Mia Sonatina Cellars

Jo and Vern Spencer are two of the most down to earth, hospitable people you will encounter, their winery Mia Sonatina Cellars is a young operation having only been in production since 2007. The name and winery are represented by a music theme which translates through the wines they make. I first met them when I worked at my tasting room and was immediately inspired by their story. They explained their start as enthusiasts making wine in the garage which eventually led to pursuing a full time career. The more I got to know them I realized they understood the learning curve but had no problems proving their determination to succeed. I respect that and it’s one reason I enjoy their wines because it allows you an opportunity to taste their dream.
The winery is located in Amity, OR a small town in the middle of nowhere, if you blink you might miss it. While Amity does have a few really great wineries I don’t think it’s a destination unless you’re traveling to McMinnville. Now most dreams usually start small and their facility proves it’s not what you have but how you use it. Inside this winery is very minimalistic, so don’t expect a fancy tasting room or an upscale attitude. It’s basically a production house, instead of a vineyard they source their fruit from local vineyards and process everything there. While they work towards making Mia Sonatina a full time job the tasting room is only open on the weekends from 11– 5pm. The tasting fee is only $ 5 for 6 wines and will be refunded with a purchase. They showcase a lot of different wines for such a small winery, whites, reds, blends, dessert wines and a Port. One thing I feel separates Mia Sonatina from other wineries is their philosophy, as they seek to create very balanced wines. Most of the time their wines will be lower in alcohol than similar varietals because of their choice to demonstrate each wines fruit, acid and tannin characteristics. I do feel they try to produce too many varietals which takes away from some of the quality. Instead I’d like to see them focus on fewer wines to really develop the solid varietals they showcase.
My favorite white is their Gewürztraminer ($ 12) which is done in an off dry style and while it does show some residual sweetness it’s nothing I would call a sweet wine. Instead it has a nice mineral but floral nose, with tastes of pear and guava finishing with the intensive spice characteristic I love from Gewürztraminer. My favorite red is their Cabernet Franc ($ 22) because it is so different from the typical characteristics. Cab Franc tends to show off flavors of dried fruits and has a high mineral content, theirs however has a blast of black cherry and chocolate which pairs very nice with rich stews or braised beef. Finally when I want something sweeter I really enjoy their Muscat ($ 12), which is classified as a dessert wine. Yet what I’m really drawn to is the weight of this wine, I find attraction to the way sugar effects a dessert wines texture as it lingers in your mouth. Though don’t get me wrong the intense flavor of Muscat provides a nice accompaniment to grilled fruits or even sorbet. So if you have aspirations to start your own wine label come check out Mia Sonatina and see what it takes to make your dreams come true.