool room temperature. Retailer pairing suggestions run to backyard barbecue, grilled burgers, roasted chicken and mushroom dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the fruit come from? Sonoma County — the estate vineyard in Sonoma Valley plus Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley, per Kenwood's description of this bottling.
What is the alcohol level? It is not stated here: published ABV figures for Kenwood Merlot document a different (Mendocino/Sonoma) bottling, so this listing defers to the physical bottle's label rather than risk a wrong figure.
Who owns Kenwood now? After a Pernod Ricard era beginning in 2014, Kenwood was sold back to Gary Heck's F. Korbel & Bros. in 2026.
Sonoma County Merlot from one of the valley's founding modern wineries — pick up Kenwood at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.