Pork Shoulder Braised with Aromatic Vegetables with the 2015 REX HILL Sunny Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

Pork Shoulder Braised with Aromatic Vegetables 

Reccomended wine pairing: REX HILL Sunny Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

 

3 Tbs Olive Oil

¼ cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

4 Pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch cubes

2 large shallots, sliced

2 carrots, cut into medium cubes

4 garlic cloves, smashed

2 sprigs rosemary

2 Tbs tomato paste

2 cups beef stock

2 cups red wine (use a good quality bottle)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and dust them with flour. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, oven-proof dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Add the pork and brown them in the olive oil in a single layer. Cook them in two batches if necessary depending on the size of the pot. Remove once brown and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium and add the vegetables. Brown them slowly until they caramelize, stirring frequently. (About 15-20 minutes.)  Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the wine and stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown, flavorful bits. Return the pork to the pot along with the rosemary. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat, put the lid on the pot, and place in the oven. Cook for 90 minutes, checking once or twice to make sure the liquid hasn’t boiled away. If the pan is dry or starting to burn, add more stock. Once the meat is starting to pull away from the bone and is extremely tender, remove from the oven.

Remove the pork and strain the braising liquid, pressing the vegetables. Skim the fat from the liquid.  If the liquid is thin, return it to the pot and cook over high heat until it is reduced. The finished sauce should coat a spoon.

 

Serve pork and sauce over polenta.

 

 

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin Skewers paired with the REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin Skewers
Recommended Wine Pairing: REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 8 strong rosemary branches
• 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Warm pita
• Crumbled feta (I recommend French sheep's milk feta)

Directions

1. Strip rosemary leaves from branches. Reserve branches and mince 2 tbsp of rosemary.
2. Combine rosemary with lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir together in a bowl and add beef. Cover and marinate 4 hours to overnight.
3. Thread each skewer with 3-4 chunks of beef, leaving room between pieces to allow even browing. 
4. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan to very hot and place 4 skewers at a time in the pan. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, until medium rare.
5. Remove the beef from the skewers and serve in the warm pitas topped with feta.

 

 

REX HILL Wins Prestigious Robert Parker Wine Advocate Extraordinary Winery Award

Oregon’s REX HILL winery won the inaugural Wine Advocate Extraordinary Winery ‘Under the Radar’ Award at a ceremony held in conjunction with Michelin Guide in New York City last night, Monday, October 30th. The award recognizes the Willamette Valley winery as “poised to become the next-great-thing” in the Americas. Lisa Perotti-Brown and the editorial team of the Wine Advocate evaluated wineries throughout North and South America to make the selection.

REX HILL was purchased in 2007 by A to Z Wineworks. Two of A to Z’s founding winemaking partners, Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill, and Executive Winemaker, Michael Davies, reduced REX HILL’s production by roughly 80% to refocus on wines only of the highest quality. Today REX HILL wines compose just 3% of A to Z’s total production, resulting in the ability to craft wines of singular focus and refinement. The winery’s estate vineyards are farmed using Biodynamic principles, including the flagship Jacob-Hart Vineyard.

Reflecting on ten years elevating the REX HILL brand, Tannahill says, “We are gratified for this recognition from The Wine Advocate affirming our strict pursuit of quality for one of the Willamette Valley’s legacy wineries. These are not wines we ‘have to’ make, they are wines we have the privilege of crafting. We are truly proud to be one of just eight wineries recognized from the entire Americas region in the first class of Wine Advocate honorees.”

About REX HILL:

REX HILL has been making elegant Pinot Noirs for over 35 years in the Willamette Valley at the gateway to Oregon's wine country. REX HILL honors exceptional single vineyards and continues a legacy of singular Pinot Noirs that reflect their origin.

