This definitely
seemed like something the vintner would be proud of. Body was near
perfect for what a pinot should be all about. Nose gave us full
round aroma, berries, "luscious" and smelled like it would be a great
sipper. Made my mouth water. On our 5 scale, we rated this a 4.5+.
At first sip, there were lots of head nodding and "umm" and "ahh".
This is what we were waiting for and expecting. Nice round mouth feel,
satisfying finish and the right amount of alcohol. Overall, quite well
balanced and quite good. This would be a wine I would be proud to serve
and for me, (I tip with wine for services, - haircuts, massage, etc),
would be something I would give away as a housewarming or other special
occasion as well.
Everyone agreed that this was by far our
favorite of the evening. It was the first one finished off as well.
This was a great conversation piece and would be great as something to
sip in front of the fire, with a meal of lighter red meat fare or
perhaps appetizers. Perhaps a salmon dish, to keep with the NW "style".
This is something the vintners can be very proud of and would be something to enter into competitions.
A special thanks to Vino de Paisano for tasting with us!
Thursday, September 27th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
Want the 411 on '114'? Get clarification on this clone from Ghost Hill Cellars.
"The Dijon Clone 114 is planted in the western most lower block of the Bayliss-Bower Vineyard and the rows we use for GHC are the western most rows in that block. The vines here produce small tight clusters that give us 2 major components for our Bayliss-Bower blend - beautiful perfumed floral aromatics and a muscular austere structure for the back bone of our Pinot Noir." - Rebecca Marie Pittock Shouldis (Winemaker)
Photo: Pinot Noir from the Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Credit: Rebecca Marie Pittock Shouldis
Friday, October 5th 2012 by
NW Wine Correspondent - Allie Merrick
Yesterday, the folks at Carlton Hill Estate Wine were busy pulling 5 acres of fruit from their new vineyard. However, they took a moment to get this great close-up shot of lignation to share with us. What is 'lignation'? Get the answer here from the grower and winemaker himself - David Polite.
“It’s more than brix and acid profiles that tell us when our pinot noir grapes are ready to pull. Other signs of maturity include the taste of the berries, their firmness or texture, and lignation on the stems of the clusters.
Lignation is a part of ripening that occurs when the grape stems begin to dry out and turn brown. We harvested our newest blocks at Carlton Hill Vineyard on October 4 which included 3 acres of Pommard pinot noir grapes and 2 acres of Weadensville pinot noir grapes, now in only their second harvest. Young vines produce berries that ripen sooner than those on older plants. Sample analysis showed sugar levels at 24 brix, but you can see in the above photo that the berries are still very firm and the Weadensville cluster shows only partial lignation. Prime sugars with slightly-less-than-full maturity on these new plants are a result of less rainfall, lots of sunshine, and high, dry winds late in this growing season.” - David C. Polite, Grower and Winemaker
Saturday, October 6th 2012 by
Allie Merrick - NWWTY Wine Correspondent
It's been said that timing is everything. When it comes to timing & harvest, how do you know when it's time to pick? Rebecca Shouldis, winemaker at Ghost Hill Cellars, provides an answer from the inside.
"In addition to Brix, acidity, Ph, and stem lignation we also take into
account the texture of the pulp and hardness and color of the seeds. As
the seeds mature they harden and turn brown, much like the stems. This,
as well as the pulp of the fruit pulling away from the seeds and
releasing is a good sign of readiness to harvest." - Rebecca Marie Pittock Shouldis
Photo: Pinot Noir Credit: Rebecca Marie Pittock Shouldis
Don't ask me why, but sometime back in my formative years, I thought it would be really cool to walk through a dense forest and come upon a perfectly manicured lawn with arched croquet wickets made of stone.
Whatever the reason for that inspiration, the opportunity to fulfill this little fantasy presented itself on the day I arrived here at Carlton Hill.
