Wine Review - Mercer Estates 2013 Sadie Louise Rose' Horse Heaven Hills @MercerEstates

A Mercer Small Lot Wine, unique and unquestionably hand-made. Produced in small quantities. Hand-crafted and meticulously tended to from the vineyard to the bottle.

This bottle is a tribute to Don and Linda Mercer and all of the many cousins and friends who helped plant the original Mercer Ranch Vineyards back in the early 1970s. Named in honor of Carma Mercer, who was fond of a charming, hand-raised, bell sheep named Sadie Louise. For fifty years, many successor ewes carried on the name. The estate Spice Cabinet Vineyard, located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, provided 100% of the fruit for this wine. This vineyard sits on a southeast slope above the Columbia River.

Mercer Estates Tasting Room in Prosser, Washington.

Wine Bar at Mercer Estates Tasting Room.

*Note: It was my pleasure to visit Mercer Estates Winery during harvest this year. I tasted through many delicious wines and also enjoyed a tour of their winery. It was a thrill to sample unfiltered wine straight from the tank. A first class facility and operation. If you are in the area it is a must visit winery.

Tasting Notes 2013 Sadie Louise Rose' Horse Heaven Hills:

Color: Pale salmon pink.
Nose: Dry minerality, strawberry with orange peel, toasty.
Palate: Lively, strawberry-cream, creamy on the top palate, fresh with slate on the finish. Palate cleanser and very tasty at opening, fruity with a lingering strawberry finish. Big like.

Thoughts: This wine made me hungry. I craved tacos from a taco wagon. Especially good pairing at dinner with spicy Yakisoba noodles; the noodles, oil, umami quality and heat matched well with this wine. Recommended for spicy Asian dishes and would be fantastic with Thai fusion dishes. Bring on the heat baby. A flexible food wine suitable for an array of foods. Buy if you see it. Recommended.

Vineyard: Spice Cabinet Estate Vineyard
Blend: 89% Grenache, 6% Sangiovese, 3% Mourvedre, 1% Cinsault, 1% Counoise
Closure: Screw Cap
ABV: 13%
Winemaker: Jessica Munnell
Production: 199 cases

Mercer Estates Winery
Winery and Tasting Room Address:
3100 Lee Road
Prosser, WA 99350
www.mercerwine.com

Winemaker Jessica Munnell

About the Winemaker

Jessica Munnell holds a Master’s of Science degree from Washington State University, where she studied enology and viticulture. Ms. Munnell began her career as a viticulturist for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in 2000. Working in the Columbia Valley with over 32 growers afforded her a comprehensive understanding of the region’s sub-climates and soils, as well as their influence in the finished wines. In 2003, she worked harvest for Bleasdale Vineyards in South Australia, launching her winemaking career. Upon her return, she worked as Enologist at Prosser’s Snoqualmie Vineyards training under legendary winemaker, Joy Andersen. Munnell’s winemaking skills then took her to Chateau Ste. Michelle as Assistant Winemaker. In 2008, Jessica started the ultra premium winery Wautoma Springs Wines and following that produced wines at Artifex Wine Company, a custom crush facility in Walla Walla. She has been Mercer Estates Winemaker since 2011.

Related Post: Review Mercer Wine Estates 2012 Chardonnay

Cheers!

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