REX HILL wines are 100% Willamette Valley
REX HILL Vineyards and Winery are LIVE certified
REX HILL is a certified B Corp

For further information contact:

REX HILL · 30835 N Hwy 99W · Newberg, Oregon USA 97132
Keith@REXHILL.com / 503.554.1918 ext. 226 / REXHILL.com

REX HILL Nominated for Prestigious Robert Parker Wine Advocate Extraordinary Winery Award

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Michelin Guide will host their inaugural Extraordinary Winery Awards gala in New York City on October 30, 2017. Willamette Valley’s REX HILL is one of three nominees for the Under the Radar Winery Award, wineries that are “poised to become the next-great-thing.”

REX HILL was purchased in 2007 by A to Z Wineworks. Two of A to Z’s founding winemaking partners, Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill, and Executive Winemaker, Michael Davies, reduced REX HILL’s production by roughly 80% to refocus on wines only of the highest quality. Today REX HILL wines compose just 3% of A to Z’s total production, resulting in the ability to craft wines of singular focus and refinement. The winery’s estate vineyards are farmed using Biodynamic principles, including the flagship Jacob-Hart Vineyard.

The event will feature MICHELIN-starred chefs Daniel Boulud, Ken Frank, and Eric Ripert. Reflecting on ten years elevating the REX HILL brand, Tannahill says, “We are gratified for this recognition from The Wine Advocate affirming our strict pursuit of quality for one of the Willamette Valley’s legacy wineries. These are not wines we ‘have to’ make, they are wines we have the privilege of crafting.”

About REX HILL

REX HILL has been making elegant Pinot Noirs for over 35 years in the Willamette Valley at the gateway to Oregon's wine country. REX HILL honors exceptional single vineyards and continues a legacy of singular Pinot Noirs that reflect their origin.

REX HILL wines are 100% Willamette Valley
REX HILL Vineyards and Winery are LIVE certified
REX HILL is a certified B Corp

For further information contact:
REX HILL · 30835 N Hwy 99W · Newberg, Oregon USA 97132
Katie@REXHILL.com / 503.554.1918 ext. 226 / REXHILL.com

 

Mushroom Risotto Recipe paired with our 2014 REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

INGREDIENTS

7 cups mushroom or chicken stock

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1 lb. wild mushrooms (about 1/2 lb. shitake, remaining 1/2 lbs. any mix of maitake, chantrelle, morel or any seasonal wild mushroom), cleaned and torn into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay works well)

3 Tbsp butter

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & ppepper to taste

1 sprig thyme or savory

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring stock to a simmer and keep warm.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottoed saucepan and add shallots, stirring to cook until translucent. Add mushrooms, along with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Add rice and thyme and stir frequently until it starts to smell slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add wine and stir until wine is cooked away. Add about 2 cups of the hot stock (enough to cover the rice) and stir until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Continue adding the stock in about a half cup at a time, cooking until the stock is absorbed each time, until the rice becomes tender but not falling apart. You should have about a half cup of warm stock left. Remove the sprig of thyme or savory.

4. Stir in butter and half of the parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is very thick, add in the remaining warm stock. Serve topped with the remaining parmesan and a glass of the 2014 REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

 

REX HILL awarded Silver Medal at the Drinks Business Global Pinot Noir Masters

The 2013 REX HILL Willamette Valley Pinot Noir received a Silver medal at the Drinks Business Global Pinot Noir Masters for the second year in a row! Nine Masters of Wine and a Master Sommelier met to judge more than 300 global Pinot Noirs. The Global Pinot Noir Masters recognizes and rewards the finest Pinot Noirs on the world stage and is in its third year of competition. The results will be featured in the April issue of The Drinks Business, as well as online.

 

 

REX HILL named one of

"REX HILL's esteemed roster of estate-grown wines are farmed biodynamically, and the line-up also includes offerings from top Oregon growers. Visitors have the opportunity to sample these wines in a variety of ways, up to a $65 "V.I.P." tour of the vineyard and winery and a tasting of matured wines paired with cheese. Call ahead for information about wine classes and tasting dinners."

Thank you for the kind words Food & Wine Magazine!

