Kenwood Glen Vineyards is a family-owned, hand-farmed vineyard primarily dedicated to producing exceptional sauvignon blanc grapes. Nestled in the renowned Sonoma Valley AVA, our vineyards are steeped in history and passion, making them a cornerstone of quality wine production for some of California's great wineries and winemakers.
As grape growers, we recognize the importance that our role plays in empowering our winemaker partners to be able to create a wine that is worthy of their time, effort and talents. We take great pride in producing and delivering fruit that winemakers can nurture into becoming truly exceptional sauvignon blanc that they will be proud to put their name on.
Beyond just producing exceptional grapes, we are fully committed to being reliable and trustworthy business allies to our winemaker partners. Quality, integrity, responsiveness, and transparency are at the core of everything we do. We will work with you hand-in-hand to ensure we deliver fruit that enables you to execute your vision. Our goal is to foster long-term relationships built on mutual trust and respect, helping you craft wines that reflect both our shared dedication to quality and the unique character of our land.
Kenwood Glen Vineyards has a rich history rooted in the esteemed Geib Ranch, one of the oldest vineyard complexes in the region. Established by a family passionate about winemaking, our vineyard is dedicated to crafting exceptional Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Each row of vines tells a story of dedication and love for the land, showcasing the unique terroir of Sonoma Valley. We produce grapes from four unique vineyard properties, three sauvignon blanc vineyards, and one bespoke malbec vineyard, each with its own unique personality and style.
The largest and perhaps coolest of the sites, Depot Glen sits adjacent to the historic Kenwood Depot railway station. Depot Glen features the reliable 5C clone of sauvignon blanc, generous 6’x10’ spacing, is sparingly drip irrigated and is 100% hand farmed.
Separated from Depot Glen by the seasonal flows of Fisher Creek, Hidden Glen is tucked away behind a sheltering cove of trees, and offers the same root stock, spacing and trellis configuration as Depot Glen, but its differentiated soil and weather conditions make its fruit distinctly its own.
Sitting at the Northwest segment of the ranch, Creekside Glen sits alongside Sonoma Creek where it enjoys the added moisture and airflow coming down the valley and across the creek. With the 3309 root stock, rich soil and spacious 6’x12’ spacings, Creekside Glen is built to produce artisan quality sauvignon blanc grapes for premium wine producers.
Since every vineyard should enjoy a little diversity to keep things interesting, Cottage Glen is a small 2 acre parcel producing some of the finest Malbec grapes in the region. While often used as a blending grape, Cottage Glen’s Malbec grapes are good enough to stand on their own, and have been featured in stand-alone Malbec wines as well.
Kenwood Glen Vineyards is sustainably hand-farmed to the highest standards by the master viticulturists at Napa Organic Farming Company. For more information, contact Towle Merritt at (707) 312-1752 or towle@napafarming.com
Our vineyards feature the largest array of vines on all of Warm Springs Road, a popular connector between the wine havens of Kenwood and Glen Ellen. To capitalize on this excellent location, we can provide significant marketing exposure to our winery partners by providing prominent street front signage promoting that our grapes are being made into your great wine. This additional winery brand promotion benefit is limited to one winery partner for each vineyard property
Kenwood Glen Vineyards are situated between two of the region’s most iconic landmarks: the Kenwood Depot historic railway station, and the former Griswold Castle, home of one of Kenwood’s founding fathers. In addition, the property is adjacent to Sonoma Creek, with Fisher Creek also dissecting a portion of the ranch separating Castle Gl
Kenwood Glen Vineyards are situated between two of the region’s most iconic landmarks: the Kenwood Depot historic railway station, and the former Griswold Castle, home of one of Kenwood’s founding fathers. In addition, the property is adjacent to Sonoma Creek, with Fisher Creek also dissecting a portion of the ranch separating Castle Glen and Hidden Glen Vineyards, making the Kenwood Glen Vineyards as picturesque as they are productive. Kenwood Glen Vineyards is ideally and conveniently situated less than a mile west of Highway 12 on Warm Springs Road, a main connector between the idyllic Sonoma Valley towns of Kenwood and Glen Ellen.
