Sips & Sites & Bites

When it comes to wines that turn heads, and noses, Mercer Wine Estates’ new Orange Muscat is hard to ignore. This intensely fragrant white, sourced from the prestigious Champoux Vineyards, bursts with aromas of orange blossom, apricot, and pear. It’s a vibrant, silky sip that celebrates both the winery’s 20th anniversary in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills and the debut of lauded winemaker Ali Mayfield’s first collection of aromatic whites for Mercer.

For Mayfield, this isn’t just another vintage … it’s a personal milestone. Known for her meticulous approach and artistic flair, Mayfield brings years of experience and passion to Mercer Wine Estates. A graduate of Walla Walla’s respected Viticulture and Enology program, her resume includes time alongside industry legends like Gilles Nicault, Kendall Mix, and French oenologist Claude Gros. Her wines have already caught the attention of critics like Jeb Dunnuck, praised for their purity, richness, and elegance.

The 2024 collection highlights Mayfield’s skill with five distinct whites that speak to both place and precision. Alongside the Orange Muscat is a Small Lot Sauvignon Blanc, crisp and refreshing with grapefruit, green apple, and lemon zest; the organically grown Sonova Sage Sauvignon Blanc, offering minerality and bright citrus tones with a whisper of thyme; and a textured Small Lot Viognier layered with ripe apricot, pear, and gentle herbal notes.

Rounding out the lineup is the Mercer RESERVE “Good Day” Chardonnay from 2023, a fruit-forward yet balanced expression of apple, pear, and tropical fruit with a subtle, buttery roundness.

Rob Mercer, owner of Mercer Wine Estates, says Mayfield’s arrival has elevated the winery’s approach: “Ali brings a fresh yet methodical discipline to her winemaking that is both distinctive and exceptional.”

These new whites are available now at Mercer’s tasting rooms in Walla Walla and Prosser, Washington as well as online. The timing couldn’t be better, as Mercer Wine Estates celebrates two decades of crafting expressive New World wines with deep roots in sustainability and stewardship … a legacy dating back to 1886 in the Horse Heaven Hills.

For those looking to sip something aromatic, expressive, and distinctly Washington, this collection is ready to impress.