When winemaker David Forsyth of Mercer Estates introduced us to his wines earlier this spring, we knew we were in for a treat. Forsyth has been making wine for over 25 years and has a vast knowledge of grape-growing in Washington State’s wine country. He spent the majority of his career with The Hogue Cellars – the second largest winery in Washington State – until the winery’s founder, Mike Hogue, along with Bud Mercer, the former owner of Champoux Vineyards, founded Mercer Estates in 2007.
Mercer wines recently became available in Missouri for the first time and, while you will find five wines with the Mercer label for sale in St. Louis – Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – two in particular make for fine drinking during this warm weather we’re having.
Sip the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and you’ll taste peach and melon. Wait a minute and you’ll notice some acidity. Yes, the finish is dry, but it’s still full of fruit. Most of the juice is fermented in stainless steel, but that 18 percent that was aged for three months in oak barrels adds interesting spice and structure. Priced at around $15 per bottle, it’s a solid value for a superbly drinkable white. The Sauvignon Blanc is Mercer’s best-seller in Seattle and we have a feeling it will catch on in The Lou as well.
Not keen on white? Check out Mercer’s 2008 Merlot. You’ll taste cherries and berries and enjoy a very cherry aroma as you swirl this beautiful, deeply colored red. The grapes were put through malolactic fermentation – a process by which tart-tasting malic acid is converted to softer lactic acid – creating a more soft structured wine, its lightness and supple style perfect for patio weather.
You can find the Mercer label at these retail locations: The Wine and Cheese Place, St. Louis Wine Market and Tasting Room, Local Harvest Grocery, Naked Vine and Rendezvous Café and Wine Bar in O’Fallon, Mo. In addition, look for Mercer Estates on the wine list at Frazer’s Restaurant and Lounge, Atlas, Lorenzo’s Trattoria, Mangia Italiano and Veritas Gateway to Food and Wine.
This article appears in May 1-31, 2011.