Four REX HILL wines shine in the March issue of Wine Enthusiast

2010 REX HILL Jacob Hart Pinot Noir - 93 points & Editors' Choice
2010 REX HILL Reserve Pinot Noir - 92 points & Editors' Choice

To find REX HILL wines in your area, visit our Find Our Wines page.

Also, two of our Crown Club exclusive wines scored in the same issue:
2010 REX HILL La Colina Pinot Noir - 93 points & Editors' Choice
2010 REX HILL Old School Pinot Noir - 91 points

Visit our Crown Club page to learn how you can guarantee that these wines find a way into your cellar.

To read the reviews on each of the above wines, click here.

Mar 4, 2013 at 4:01 PM Permalink

REX HILL & Pinot in the City

REX HILL will be one of 64 Willamette Valley wineries featured at the Pinot in the Windy City event on March 7th, 2013 in Chicago. If you're in the area, come check it out!

Register Today

Feb 15, 2013 at 3:54 PM Permalink

The Best Wines of 2012 - According to Us

He Said...
- Mike Willison

I drank enough fussy, indulgent, crappy, delicious, anemic, mustachioed, skeevy, elegant, flamboyant, flat, voluminous, aromatic, closed, oxidized (from age), oxidized (on purpose), natural, engineered, silly, enigmatic, meta, thought provoking, and stultifying wines this year to render my neighbors absolutely speechless on each and every recycling day. Some of them I absolutely adored. In no particular order, I give you my favorite wines of 2012:

2005 Cold Heaven Syrah, Second Sin, Santa Barbara

Morgan Clendenen always kills Viognier in a decidedly un-California manner. The Syrah is no different. This wine is light on its feet and is great at parties. It says just enough and knows when to walk away from a vitriolic conversation. Shared with friends without food, we all agreed that the bottle was a tad bit too empty too very soon. This is Syrah for Pinot Lovers.

2010 Vouvray, Domaine Huet, Le Haut-Lieu

Its like rooting for the Yankees. Of course this is awesome. Chenin Blanc has been the new black in my wardrobe for the last 15 years and I don't see any reason to change that. If 70's punk style is still somehow considered "punk", and animal prints insist on showing up on runways every three years, then its okay for me to love Chenin with all of my heart and my closet full of Sperry top-siders.

2011 A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir, Oregon

I’ll root for the home team a bit here not because I have to, but because this wine is that good. 2011 was the miracle harvest wherein we stole victory from the jaws of defeat when the weather gods threw us some 9th inning sunshine like Mariano throwing off speed with location for the save. We broke bats, mystified right handed batters, and jammed up the lefties. Guaranteed to be a first-round hall of famer.

2009 Fleurie, Coudert Clos de la Roillette

Another miracle vintage that hoisted Beaujolais into the spotlight for a spell, this was the kind of wine that makes one consider whether or not to share too loudly about it’s glories. To say that Beaujolais is underappreciated is akin to pointing out exactly when R.E.M. lost the plot (after Life's Rich Pageant and before Document, by the way, or whenever Mills scored that cape); it just, sadly, is. I don’t need to sell you on this; you either get it or not.

2006 Troon Vineyards Old Vine Meritage, Applegate Valley

At $32, this is the best Meritage I've had in a very long time from a price-value standpoint. Even without its awesome price tag, this wine is a standout for its lush, rich, developed but staid intensity and delicate nuance that is so often squashed in modern winemaking. Bright and cheery, yet brooding and macho, this is an example of why everyone should be paying attention to Southern Oregon, but likely won't.

She Said...
- Carrie Kalscheuer

As we head into 2013, it's time once again to reflect upon the prior year and all that it had to offer. I was fortunate enough to be able to do some great traveling this year, getting to taste wine in Tuscany, California, and even Arizona. As is usually the case, a combination of place, the wine itself, and the company with which I shared the particular wine all played important roles in determining my favorite wine of 2012. These in particular stood out on all counts. Here they are for your consideration:

1. 2009 Santo Stefano Senaia IGT Valdichiana D.O.C. –Beautifully integrated and formed by a field-blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot (not even the winemaker knows exactly how much of each), this lovely wine was enjoyed at the Tuscan estate where it is produced, with a pasta lunch I helped to make. Accompanied by some great people and excellent hosts, I couldn’t carry enough of this wine home with me.
2. 2007 Ridge Monte Bello – tasted at the Sonoma location, hosted by a very educated and hospitable staff member, and accompanied by my favorite person, this wine – which always makes an impression – became one of my top choices for the year.
3. 2010 Fausse Piste Garde Manger Syrah – I think that Jesse Skiles is one of the most exciting winemakers in Oregon right now. Although I missed the already-sold out Ce lieu après Syrah this year (my historical favorite from the Fausse Piste line), the Garde Manger was an excellent second choice. Enjoyed with two of my best friends, this was a wine to remember!
4. 2010 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir – Absolutely the most charming tasting room I have ever seen, with a wood-burning fireplace and a window that overlooks roaming goats on the hillsides behind. Tasted with a brand new (yet already so dear) friend, I was filled with child-like excitement over this new Richard and Thekla Sanford venture. Who needs pesky business partners, anyway??
5. 2007 Francis Tannahill Pinot Noir “The Hermit” – One of the many perks of my job is getting to taste this wine on a daily basis. Never-released save direct from the winery, only 83 cases were produced. From one of my favorite vintages in the Willamette Valley, this wine rivals some of the best aged Burgundies I've had. So, so good.

