A little wine

I visited our local winery, just about 5 miles from my house for the first time (why did I not go by this place before now?).  Mr M. is a casual acquaintance from way back (his ex used to work where I did) so he welcomed me and I got a free tasting of several wines (good thing I only had to drive 5 miles!). 

Mercer does all hand picked grapes, each individual grape, not bunches, he has 12 vineyards with 50 varieties, organically grown and does not add sulfites..in other words, HOMEMADE in small batches.   He has some unusual wines, like jalapeno, which he uses to make jalapeno wine jelly (like pepper jelly but better, another taste and future purchase).
He also made a KALE wine that he said was good for cooking.
He researched and researched to  locate old recipes for wine as he said he wanted to do what original wine makers in the US did..make wine is small batches in a jar or crock with fruits that were on hand.  He found out that muscadines and scuppernongs were native grapes so he figure some Native Americans made some kind of drink out of them when they were so ripe and fermented.  Interesting time spent chatting with him.

This bottle that I purchased is PUMPKIN wine, if you can see the orangey color.  He does not keep filtering his wine so there are bits of the fruit in them.  Tastes almost like a hard  cider, with a hint of cinnamon and clove..sort of sweet but not overly so.  A thicker body that is not clear to see through.    Very different but I like it.  I can take the bottle back for refills of any of the small batch wines..he calls them growlers.  I have another kind also, made from 4 berries - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry..yummy!   It is so good I want to drink the whole thing at one sitting..but I am making it last..of course it is not cheap wine.   

I probably will become his best customer!  Just saying.

An what did Mr. M do before he became a vintner..he was a portrait and event photographer!!!!