About
Dedicated to the pure pursuit of exceptional wines since 1998
From the start Merus proved that grand architecture or expensive tools were less crucial to fine winemaking than passion and dedication.
The passion and dedication remain, but now we’re supported by facilities entirely geared to production of singularly oustanding wine.
Merus began as the quintessential “garage wine,” founded in a two-car garage in the town of Napa. The wine won international renown starting with its first vintage in 1998, but the garage imposed serious limitations.
When William Foley purchased Merus at the end of 2007, one of his first goals was to find a Napa Valley winery site worthy of the brand. A few months later he acquired a historic ranch tucked into a canyon on the east side of the valley. One of Napa Valley’s fabled “ghost wineries,” it had been abandoned in the wake of Prohibition and only recently brought back to life.
Now the fully updated winery includes custom-made winemaking equipment and 7,000 square feet of caves for barrel storage. Because our production is so restricted, the winery and the Merus Guest Experience are open to guests by reservation only. No walk-ins are permitted.
Tasting
Our wine is artfully crafted in a way most wineries cannot replicate
Our strong partnerships with a small group of Napa Valley growers allow us to dictate exacting standards for yield size, pruning, irrigation, and other aspects of winegrowing. In these select vineyard parcels, some as small as six rows, we monitor development almost grape by grape, waiting to pick until the fruit is at peak ripeness, with fully developed flavors and textures. We pick multiple times over several weeks, even in the smallest parcels, to capture that elusive moment between not quite ready and over-ripe, the moment when each berry reaches optimal concentration and power.
Following gentle destemming, whole-berry fermentation is carried out in our artisanal puncheons and state-of-the-art stainless-steel tanks, each of which imparts a different textural quality to the wines. We allow fermentation temperatures to briefly climb higher than standard winery practice, which encourages greater extraction of fruit flavors and velvety tannins but requires extremely close monitoring. The cap on each tank must be pumped over several times a day, in order to precisely control temperature and the progress of fermentation.
Fruit from each vineyard block is fermented separately with free-run and pressed wine maintained as separate lots throughout barrel aging. Each wine lot is then paired with a specific new French oak barrel whose qualities we calculate will best contribute to the wine’s flavor and texture.
Malolactic fermentation finishes in barrel and the wine is aged in our humidity and temperature-controlled caves until it is time to determine which lots belong in the vintage blend. Only those with the most outstanding flavor profile—usually little more than half the total—are selected for the final Merus assemblage.
Our People
Director of Winemaking
Michael Beaulac
Merus Director of Winemaking, Michael Beaulac, a Vermont native, joined the Foley Family Wines team in 2021, bringing over 30 years of experience working with premier luxury wineries.
Michael began his winemaking career when a chance opportunity presented itself while he was running a Portland, Maine jazz dinner club. There, Beaulac’s career pivoted when Tim Murphy of Murphy-Goode offered him a job one night, partly in jest. The opportunity was one that Beaulac was looking for, and he accepted his offer and moved to Sonoma County, California to work as a Murphy-Goode Winery harvest intern in 1989…
Beaulac spent an interim period at Laurier Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros region working as a cellar master with Merry Edwards from 1989 through 1991. This opportunity gave way to becoming assistant winemaker back at Murphy-Goode, where he spent four years developing new varietal programs for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. In 1997, Michael Beaulac spent four years as winemaker for Markham Vineyards in St. Helena. Beaulac took his expertise to the next level, becoming Vice President of St. Supéry Vineyards in Rutherford in 2001, working closely with Michel Roland and Denis Dubourdieu. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the Napa Valley, Beaulac became General Manager and winemaker at Napa’s Pine Ridge Vineyards in 2009 where he oversaw the estate’s 160 acres. Beaulac credits his development as a winemaker to working with Michel Roland and Pine Ridge’s high standard for producing quality wines.
Michael’s winemaking philosophy starts in the vineyard. Truly knowing the land, soil, and climate allows him to showcase the exceptionally pure qualities of the diverse vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. He says of his philosophy for winemaking, “Be proactive in the vineyards. Let the fruit find its balance. Do not force the wine to be anything it’s not. Let it express its typicity. Once in the winery the wine should be touched as little as possible, in a perfect vintage, we really shouldn’t have to do anything.”
Beaulac currently resides outside of Santa Rosa. When he is not in the vineyards, he enjoys hikes with his wife Cathy and their German Shepherd. He also loves to cook and experiment in the kitchen with different recipes.
Associate Winemaker
Sierra Zeiter
From a young age, Sierra was captivated by the world of wine. She first noticed the way wine brought people together—creating celebrations, smiles, and lasting friendships. At just fifteen years old, she decided she wanted to become a winemaker, and every day since, she has worked tirelessly to achieve that dream.
In 2017, Sierra earned her Enology degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During her time at Cal Poly, she completed four harvest internships—two in her hometown of Lodi and two in Paso Robles. After graduating, Sierra began her professional career as…
Eager to deepen her knowledge and explore premium winemaking, Sierra transitioned to Napa Valley as an Enologist at Burgess Cellars. Working closely with the Winemaker, she focused on Howell Mountain and Napa Valley Bordeaux varieties, embracing promiscuous and biodynamic farming practices alongside native fermentations.
Currently, Sierra serves as Associate Winemaker for Foley Johnson, Merus, Cosentino, and Swanson under Foley Family Wines. In this role, she collaborates closely with the Director of Winemaking on key decisions, including vineyard selections, blending strategies, budget management, and packaging goals. Her passion for precision and her ability to oversee diverse projects have made her an integral part of the team.
Sierra now calls Napa Valley home, where she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, hiking, and snowboarding in Tahoe. She graduated with her Executive Wine MBA from Sonoma State University in 2025, further solidifying her expertise in both the technical and business sides of the wine industry. Sierra is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of winemakers and is excited to see where her journey will lead.