Prosser, Wash. — Horse Heaven Hills pioneer Don Mercer has been selected as the 2015 inductee into the Legends of Wine Hall of Fame. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center will honor Mr. Mercer during the Legends of Washington Wine gala to be held at 6:00pm on Friday, August 7, 2015 at the Walter Clore Center.
Don spent the first years of his career working with his father, Milt, and brothers Bud and Rick to operate the family farm, Mercer Ranches. In 1972 with encouragement from Dr. Walter Clore, Don planted the first Vitis vinifera on Horse Heaven Hills known as Block One of Cabernet Sauvignon. He knew that Block One was a perfect location to plant grapes, even though it was on the arid landscape of the Horse Heaven Hills plateau. Don was one of the key figures in working on developing irrigation throughout the region, helping establish the Carma Irrigation district and working with Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Soon after Mercer Ranches expanded their wine grape plantings to 132 acres.
Don went on to found Mercer Ranch vineyards with his wife Linda in 1984 and added a wine production facility in 1985. Key wines produced were Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger (with some of the first cuttings coming from John and Anne Williams of Kiona), Muscat Canelli, and the fan favorite, Sadie Louise, a Rosè wine that featured a lamb on the label, named after Don’s mother’s favorite ewe. The winery became well known for its Lamburger/Lemberger annual celebration.
Don’s enthusiasm encouraged friends and neighbors to follow in his footsteps. The Mercer’s closest neighbors on Horse Heaven, the Andrews family, shared everything from boom-trucks to the latest farming techniques. Now the Andrews and Rowell families farm 2,000 acres of grapes and operate a successful winery, McKinley Springs. Sergio and Christy Martinez, Don’s cousins, helped tremendously in the early years with both the winery and vineyards. Their own estate vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon, with cuttings from Block One, continues to produce award winning wines. Today Sergio and Christy run and operate their own charming winery, Martinez & Martinez, with their son, Andrew, and his wife, Monica,
Don is happily retired. He and Linda are active members of the Tri-City Rose Society. Don, always the jolly farmer, tends to over 400 rose bushes on their property. They have one son, Peter Mercer, married to Jamie Miller Mercer and three daughters—Alice Early, married to Steve Early, Elizabeth Elliot, married to Brad Elliot, and Rachel Mercer. They have 8 grandchildren: Chelsey married to Justin Eagy, Patrick, Emily, Maggie, Charles, Henry, Kathleen, and Sam. And they have one great-grandchild, Cassidy.
Nominees of Legends of Washington Wine Hall of Fame are individuals who exemplify legendary status because of contributions and commitment to the Washington wine industry. Nominees must have been Washington residents involved in the wine industry for 25 years. Previous inductees to the Hall of Fame include:
• S.W. “Bill” Preston, founder of Preston Premium Wines
• John and Ann Williams and Jim and Pat Holmes, wine pioneers from Red Mountain
• Stan Clarke, a 30-year industry veteran
• John Anderson, a visionary and mentor who believed Washington would compete globally based on premium quality grapes
• David Lake, MW, renowned for his experimentation with new varietals and for wine innovations
• Bill Powers, pioneer of low-impact and organic viticulture
• Dr. Myles Anderson, founder of the Institute for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College
• George Carter, research partner of Dr. Walter Clore
• Mike Hogue, whose vision helped define the Washington wine industry
• Allen Shoup, an industry leader who is committed to building the reputation of Washington wines
A commissioned bronze piece will remain on display at the Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center to memorialize each inductee. Tickets and sponsorship options for the Legends Gala on August 7th, 2015 will be available soon on www.theclorecenter.org.
About The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center
Named after the late Dr. Walter J. Clore, the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center is a centrally located, must-see learning center that promotes Washington State wine and food by actively engaging visitors to experience and realize the quality and diversity of Washington’s wine and food products. The Clore Center is located on 16 acres of scenic view property overlooking the Yakima River and Cascade Mountains. The property and buildings are owned by the Port of Benton, and the project is operated by the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center Board of Directors. Dr. Clore began his life’s work in 1937 studying vinifera grapes and their potential for growth in Washington soils. His research, a cornerstone of the industry’s development, earned him official recognition from the Washington State Legislature as the “Father of the Washington Wine Industry.”