About the Wine Uncensored episode
Brad Beard, owner and winemaker for Mercury Wines in Geyserville joined John Sporing, founder of A Life Well Drunk, for a Pride Month WineUncensored virtual tasting on June 3, 2021.
If you missed it, don’t worry. You can watch it here:
In our conversation with Brad, we were guided through four wines:
- 2018 ELEMENT – ALEXANDER VALLEY MOURVÉDRE
- 2017 MERCURIO – AMADOR COUNTY TEMPRANILLO
- 2018 HEAVY METAL – ALEXANDER VALLEY PETIT VERDOT
- 2016 FATHER – ALEXANDER VALLEY CABERNET FRANC
Meet the Maker
Brad Mercury
Brad served in the U.S. Navy from 1988 to 1992 as an air anti-submarine warfare controller. His rank was petty officer 2nd class, and he was based in Hawaii.
Brad opened a tasting room for his brand Mercury, which he named after the Mercury Mines. “The thriving metropolis of downtown Geyserville wouldn’t be here today without them. The Mercury Mines brought the Italians, and the Italians brought the grapes, and the grapes brought me.”
He learned his wine prowess while in Phoenix working with sommeliers at the upscale restaurant Marquesa, and later working as a regional wine buyer for a national retail chain.
“I like growing grapes, turning grapes into wine and putting on the finishing touches,” he said. “But the hardest part is making the final blend. It’s when I decide I’m not doing anything else to it. That’s the most terrifying part of my job.”
Freddie Mercury
Hailed by the population of Geyserville for his welcoming gallop and stuffed green alligator, Freddie Mercury, the winery dog, is an integral part of business. Freddie is celebrity status in the wine dog world and has been featured in various publications including the Alaska Beyond Magazine and twice in the official Wine Dogs publication. Furthermore, Freddie is known for welcoming his dog friends into Mercury Wine’s special community, and if they are lucky enough they can be featured on his Friends of Freddie’s page. As the official brand ambassador of Mercury Wine, Freddie greets visitors, basks in his many fans on social media, and protects the grapes that Mercury uses to make their incredible wine. He hopes you come by to give him a pet.