Mercer Wines - Interview with Aaron Mercer

In this we interview Aaron Mercer from Mercer wines. We talk about how Aaron accidentally fell into the wine industry having thought his destiny was to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a coal-miner. Aaron talks about his vintages around the world and how fortunate he feels to have been on this journey to now put forward his legacy in Mercer wines. We talk about his focus on alternate grape varietals to adapt to climate change by looking at indigenous grape varietals around the world in hot and dry climates. We also discuss what sustainability means for Aaron and how there is the continual focus and improvement on how to prepare for the 20 – 30 year horizon. We also had the opportunity to taste his 2023 Picpoul Blanc, 2023 Vermentino, 2023 Shiraz Nouveau, and 2023 Montepulciano. Get out to the Mercer Wines in the Hunter Valley in person or check out the Mercer Wines range at mercerwines.com.au/ Subscribe to ‪@TheWinedUp‬  and comment below on your favourite wine from Mercer Wines. Chapters: 0:00 Preview 0:00 Introduction 1:09 Most memorable wine 2:19 Wine you still want to drink 3:42 Wine you’d love to have a wine with 4:40 Favourite grape varietal 5:05 Unique food and wine pairing 6:32 Advice for those on wine journey 8:11 How did ‘local heroes’ help start your wine journey 10:51 Why did you choose to stay in Hunter Valley? 12:20 What makes Hunter Valley unique? 14:34 How does Hunter Valley compare to the rest of the world 17:09 How does Hunter Valley make special Semillon? 21:45 Why don’t we talk about Hunter Valley Shiraz or Chardonnay? 22:38 Is there an opportunity for sub-regions in Hunter Valley? 23:57 What makes Mercer Wines unique? 28:19 2023 Picpoul Blanc, Mercer Wines, Hunter Valley, NSW 30:31 How do you choose the grape varietal to use? 34:20 Consumers want diversity 36:07 Mercer Wines is nimble 40:30 2023 Vermentino, Mercer Wines, Hunter Valley, NSW 43:53 Don’t talk about flavour, talk about structure 45:38 Why choose emerging varietals? 46:26 What does sustinability mean to you? 51:52 Is environmental sustainable linked to financial sustainability? 52:41 2023 Shiraz Nouveau, Mercer Wines, Hunter Valley, NSW 55:09 What’s the difference between upper and lower Hunter? 1:01:45 2023 Montepulciano, Mercer Wines, Hunter Valley, NSW 1:06:16 The Wined Up Conclusion #wine #shiraz #Montepulciano #Vermentino #supportlocal #mercerwines #huntervalley #picpoul #thewinedup #thewineduppodcast #podcast The content in this episode are our own personal experiences and opinions. There are no paid ads or promotions. You can also listen to us on Spotify (The Wined Up), Apple Podcasts (The Wined Up), and Amazon Music (The Wined Up). Follow Us on Instagram (The.Wined.Up) or TikTok (@thewinedup ). Visit our website www.thewinedup.com.au/ or email us at [email protected]. Drink More, Try More, Learn More