Maison Louis Roederer Appoints Nicole Carter as President of Merry Edwards Winery


“It will be my great honor to continue the legacy that Merry and Ken have built as benchmark producers of Pinot Noir in Sonoma County and with the support of Maison Louis Roederer, we have a tremendous future ahead,” says Nicole Carter.

Maison Louis Roederer is delighted to announce the appointment of Nicole Carter as President of Merry Edwards Winery starting October 15, 2019. In her role, she will be responsible for all business activities and will work closely with Head Winemaker Heidi von der Mehden. Nicole will also work hand-in-hand with Merry Edwards to ensure a smooth and successful transition to the next chapter of the life of the winery.

Nicole was previously Chief Marketing Officer and Director of Winemaking for Hess Family Wine Estates, leading global marketing initiatives, new product development and winemaking across all California and Argentina brands in their portfolio.

She spent the prior two decades at Treasury Wine Estates, where she served in various executive management roles including team leadership of luxury marketing, exports, distributor management, public relations, events and sponsorships, direct-to-consumer and hospitality focusing both domestically and internationally for super premium brands.

Nicole previously represented several beverage companies in Washington, D.C., and later continued her role in public affairs in California, serving as Director of Communications for the California Coastal Commission.

“I am thrilled to welcome Nicole to Merry Edwards Winery. Her demonstrated success in driving successful sales and marketing efforts, direct-to-consumer strategy and implementation, combined with her experience in profitably building luxury brands will be an invaluable asset as Maison Louis Roederer embarks on this new journey in Sonoma County. I am confident Merry Edwards’ legacy will be in good hands,” says Gregory Balogh, President & CEO of Maison Louis Roederer’s US subsidiaries.

“It will be my great honor to continue the legacy that Merry and Ken have built as benchmark producers of Pinot Noir in Sonoma County and with the support of Maison Louis Roederer, we have a tremendous future ahead. My wine career started 25 years ago in Sonoma County and it is a welcomed homecoming to return as the steward of such an amazing winery,” says Nicole Carter. A graduate of the American University in Washington, D.C., Ms. Carter is a Certified Specialist of Wine and holds additional certifications from the Court of Master Sommeliers, the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and the Culinary Institute of America Wine School in Napa Valley. She has extensive knowledge of winemaking and viticulture, and is an accomplished open water swimmer, including several crossings from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco.

Merry Edwards Winery

In 1997, family and friends joined Merry to found Merry Edwards Winery, with a focus on producing Pinot Noirs, Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays with a sense of place from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. In 2008, she and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, completed their winery, where tastings are hosted to educate visitors about Merry’s handcrafted wines and site-specific viticulture. In addition to this property, their estate vineyards include Meredith Estate, Coopersmith, Georganne, Warrens’ Hill and Richaven. Merry and Ken have also partnered with several trusted growers to supplement this estate production.

Maison Louis Roederer

Originally founded in 1776, Champagne Louis Roederer continues as one of the very rare Champagne houses to remain firmly in the hands of the same family, since 1832. For three centuries, seven successive generations have been responsible for building a reputation for unparalleled quality and continuity. Its focus on meticulous viticulture, best demonstrated with an ongoing conversion to organic and biodynamic vineyards, as well as precise winemaking, account for the House’s enduring excellence and success. Frédéric Rouzaud, President & CEO since 2006, is the seventh generation to run his family’s wine company.

Since 1990, Maison Louis Roederer has strategically acquired esteemed family-owned wineries with an approach centered around identical core values, long-term vision and continuity. Ramos Pinto (1990), Champagne Deutz and Delas Frères (1993), Château de Pez (1995), Domaines Ott (2004), Scharffenberger Cellars (2004), Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (2007), and Merry Edwards Winery (2019). Roederer has also established new ventures: Roederer Estate (1982) and Domaine Anderson (2012).

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