2014 Mirror Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley 750 ml

Pro Quarterback Turned Star Winemaker

I can confidently say that, had Rick Mirer of Mirror Wine Company been a cellist or a conductor in his first career, I would have recognized him immediately. But when I met him at Brix in Rutherford to taste through his lineup, he was tall, personable, and seemed like he spent a lot of time outdoors — not too different than many of the vintners I meet. When we chatted about what brought us to Napa, he mentioned that he got to know Napa when he was with the Raiders. So I asked what seemed to me to be a perfectly logical question: What job did he do with the Raiders?

There was a pause.

“I was a quarterback.”

Oh. Perhaps, I should have known that. My football knowledge quadrupled over the next ten minutes as Rick told me his story in a nutshell: His decade-long NFL career, and how complete strangers still recall every last detail from the Notre Dame-Penn State game known as the “Snow Bowl.” But Rick was eager to turn back to his wine, and we were both starving for lunch. He told me the story of Mirror, and I had Brix’s forest mushroom risotto with the 2014 Mirror Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc. The pairing was perfect. But no wine makes it to Wine Access without passing our judging panel. I took the rest of the bottle to Matt and Sur, our resident Master of Wine and Master Sommelier, who scored it a solid 90 (Oh, and one mistook it for a famous up-valley Sauvignon Blanc that goes for twice Mirror’s price — I won’t say who).

Mirror started strong in 2008 with an inaugural 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon bottling that scored 94 points from Wine Enthusiast. After a few vintages, they branched into white wines, taking advantage of the bright and delicious Sauvignon Blanc that thrives in the same Napa soils as the Cabernet with which Mirror had already enjoyed early success.

Mirror’s Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from Napa’s underrated Pope Valley, which James Laube of Wine Spectator says produces “intense, vibrant flavorful wines.” The rest is from Rutherford, one of the valley’s most prestigious AVAs for Sauvignon Blanc, and the one that turns out some of the Valley’s best-known expressions, like Peju, Inglenook and Honig. Mirror is classic Napa Sauvignon Blanc: Stunningly aromatic, fresh and lush, with New World ripeness and lively Old World acidity.

A good number of former pro athletes make wine in Napa, and use their fame to varying degrees — and varying effect. Mirror ties in closely with the Mirer Family Foundation, which Rick founded early in his NFL days and benefits The United Way, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and other charities. But he knows that the heavier you lean on your sporting glory to sell wine, the more you risk being taken less seriously as a vintner. Fortunately, most vintages of Mirror sell out to a growing mailing list, most of which know as little as I do — or after that lunch, less than I do — about Rick Mirer and the Snow Bowl. They just know they’re drinking delicious wine.

Sincerely,
Vanessa Conlin
Master of Wine Candidate