Cast with modern day heroes and legendary trailblazers, Mercer Estates is an epic story of two families – the Hogues and Mercers – whose century-old farming roots lay at the heart of this first-rate winery.
Imagine Italy’s Barone Ricasoli, the oldest family run winery in the world, partnering with the second oldest, Marchesi Antinori. Or France’s Domaine Jean-Louis Chave family collaborating with Maison Trimbach. Meet Washington’s contemporary version: the Mercer and Hogue families with the creation of Mercer Estates.
There are pioneers that give birth to every wine region and for Washington state that person was the late Dr. Walter Clore, whom with rancher Don Mercer, planted the first wine grape vineyards on Horse Heaven Hills in 1972. And Clore’s equally forward-thinking student? Mike Hogue.
Similar to Clore, Mike’s farming began with other crops. The son of a hop farmer, Mike’s father turned to Concord grapes, the upcoming thing to plant in the 60’s. “I met Walt while I was learning to farm those Concord grapes from my dad,” says Hogue.
At the recent grand opening for The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center’s outdoor event facility (part of the exciting agri-tourism and education center project underway in Prosser) in which Hogue serves as co-chair, he spoke of his memories of Clore, “He was so far ahead of everyone else. His biggest job was convincing farmers to plant wine grapes and he finally accomplished that.”
Written by Kirsten Telander
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