Peirano Estate 2022 Merlot Earns 92 Points and Best Buy

Peirano Estate Winery’s 2022 Merlot received 92 points and a Best Buy designation from Wine Enthusiast, adding another high score to the Lodi winery’s portfolio. The recognition highlights the wine’s value positioning and extends a run in which every currently released Peirano wine has scored 90 points or higher.

Why it matters: - Wine Enthusiast’s Best Buy label signals strong quality at an accessible price. - The 92-point score gives Peirano Estate Winery another third-party validation for a value-focused wine. - The award could help the 2022 Merlot stand out with shoppers looking for high-rated bottles that do not trade on prestige pricing.

What happened: - Peirano Estate Winery’s 2022 Merlot earned 92 points and a Best Buy designation from Wine Enthusiast magazine. - The winery announced the recognition from Lodi, California, on July 7, 2026. - The 2022 Merlot is made from estate-grown fruit in Lodi.

The details: - The wine is described as showing ripe dark fruit, soft tannins and a smooth finish. - Lance Randolph, owner of Peirano Estate Winery, said the 2022 Merlot is “rich, approachable, food-friendly, and overdelivers in every way.” - Randolph said the Wine Enthusiast recognition confirms what customers have been saying about the wine. - Peirano Estate Winery said every wine in its currently released portfolio of 14 wines has scored 90 points or above. - Wine Enthusiast reserves its Best Buy designation for wines that offer outstanding quality at an exceptional value. - The 2022 Merlot is available through the winery’s tasting room, select retailers and Peirano Estate Winery’s website.

Between the lines: - The Wine Enthusiast result reinforces Peirano Estate Winery’s positioning around quality and value. - A full portfolio of 90-point-plus wines suggests the winery is using critic scores as a central proof point for its brand. - The Best Buy designation may be especially useful for retail and direct-to-consumer sales because it pairs a quality signal with a value message.

What’s next: - Peirano Estate Winery will likely continue leaning on the 2022 Merlot’s rating in tasting room, retail and online sales. - The winery’s broader portfolio of high-scoring wines gives Peirano Estate Winery additional room to market its value proposition. - Consumers can already buy the wine now through the channels named by the winery.