Horse Heaven Hills
Horse Heaven Hills AVA
Established in 2005
Spice Cabinet Vineyard
Spice Cabinet Vineyard, a unique 18-acre site adjacent to the Columbia River on the Mercer family farm. A deep sandy soil that has blown in over the rock bluffs above and a steep south east aspect creates site characteristics that are similar to areas in the Rhone. The early morning sun warms the site and its proximity to the river ensure a constant movement of airflow which provides the advantage of extra frost free days and lower mildew pressure. The site is planted to Grenache, Syrah, Petit Syrah, Mouvedre, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. It is truly our winery’s spice cabinet.
Soil Series: Quincy; generally associated with excessively drained, coarse textured soils on dune-like terraces. The parent material was windblown sand derived from granite, basalt, and quartzite.
Dead Canyon Vineyard
The Dead Canyon Vineyard is located on the sloped hills of Dead Canyon in the Horse Heaven Appellation of Washington State. The 325 acre vineyard has 27 unique blocks that have been developed over 4 phases beginning in 2006. The site has two distinct aspects due to the fact that it is planted on both canyon edges and thus has both a north and south face, both with approximately 10% slope. Planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon, the site, at elevation (780’) has great air drainage, well-drained cobbly silt loam soils and offers many different blending opportunities due to the variation in its slopes. The vineyard lies about 3 miles south of the original Mercer family farmstead.
The first vintage was in 2008 from phase I grapes approximately 60 acres. Phase II was planted in 2007 and represents the remaining 60 acres of the original center pivot site. This original 120 acre site is where Mercer Estate Winery fruit is sourced. Phase III was planted in 2009 and represents 71 acres (7 blocks of various sizes) on sloped sites located between existing center pivots around the canyon. We have coded those blocks with letters rather than the traditional numbers. Phase IV was planted in 2010 and represents 9 blocks totaling 140 acres – the blocks straddle both north and south facing slopes of Dead Canyon.
Soil Series: The North Side: #377 Lickskillet; generally associated with steep canyon lands. The parent material is a cobbly silt loam that formed under bunch grasses in a mixture of wind laid deposits and basalt residuum. It is underlain by basalt bedrock with 2 to 15 percent slope.
Soil Series: #533 Sagehill: generally associated with basins, a fine sandy loam with 5 to 10 percent slopes. The parent material is formed from lacustrine sediments with a mantle of loess.
The South Side: #537 Sagehill, generally associated with terraces, a deep fine sandy loam with 10 to 15 percent slopes. The parent material is formed from lacustrine sediments with a mantle of loess.
Big Teepee Vineyard
Big Teepee Vineyard, a small 5-acre site adjacent to the Mercer family farm office (thus the name), is a bit of an enigma with regards to our knowledge of terroir. First planted primarily as a landscape improvement, the vineyard consistently produces a Cabernet of extremely deep color with a very healthy dose of rich tannins. It is located at a lower elevation (640’), has no slope and is in a soil with higher clay content. Not ideal terroir in many ways but the soil composition is such that it really stands out as a unique and interesting Cabernet that we enjoy as a stand-alone or as a part of our blending options.
Soil Series: #274 Prosser: generally associated with basins, a silt loam with 2 to 5 percent slope, this soil was formed under bunch grasses and sagebrush in silty alluvium and wind-deposited material overlying basalt bedrock.
