Tom Rinaldi, Who Helped Spark the Merlot Boom in the U.S., Dies at 77

Tom Rinaldi, the founding winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards and widely credited with helping spark the U.S. Merlot boom, died on Sept. 6 at age 77. Rinaldi’s role at Duckhorn placed him at the center of a period when American consumers increasingly embraced Merlot, turning the varietal into a major category in U.S. wine. The article notes that Merlot’s later decline has had multiple explanations, including growers who met earlier demand by planting more fruit. Rinaldi’s death marks the loss of a key figure tied to the varietal’s rise.