Nothing says “thank you” as much as a wonderful bottle of wine, but you must know that already! Who hasn’t brought their favorite wine to a party as a token of appreciation for the host or hostess. This past summer, I attended the Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, British Columbia. Among other benefits, attendance afforded me the opportunity to meet others in the industry (wine bloggers, marketing pros, winemakers, winery owners, and more) as well as taste a myriad of wines from various countries and regions of the United States. What a surprise to receive a bottle of Hawks View Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir as a “thank you” for joining the group and tasting their wines in Pentiction! And the fantastic element about receiving the wine was that I dutifully followed their instructions to “be our guest, sit back and relax over a glass of our wine…calmly” as opposed to the frenzied tweeting and instagram sharing which was ongoing during the three days of the conference in Canada!
Hawk’s View Cellars is located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Located southwest of Portland, it is twenty miles long and five miles wide from the southeast to the northwest. 70,000 acres in this AVA include 1600 acres of grapes grown in around 100 vineyards and produced in 31 wineries. Geography which includes mountains, ridges, the altitude of Bald Peak (1633 feet), soil type which includes ocean sedimentary, basaltic, and blown lake bed sediment, and weather help make this AVA special. And if you’ve never had wine from this area, you must!
Willie Kemp co-founded Hawks View Cellars with her late husband, Jack, a financier and lifelong Oregonian in 2007. Along with their son, A.J., continued is the vision “to ensure that every bottle you open and each visit you make goes above and beyond your expectations”. All well educated with plenty of experience in the wine industry, their wines represent deliciousness coupled with intelligent winemaking. Planted in 1991, 50 acres of vineyards are located on slopes facing towards the east which help protect vines from the summer heat. Its elevation helps ripen the grapes at just the right time and the soils of laurelwood and loess soil are unique to their side of the Chehalem Mountains. Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are thriving!
Hawks View Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir (sample gift) – Balanced with structure and complexity, this wine had aromas of cherries, plums, and sweet vanilla spice. On the palate, it seemed dark, earthy, and more of that luscious spice and red fruit including blackberries, raspberries, and more of those plums. Add in some caramel notes and I was one relaxed wine lover! The smooth mouthfeel, subtle nuances of all components, and satisfying finish of this Pinot Noir were just what I needed after a long day, but, to be honest, I think I’ll need this anytime! Recent awards, among others, include Best in Class Pinot Noir in the Critics Challenge 2013, Double Gold at the Oregon Wine Awards 2013, and 90 Points in the Wine Enthusiast 2013 Wine Buying Guide. Cost is $38.
I consider this post a thank you note right back to Ryan Harms, Winemaker, April Yap-Henning, Director of Marketing (who I met and enjoyed chatting with for the first time at the conference) and all of those at Hawks View Cellars who are making such memorable wine. Please check out their website and discover more about the winery and their portfolio of wines. Hopefully, you’ll be able to purchase a bottle (or two!) at your neighborhood wine shop or from the Hawks View Cellars online store…because I can’t think of a better way to say “thank you”!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