Kenwood Glen's terroir is a harmonious blend of unique soil types and decades of careful cultivation. The region is known for its diverse soils, which range from rocky, volcanic deposits to alluvial fans, and water-rich clay. This variety of soil types imparts a distinct persona to the fruit, contributing to the complexity and structure o
Kenwood Glen's terroir is a harmonious blend of unique soil types and decades of careful cultivation. The region is known for its diverse soils, which range from rocky, volcanic deposits to alluvial fans, and water-rich clay. This variety of soil types imparts a distinct persona to the fruit, contributing to the complexity and structure of the wine. Over the years, dedicated vineyard management practices—such as cover cropping, strategic pruning, and precise irrigation—have enhanced the soil’s fertility and health, optimizing the growing conditions for sauvignon blanc. Kenwood Glen's terroir offers an exceptional foundation for the development of world-class wines.
Located in a picturesque and tranquil pocket of Sonoma County, the Kenwood Glen Vineyards are in one of the lowest elevations on the southwestern edge of Kenwood, and often enjoy one of the highest low-high temperature variations in the region. The vineyards enjoy long, sun-drenched afternoons, followed by cool evenings as coastal breez
Located in a picturesque and tranquil pocket of Sonoma County, the Kenwood Glen Vineyards are in one of the lowest elevations on the southwestern edge of Kenwood, and often enjoy one of the highest low-high temperature variations in the region. The vineyards enjoy long, sun-drenched afternoons, followed by cool evenings as coastal breezes sweep in. This combination of warmth and cooling influences allows the grapes to ripen slowly, maintaining vibrant acidity and developing fresh, deep and concentrated flavors. The cooling fog that rolls in during the early mornings further enhances the fruit's bright, crisp character, even as it matures. T
Kenwood Glen Vineyards are curated by Towle Merritt. Towle began his wine industry journey in 2001 with an internship at Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé in Chambolle-Musigny, France. Under the mentorship of renowned winemaker Francois Millet, he gained invaluable experience in both vineyard and cellar operations. This early immersion in Burgundy’s meticulous winemaking culture instilled in Towle a lifelong commitment to craftsmanship and a deep understanding of terroir management.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Towle’s career exemplifies generational knowledge and forward-thinking leadership. He served over a decade with Walsh Vineyards Management, where he became Director of Viticulture, General Manager, and Partner. Walsh supplied services on 5,000 acres across 170 properties during his tenure, and Towle’s innovative work in vineyard mechanization and digital technology earned him recognition as a 'Top 50 Wine Leader' by Wine Business Monthly in 2018 and 2019.
Towle also led California’s oldest family-owned winery to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification©, making them one of only 16 wineries worldwide to meet these stringent standards. In 2022, he partnered with CH Engineering to introduce Steep Slope Harvesters from Germany, revolutionizing vineyard mechanization for challenging terrains. Under his leadership, Napa Organic Farming Company and Napa FLC Farming Company has advanced sustainable farming practices.
Towle holds a Bachelor of Science from Cal Poly Humboldt and an MBA from Sonoma State University. He is a licensed California Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) and holds a Qualified Applicator License (QAL). His hands-on expertise, combined with his academic background, has equipped him to excel in building not only great vineyards, but lasting business relationships as well.
Towle envisions an industry driven by excellence, sustainability, and integrity. Through his farming ventures, he continues to lead by example, championing environmentally conscious practices that benefit future generations. His dedication to innovation and quality are centered on his deep desire to have a lasting positive impact on the future of the wine industry.
Kenwood Glen grapes have proudly empowered talented winemakers to reliably create 90+ point wines, as recognized by some of the most respected wine publications.