It started with a piece of salmon and the search the perfect pairing. And that was when I found my bottle of Rex Hill Reserve Willamette Valley 2008 Pinot Noir.
A beautiful garnet colored wine, it looked beautiful in my wine decanter. It had a nose of tart cherries, tannins, black pepper and a hint of citrus. And when I took my first sip, I realized just how far I had come along my wine journey. The wine was lovely – it was the perfect combination of spice and sweet, black pepper and cherries, with a nice warm finish. Robust enough for my salmon dinner, but not overpowering.
Rex Hill was the first winery I visited when I started my wine blog. And it is still one of my favorite Oregon wineries. The winery is beautiful, warm and friendly. The staff is always welcoming to me and my little one. When I went to Rex Hill the first time, I had no idea what I was doing or really how to taste wine. The person pouring the wine was very friendly and helpful, but honestly, I was still a little lost.
The Founder, Bill Hatcher, extended a very generous offer to teach me about wine and tasting. Such a kind offer, making my experience so much better and endearing the winery to my heart.
Over a year and a half later, I returned to Rex Hill. It was a beautiful fall day, sunny and not too cold. The leaves were starting to turn and the winery grounds were beautiful.
While I did not have time to do a tasting on this trip, I did purchase two different Pinots. The Rex Hill Willamette Valley 2011 Pinot Noir and the A to Z 2011 Oregon Pinot Noir (A to Z is Rex Hill’s parent company. My plan is to do a comparison tasting of the two Pinots.
Now to find the perfect dish to go with my wines. More to come!
The Splendid Grape 