Fred Merwarth

Career Fred Merwarth has been at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in Dundee, United States, since 2007 as Head Winemaker, co-owner, and Vineyard Manager. That kind of continuity is unusual in wine: the work stays with one place, and the place, in turn, becomes the framework for the work. Riesling sits at the center of that focus, and the vineyard that took him in as an apprentice later became the site of his professional identity, from cellar to field. - Owner, winemaker, and vineyard manager — Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Dundee, New York (2007–present) - Apprentice — Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Dundee, New York (2001–2007) Education: Cornell University

The Climb

Cornell University provided the formal training, but the day-to-day discipline was built at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in Dundee, New York, where Fred Merwarth served as an apprentice from 2001–2007. Those years established the habits that matter in this trade: repetition, observation, and the accumulation of practical knowledge through work done every day. In 2007, that apprenticeship became ownership and leadership, with Merwarth stepping into the roles of owner, winemaker, and vineyard manager at the same estate.

Today

Since 2007, Fred Merwarth has held three linked responsibilities: Head Winemaker, co-owner, and Vineyard Manager. The combination places farming and winemaking in the same set of hands, season after season, with the vineyard and the finished wine treated as parts of one process. Riesling remains the variety through which his work is most clearly read.

Signature

Fred's signature wines include Reserve Riesling and Riesling HJW Vineyard 2023. Both belong to the narrow focus that defines his cellar, where Riesling is treated with precision rather than breadth. The names point to the style itself: clarity, place, and a steady commitment to the grape that has anchored his work from the start.

Recognition

In 2021, Wine Enthusiast Magazine named Merwarth its Wine Star Award Winemaker of the Year. The award recognized a career built on continuity rather than movement: Cornell training, an apprenticeship at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard from 2001–2007, and then, from 2007 onward, a leadership role that joined ownership, farming, and winemaking in one place.

FAQ What is Fred Merwarth's current role? As of 2026, Fred Merwarth is Head Winemaker, Co-owner, and Vineyard Manager. Where did Fred Merwarth train or study? Fred Merwarth trained at Cornell University. What is Fred Merwarth known for? Riesling.