@MercerEstates

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Welcome to #SommChat everyone! Tell your friends to join us to learn about #wine from #Winemaker Jeremy Santo from @mercerestates !

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl We're about ready to dive in w/questions, so shout out to #Winemaker Jeremy @mercerestates to say hello & so he knows you're here! #WineWednesday #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Don't forget that EVERY tweet during this chat should include the #SommChat hashtag in order for everyone to see it!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl As we ask Jeremy Santo abt @mercerestates our Qs, you can ask your Qs as well! He'll do his best to answer all Qs in the order they come #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl W so many participants lots of gr8 Q's R asked! Even if u dont ask 1--give a S/O 2 @KeeperColl & @mercerestates 2 let us know u R here! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Let's start talking #wine with #Winemaker Jeremy Santo tweeting on @mercerestates ! #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Hello all- very excited to be here on #SommChat and to view and answer all your questions about Mercer Estates Pls bear with me as this is my 1st time on #Twitter

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl @MercerEstates Jeremy When did you first become interested in learning about #wine? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: In 2003, my 1st job in the wine industry outside of college was in the lab at Snoqualmie Winery. Always loved drinking red wine & learned a lot from the #winemakers there. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm Jeremy @mercerestates can you describe the topography and the soil in your vineyards? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Good question – soil is deep sandy loam in our vineyards and topography is south-facing and located very close to the #ColumbiaRiver which keeps our vineyards in a very temperate climate #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm @mercerestates based upon the temperate climate, what are best grapes you choose to grow Jeremy?

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: #Rhone varieties such as #Syrah grow well here, as well as, #cabernetsauvignon and #merlot. The climate and soils create elegant dusty tannins #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Jeremy, tell us a little bit abt your role as the #Winemaker for Mercer Estates? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: I oversee all winemaking for Mercer Estates from the vineyards to the bottle. We have a #winemaking team of 2 and production team is abt 5 ppl. 2 winemakers are full-time dedicated the production process. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm @mercerestates Jeremy, what are the biggest #US markets for UR #wines and what states are U moving into? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Mercer Estates is marketed in every state in #US except 4 N and S Dakota. We were just featured in the national #Sommelier Competition #Somms Under Fire in #Austin #Texas. We are in a perfect position to grow. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm Jeremy, @MercerEstates do you make your #wines to age or to drink upon release? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: I make Mercer Estate Wines to be approachable for the consumer to enjoy when released, but still with the ability to age bc of the great acidity and tannin structure from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA... #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Most of Mercer Estates #vineyards are located in Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Total, we have about 3400 acres there dedicated to #vineyards and the best 400 acres in this AVA are reserved for Mercer Estate Wines... #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: 1st #Vineyards were planted in 1972 by the Mercers and then more added around mid-late 2000s specifically for high and Estate fruit. With each vintage, we see a beautiful evolution in the #wines from the aging of the #vines #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl @MercerEstates What different grapes do you focus on in your #winemaking at the #winery? Does your area offer diversity in grape growing for wine making? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Besides #Syrah, #cabernetsauvignon & #merlot, we do #Chardonnay #Sauvignon Blanc a touch of #reisling & a lot of single small bottlings of #grenache, petit verdo, & #malbec & #mouvedre… #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Being able to have #vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA in #washington is very special as you can see it offers great diversity for us to make #wines for people to enjoy… #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: The climate of hot days and cool nights combined with our soil creates flavors in the grapes that are unique as compared to the same grapes in other regions #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm @MercerEstates Jeremy, How has the #wine industry changed since you started working in it? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: In last 5 years we have seen some earlier warming in climate thus harvest at an earlier date than in the past. Fortunately after early warm temps, it does cool off after initial early warming in harvest to allow for flavors to develop beautifully #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: When I started in 2003 #Washington was just becoming a place of interest 4 the #US #wine Mkt. The quality of the #wines has always been a focus & thus the interest in the region’s #wines has increased hugely over the last 15 years…. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm @MercerEstates What is the most challenging part of your job as a #winemaker ? #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Since this is my 1st harvest with Mercer Estates, getting to know the character of the beautiful fruit from Horse Heaven Hills is certainly a priority... #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: The biggest challenge is to match the proper #winemaking techniques to showcase the character of the vineyards. Whether yeast selection, cap mgmt, and/or even hang time in vineyards bf harvest #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm how many different bottles do you make @MercerEstates and what is approximate production?

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: With our reserves and small lot bottlings, as well as production #wines, we make over 20 different wines at a little more than 40000 cases per year at Mercer Estates #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat Somm Can you describe the flavor profile of your #riesling @MercerEstates

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: Fr our #Riesling you get a riper more tropical fruit style with some petrol, especially seen with aging. #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm do you travel to other regions to learn about #winemaking and if so where? Do you have a dream place to visit @MercerEstates

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: I have visited throughout the states of #washington and #California. I have been to #bordeaux and would like to go to the #rhone Regions of #France. Another dream region to visit is throughout #portugal bc wife’s family is from there #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Q fr #SommChat #Somm have you or do you plan to make any changes in the #winemaking since you arrived @MercerEstates

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: With my experience I want to expand on some things to showcase the beauty of Horse Heaven Hills through Mercer Estates #Wines #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: For my 1st harvest I want to keep it consistent with current style and tradition of Mercer Estates & the family who has been in #Washington since the 1880s… #Sommchat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Time to wrap up! Hope you enjoyed this hour of #wine talk w/ #Winemaker Jeremy Santo on @mercerestates ! #SommChat

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl It was great to have #Winemaker Jeremy Santo @mercerestates join us today for #SommChat. We hope everyone learned as much as we did!

KeeperCollection @KeeperColl Please join us in thanking #Winemaker Jeremy Santo for his time teaching us about the beautiful #Washington #wines of @mercerestates #SommChat

Jeremy Santo @MercerEstates: I appreciate all the time you have taken to ask Qs and listen to stories about Mercer Estates and if you are ever in #Prosser #Washington please call and stop by to see us and taste #wine #SommChat