Learn more about our tours and tastings

See the list by Food & Wine Magazine

6 reasons to choose wine this year

It's 2016 and our resolution is to drink more wine! There isn't an occasion, time of year or a meal that wine won't improve. We've come up with six solid reasons why you should choose to drink wine this year:
 

1. Wine pairs well with food.

The right pairings can make the food and the wine taste even better. To get started, try these pairings from our certified Sommelier, Carrie: http://bit.ly/1K2VXrn.

2. You don't need bitters, a shaker or ice to make a great glass of wine!

All you do is pop the cork (or unscrew the cap) & pour. Easy as 1,2.

3. A glass a day keeps the doctor away.

Wine has a compound in it called resveratrol which is associated with reducing the risk of Alzheimer's, dementia, storkes and heart attacks. Some articles and studies even suggest that a glass a day can aid in weight loss. Hmm...

4. Wine has fewer calories & carbs.

Don't you hate it when you get full before the entree? Choose wine and you can enjoy that entire nine course meal.

5. Star Power! All the cool kids are doing it.

John Legend, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Kyle MacLauchlan and Sam Neill are all in the wine business.

6. When it comes to how a wine tastes, you're never wrong!

You like what you like, enough said.

Counting sheep at the Jacob-Hart Estate Vineyard

One hundred sheep joined our vineyard crew this spring to pitch in and graze the cover crop at our certified Biodynamic, estate vineyard, Jacob-Hart. They save on tractor work and naturally fertilize the vineyard but move on in the next few weeks as budbreak gets closer.

 

Winter Wine Pairings

With the bulk of the holiday season behind us, what could be more nourishing than a simple, delicious meal in front of the fireplace and a glass (or bottle) of wine that takes the edge off a bitterly cold night. This winter, treat yourself by following these simpler winter wine pairing suggestions and you may just warm up to the winter months after all.

Roasted chicken with dumplings
This quintessential winter dish pairs seamlessly with a medium-bodied white wine that gives the cooked vegetables equal time in the flavor spotlight. The roasted chicken, hint of herbs, cooked vegetables, and cream sauce are a match made in heaven for a bottle of Chardonnay. The wine will play well against the savory flavors and yet complement the rich, luxurious texture of the sauce while at the same time keeping the dish light and vibrant.

Gruyere and apple grilled cheese
Pair it with a vibrant, fruity Pinot Gris, a medium-bodied white wine with a delicate balance of acidity and sweetness. Its crisp acidity will lighten up the creaminess of the cheese and call out the notes of the green apple folded into the whole gooey mix. Pinot Gris is grown throughout the world and tends to vary greatly depending upon its terroir. For a particularly delicious experience, seek out a bottle from Oregon and enjoy intense aromas of apple, pear, and melon.

Roasted root vegetables with caramelized onions
Whether you've looted the local farmers market or are looking to clean out the vegetable drawer, a pan of roasted root vegetables can hit all the right notes on a dark winter night. Uncork a bottle of off-dry Riesling, an aromatic white grape variety, and you'll never eat your veggies alone again. Riesling will play off the sweet notes of the caramelized onions while at the same time offering a bright acidity and lovely fruity interplay that pairs well with the caramelized, roasted vegetables.

Raspberry Chocolate Molten Lava Cake
For those looking to get their chocolate fix, nothing fits the bill better than a molten lava cake. Chocolate lava cakes are generously quite rich and savory and can pair fantastically well with a sweet rosé. Choose a rosé with medium acidity - just enough to cleanse our palate of chocolate ganache - and strong, vibrant notes of red berries such as strawberries and raspberries. You'll swoon for this duet of ripe fruit and rich chocolate as it is guaranteed to hit all the right notes.

When it comes to crafting a successful wine pairing to accompany winter fare, sometimes all it takes is a little inspiration to get started. So whether you're serving a group of family and friends, or just treating you and your sweetheart to a fireside dinner, a little advanced planning and a few simple ingredients can warm up even the coldest night.

Madeline Blasberg is a Certified Wine Consultant who has spent time in Mendoza, Argentina, where she was surrounded by wine, both personally and professionally. Currently, Madeline works as the Official Wine Commentator & Reviewer for Etching Expressions, a company specializing in personalized wine bottles.