The Search for the Definitive Horse Heaven Hills Terroir

As this website has evolved over the first six months I have found it quite interesting to organize my tastings methodically, as often as possible compiling peer group wines with a specific focus. It might be a single variety, a common blend such as a GSM, an in-depth look at a single winery, a particularly interesting AVA or a topic such as the "Bleeding Edge" wines and wineries profiled a few weeks ago. In pursuit of material for these tastings I encourage wineries to submit current and occasionally library wines that will help to educate me and inform the finished report.

A couple of months ago I received a sample of an expensive new wine from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It seemed like a good opportunity to do a focused tasting of Horse Heaven Hills reds. After a representative selection of wines had arrived and rested an appropriate amount of time, I spent a week tasting through them all. As is my practice these wines were tasted slowly, carefully and over many days.

The AVA spreads out broadly along the south-facing hills sloping down to the Columbia river. Wines bearing the appellation are more vineyard-specific than reflecting any overriding common terroir. So it's difficult to pinpoint terroir-defining characteristics compared with Red Mountain or the Rocks District for example. Rather than speculate I am recommending the best examples from among the wines I tasted. For a look at an aged and genuinely great example I pulled a 2009 Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from my cellar. That wine was magnificent, and I am including my original review from a decade ago as well as notes from my recent tasting.

Among the current releases of HHH reds the wines of Mercer Estates rose to the top.

The Mercer family roots go back to 1886 with the arrival in the Yakima Valley of Willis Mercer, who worked on a cattle ranch owned by Ben Snipes. The family first planted grapes in 1972 at what later became (under different ownership) the Champoux vineyard. Currently the Mercers farm about 3000 acres total, notably at the Eagle & Plow, Spice Cabinet, Cavalie and other sites in the Horse Heaven Hills. The Mercer Estates winery was founded in 2005 by the late Bud Mercer and his brother Don. Currently Bud's son Rob Mercer runs the business. From 2017 to 2021 Jeremy Santo made the Mercer wines, including those recommended here; since 2021 the winemaking has been done by Ashley Stephens and her team.

The wines listed here are all recommended. I've listed them in ascending order of personal preference.

Beckstone 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

It's rare to find a Cabernet with this pedigree at this price. Robert Larsen (formerly with Rodney Strong) consults. This vintage is principally sourced from the Wallula vineyards overlooking the Columbia river. Medium-bodied with well-defined berry flavors and a wreath of chocolate and toasted nuts, it is available from numerous online sites and in good supply.

1500 cases; 13.7%; $20 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Robert Karl 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Sourced from the Gunselman Bench block at Phinny Hill, with 10% Cabernet Franc from a different block, this screwcapped wine is tightly wound and compact. Give it a good swirl and aromas rise up in the glass with blackberry and black cherry fruit. There's ample acidity to keep flavors buoyant and tannins don't overreach. A lengthy decanting would be optimal for near-term drinking.

225 cases; 13.5%; $38 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Robert Karl 2018 Cabernet Franc

I love the purity here – 100% varietal from a top Horse Heaven Hills vineyard, Phinny Hill. It's aromatic with classic varietal accents of green coffee and a broad herbal streak around the tight black fruits. All the barrels were neutral, putting the fruit front and center, while adding light touches of baking spices to the trailing finish. For Cab Franc enthusiasts this is a must-try bottle.

100 cases; 13.7%; $30 (Horse Heaven Hills)

JM Cellars 2019 Champoux Vineyard Right Bank Red

As the name implies, this is two thirds Merlot and one third Cab Franc from the acclaimed Champoux vineyard. This drinks young and carries herbal highlights and tannins that have a light green streak, which is to be expected with Cab Franc. It's precise and mixes tart pomegranate fruit with touches of lead pencil. It leans toward the Bordeaux spectrum in style, and should benefit from another half decade of cellaring before it hits its prime.