Jan 14, 2013 at 9:45 AM Permalink

2010 REX HILL Reserve Pinot Noir was named Best Wine by 1859

Contact the winery today to learn how you can procure a bottle of  this great wine for yourself by emailing us at info@REXHILL.com or calling us at 800.REXHILL.

Jan 8, 2013 at 3:37 PM Permalink

Wine Spectator: 90 pts. - 2010 REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

The December 31st issue of the Wine Spectator showcases the Top 100 wines of 2012 along with standout wines in the Willamette Valley including our very own 2010 REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with 90 points. This fresh and focused wine is a blend of eight vineyards, representing high-quality and sustainably grown grapes from every sub AVA in the Willamette Valley, including our Biodynamically farmed Jacob-Hart Vineyard.

Dec 31, 2012 at 3:23 PM Permalink

REX HILL named one of Oregon's 20 Wineries to Know by Wine Spectator

"Since 2008, [Michael] Davies has fashioned REX HILL's Pinot Noirs into wines of real specificity."

For the full article, click here.

Dec 15, 2012 at 3:33 PM Permalink

Jacob-Hart Vineyard: Planting Out the Rocky Block

REX HILL’s Jacob-Hart Vineyard was planted in 1988 during the early years of the Oregon wine industry.  Situated on a southeast facing slope in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, the vineyard is certified Organic & Biodynamic and in a rare geological feat--it has every major soil type found in the Willamette Valley.

The unfortunate thing about Oregon’s old plantings is that they are self rooted Vitis vinifera. Now, there is nothing wrong with self rooted vines, in fact, many winemakers are convinced they produce better fruit. The problem with self rooted vines is that they are susceptible to phylloxera: a grapevine root aphid that causes vines to die. The only solution for a vineyard that is struggling with phylloxera is to replant it on a rootstock that can tolerate this pest. 

At our Jacob Hart Vineyard phylloxera was found in 1996 and ever since then it’s been slowly replanted. Martin Loeza, one of our Vineyard Managers, has worked at Jacob Hart since the beginning. He was there when the vineyard was planted in 1988. He has planted every block, some of them twice. He remembers planting 5E ‘the rocky block’ back in 1989. 5E was the hardest to plant and the hardest to farm but has consistently grown the best fruit in the vineyard.

In 2010 we got less than a ton per acre from this block and it was time to talk about replanting. I was discussing with Martin the replanting program, “I think 5E is going to be next.”   Martin didn’t like that idea, you could see the pain on his face just thinking about planting it again, he replied, “Oh no; maybe one more year.”

We wanted to retain the heritage of the block and use the clonal material (most likely Pommard)  that performed so well in that site. Before we pulled out the original Pinot Noir vines we took thousands of cuttings to be grafted onto a phylloxera tolerant rootstock called 3309. When it came to planting, we couldn’t use the typical augers because they only work in soil. We had to dig the holes by hand with shovels, picks, hammers and metal bars.  Putting in the line posts was worse.

Once the vines and posts were in it was up to Mother Nature to do the rest. There were nice bursts of sunshine and warmth in early spring to break the vines out of dormancy. We also had a couple of weeks of rain in early June to really water the vines in and keep them growing longer into summer. The summer however was extremely dry, with one of the longest dry spells in over 50 years. Thankfully we put in a temporary drip irrigation system to keep the soil around the vines from completely drying out and the vines from shutting down. We achieved great uniform growth across the block despite the rocky conditions and dry summer. All the credit goes to our great vineyard crew and the nursery for supplying us great vines. I’m looking forward to seeing some great growth next year!

Nov 30, 2012 at 11:03 AM Permalink Comments (2)

Here's to Oregon!

The Buy Oregon campaign launched November 15th, and we are happy to be featured in it. Spot Sam Tannahill, our Founder & Director of Viticulture and Winemaking, featured in the top left corner. Some REX HILL faces can also be spotted in the following video:

Nov 15, 2012 at 3:20 PM Permalink

Wine Spectator: 2010 REX HILL Jacob-Hart Pinot Noir - 91 points!

The October 24th issue of the Wine Spectator Insider announces some exciting scores for some great Oregon Pinot Noirs including 91 points for our 2010 REX HILL Jacob-Hart Pinot Noir. Jacob-Hart is REX HILL's crown jewel vineyard located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. The grapes and ensuing wines from this unique vineyard offer a wealth of complexity derived from vines farmed to Biodynamic standards on every soil type found in the Willamette Valley.

Oct 24, 2012 at 3:17 PM Permalink

Harvest 2012 is a Success

We have finished harvesting the REX HILL Estate vineyards; the last block was harvested this past Wednesday. Although picking fruit from our vines is done, our cellar is still hard at work making the 2012 vintage wines. Don’t miss out on seeing the winemaking process with advanced sommelier and chef, Mike Willison, on his Harvest Tour. The last tour is Saturday, Oct. 27th from 1:00 to 2:30 pm. $45/person, Crown Club discounts apply. Please make a reservation by calling Mike at 503.538.0666 ext. 222 or emailing him at MikeW@REXHILL.com. Limited space available.

Oct 22, 2012 at 3:14 PM Permalink