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About Us
What caught Chuck's eye-and nose and palate-about California's Central Coast region was obvious. Back in the early '80s, he noticed that Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of phenomenal quality were being created from grapes grown in the cool-climate areas of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. He continued to build his reputation as a premium winemaker in the Napa and Sonoma valleys, while never losing sight of the potential for creating premium wines in the Central Coast. Then, in 1988, came Chuck's big opportunity. Wine World Estates (now Beringer Blass Wine Estates) told him they'd invest in his new Meridian label, and asked him where he'd like to take it. "Down Highway 101, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles" was his reply, and off he went. First, he purchased the old Estrella River Winery in Paso Robles, and completely remodeled its natural stone buildings. There, he began to produce a variety of premium wines from vineyards located in Santa Barbara County, Edna Valley, and Paso Robles. Today, at Meridian, we still grow and harvest our own grapes from these same three appellations. Each one has its own distinct climate, terrain, and soil type, providing a complex palette for creating wines that have captured over 200 gold medals in the past decade alone. With Meridian wines, Chuck's dreams of superior wines from the Central Coast region have truly come to fruition. Our Winemaking Philosophy At Meridian Vineyards, we were guided by our founding winemaker, Chuck Ortman, whose vision was to produce wines that express the unique character of the Central Coast region. First, we use grapes that are full of depth and intensity from our legendary vineyards. Next, we handcraft our wines, using traditional winemaking techniques of oak barrel aging, sur lie aging and malolactic fermentation. Finally, we painstakingly blend our wines for complexity and a perfect balance on the palate. |