After signing the ownership papers of this once-prune-orchard and driving across country to begin the wine-making adventure, I admit anticipating finding a basket of fruit on the front porch with a note reading "Welcome to Oregon." Instead, I found a rather large hole filled with garbage and debris.
Not to be discouraged, it dawned upon me that it was time to bring in some explosives and a backhoe and make that imagined croquet court a reality.
Now, more than two decades later, the Carlton Hill croquet court has been the site of many parties, charity events, weddings, camp-outs, and yes, fierce--very fierce--croquet competitions.
David Polite is the owner & winemaker at Carlton Hill Wine Company. To learn more about him, his winery & his croquet, visit his website (www.carltonhillwines.com). To explore his wine, click here.
Tuesday, January 3rd 2012 by
Allie Merrick - NWWTY Wine Correspondent
With the New Year comes a new vintage. And what will this one bring? That song is yet to be sung. With 2011 still in barrel or held in bottle and 2012 in the vineyard, the only tales that can be told are those from previous vintages.
Here is the tune of Oregon’s 2011 vintage, as hummed by Harvey Steiman (Wine Spectator):
“For four months, 2011 vintage looked like a disaster waiting to happen for Oregon vintners. The vines produced a huge crop and it didn't look as if conditions would ever get warm enough to ripen it. It was, in the end, the latest vintage in Oregon history. Most wineries didn't start picking until after Oct. 15, and were still picking in the first week in November.
Most of the grapes were brought in under warm, sunny skies. Rain was forecast in late September and early October, but only a few showers materialized. Alcohols were low, about the same as in 2010, but color and flavor surprised vintners with their depth. They are calling it a miracle vintage.”
The lyrics of the new vintage were sung out in this exclusive vineyard report with Rebecca Marie Pittock-Shouldis (Winemaker at Ghost Hill Cellars). Listen to audio captured onsite at the Bayliss-Bower Vineyard.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. If this cliche holds true, Oregon's 2011 vintage will be one worth singing praises to. Let us await what comes with glasses half full (not half empty) with the fruits of labor we have in hand. As we ring in the new vintage, let's reflect on vintages past one bottle at a time...
Cheers to vintages those old & those new! Something old. Something new. When it comes to wine, both will do. As we wait for the new vintage to come at last, Let’s enjoy what we sip from vintages past.
Monday, October 10th 2011 by
Allie Merrick - NW Wine Correspondent
Raising a vineyard is much like raising a child, in that it requires a lot of work.
While the work requirement is great, the reward is too.
And the more you give, the more you'll get.
It's not a matter of nature vs. nurture.
It is more a matter of nurturing nature in a variety of ways in the vineyard.
This is a lesson I recently learned from David Polite, the owner & winemaker at Carlton Hill Wine Company. From lowering the number of shoots by selection to raising the hight of catch wires by hand, the workload is high. Watch & learn about what's involved for rearing the vines for a wine you can raise your glass to.
Tuesday, October 25th 2011 by
Allie Merrick - NW Wine Correspondent
The voice of reason would suggest that all things have a voice. And so it is that for every wine sipped, there is something to be said. However, as a bottle of vino can't vocalize for itself, who will speak on its behalf? Not just one, but many. And most will have different things to say.
This is where the artistic nature of wine is apparent. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, perfection is on the palate of the taster. In describing the same wine, there are those who will espouse great points & grandiose reviews, while others will only mention the wine's mediocrity with opposition to expert opinion. Who is right? Both perhaps. And perhaps that's the way it should be. After all, a bottle of wine is like a piece of art. It ignites a conversation.
A single thirty second description of wine can lead to an hour of dialogue. Take a look at the examples below:
"...a bewitching bouquet of tangerine & lime with wildflowers..." The flavor profile defined with tangerine, lime & wildflowers was given depth with its manner noted as 'bewitching'.
"...seamless texture..." I suppose she could have said that the wine was 'smooth', but 'seamless texture' says far more.
Today, let's raise our glasses to using words worthy of the wines we love. Let's also toast to opposing opinions that create conversations in which neither side is right or wrong.
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