Description

Olson Vineyard sits at 500 feet elevation on Sonoma Mountain, its gravelly loam clay soils planted to Merlot in 1994 by organic viticulture pioneer Phil Coturri. Las Vivas Merlot 2023 draws from these 30-year-old vines, now tended by David Rothschild’s Los Paisanos Vineyard Management team using regenerative practices. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with indigenous yeasts before resting in neutral oak. Las Vivas bottles this Merlot without fining or filtration, allowing the mountain character to remain intact. The result reflects Sonoma Mountain’s volcanic-influenced terroir with clarity and restraint.