218 cases; 14.5%; $56 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Robert Willis 2018 Reserve Malbec

From Mercer Estates' Spice Cabinet Vineyard, this is a pure varietal wine that rings every bell. Let's start with the tannins – full, ripe, slightly grainy, dark, toasted with a strong flavor of espresso but none of the bitterness. Right there that's a tremendous achievement. Malbec can be a bit transparent, but the fruit here has broadly flavorful notes of spice and berry and there's even a hint of chicken stock. This is a generally lighter red done well in a bolder style.

193 cases; 14.5%; $55 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Mercer 2018 Small Lot Petit Verdot

This pure varietal, from the Spice Cabinet vineyard, sees 40% new French oak. Clearly intended as a component for more expensive wines, the unused barrels apparently go into the Small Lot series. What a bonus! This is loaded with blueberry fruit, elevated with scents of violets and finished with firm, polished tannins. Such rare varietal Petit Verdot generally cost a whole lot more and rarely taste as good. This is a real gem. Drink up while it remains fresh and pure.

108 cases; 14.5%; $25 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Mercer 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

The Mercer family has farmed this land for generations, planted the first vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills a half century ago, and deserves a lot of credit for the pioneering work they've done. That aside, their newest wines are fine representations of the AVA's terroir, and well-priced given the quality. This reserve Cab is firm and balanced, with black fruits, clean earth and tannins that bring a touch of black tea astringency. It's solid and persistent, and drank nicely even after being open for three full days. Drink now – 2035. Note:  the website lists the 2017 (sold out) and indicates that the 2018 will not be released until October.

217 cases; 14.5%; $42 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Mercer 2018 Cavalie 7 Cabernet Sauvignon

Thick, rich and roasted, this broadens out across the palate with a lush mix of black fruits, toasted nuts, anise, black tea and clean earth. It's full-bodied and focused, showing a generous character that invites near term drinking and the tannic structure to support long term cellaring.

195 cases; 14.5%; $75 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Mercer 2018 Cavalie Reserve

The blend here is half Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest split between Malbec and Petit Verdot. Recently departed winemaker Jeremy Santo debuted with this vintage and hit a home run here. The blend is seamless and thick with flavors of black cherry, cassis, espresso, toasted walnuts and a hint of truffle. The tannins are ripe and full, with a touch of grit. All in all this is a beautiful wine and a terrific value, great for drinking with your summer barbecue or saving for a winter holiday meal sometime later this decade.

201 cases; 14.5%; $42 (Horse Heaven Hills)

Here are my notes (both original and current) on the bottle of 2009 Quilceda Creek I pulled from my cellar.

Quilceda Creek 2009 Palengat Red

(Here is my original review from May 2012)

Quilceda’s single vineyard Bordeaux-style blend is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot – no Petit Verdot this vintage. The first thing you notice about the just-opened wine are the fine grained tannins – not soft, but polished, ripe, and rich. Tasted prior to its official release, the wine was still pulling together all the complex barrel flavors; it tasted delicious with notes of bourbon-soaked cherries, along with veins of espresso, cacao, dusty baking spices, and a deeply liquorous finish. 15.2% $95. 95 points (Cellar Selection)

(These are my notes from June 2022)

Cellar tight this took awhile to open up. I left most of the bottle untasted over 24 hours, and it blossomed beautifully showing lovely mixed red and black fruits, graphite/pencil lead, ripe and firm tannins. The barrel toast flavors are now well integrated. The wine shows good balance and should have plenty of life ahead. Drink now through 2035. 

NOTE:  My reviews reflect my decades of experience tasting and writing about wines. The wines I recommend have been tasted over many hours and days in peer groups and are selected for excellence. I have chosen to eliminate numerical scores from this website. Instead I give you honest, thoughtful and timely recommendations. Only exceptional wines are shown, no negative reviews. Unlike print publications, which may face long delays between the time wines are tasted and reviews actually appear, my notes are posted before wines are sold out, so you can purchase them directly from the producer. I take no commission, accept no advertising, and charge no fees for wines reviewed on this website. Contact me at paulgwine@me.com with your feedback and suggestions for future posts.

Next week:  A conversation with Gilles Nicault and a close look at all of the current releases from Long Shadows.