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Winemaker, Keith Mietz, Peter Merriam,
and Brendan Malm, Asst. Winemaker
WINEMAKER Keith Mietz–
As the winemaker for Merriam Vineyards, Keith Mietz brings with him years of experience, a family history of farming and most importantly a passion for winemaking.
Born on a family farm in Lodi California, Keith Mietz has always been a farmer at heart. Even though he majored in chemistry at UC Berkeley and worked as a firefighter in Alameda, California, Keith’s interest in farming and grapes never wavered.
Mietz first became interested in winemaking during the 1974 wine boom and began making wine at home. Making wine ignited a desire to grow grapes, which in 1978 led to Keith and his wife Nancy purchasing a vineyard. Keith then set about learning everything there was to know about growing grapes.
Since making his first commercial wine in 1989 Keith has won numerous gold medals at judgings including the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Keith’s has had two wines named in the top 100 wines in the Wine Spectator and the San Francisco Chronicle.
After so many years his philosophy of winemaking is well defined and can be expressed in two words, “minimal interference.”
The 2000 Merriam “Windacre” Merlot is already winning medals. The wine won a silver medal San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, competing against all older wines; it was the only 2000 in a field of 1998 and 1999 merlots.
