Medium ruby color; raspberry, cherry, cranberry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, mocha, black tea on the nose and palate.
Dry; amiable, fine-grained tannins; tart acidity. Medium body. Rounded mouthfeel—no sharp edges. Tartness is a feature, not a bug, but it means it can’t be described as the etherial easy drinker you often expect from a Willamette Valley pure pinot noir play. Grapes, up to a third whole clusters, cold soaked for up to two weeks for aromas, color, and flavor, and adding tannic nuance (whole cluster adds stem tannins, but it reduces harsher tannins from seeds, which are not crushed-cracked in the whole cluster method). Stem inclusion also reduces alcohol level. Mild oak influence from 10 months in French oak, 30% new remainder one and two-year-old barrel. 13.5% ABV
The grapes came from 10 vineyards in five different AVAs, so this truly is blend of what the Willamette Valley can provide. The winery is located in Oregon. This is not, however, a bottom-shelf collection of grapes and juice growers could not sell for their higher-priced pinots. At $38 it could be considered an entry-level move into the higher reaches of the Willamette pinot pyramid.
Rex Hill was founded by Paul Hart and his wife, Jan Jacobsen. In 2007, they sold to A to Z Wineworks, a rapidly growing Oregon négociant. The new owners reduced Rex Hill production to concentrate on premium offerings. In 2022, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates (SMWE) acquired A to Z and Rex Hill. The purchase was the first major move of SMWE, a company born from the acquisition of Château Ste. Michelle by the Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm based in New York. The various wine operations in Oregon and Washington State make Sycamore Partners the largest wine company in the Pacific Northwest.
While Sycamore is one big company, they largely have left the winemaking alone. Michael Davies has been the executive winemaker at Rex Hill–A to Z, joining the winery in 2006, the year before A to Z acquired Rex Hill. The website notes: “A small-town New Zealander, Michael completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Scandinavian Studies and Political Science at the University of Auckland leading to some unusual jobs, before returning to Lincoln University for a post-graduate diploma in Viticulture & Enology. Prior to joining A to Z, he served as Vineyard Manager and Assistant Winemaker for 6 years at Chehalem, as well as in Burgundy, California, the Hunter Valley of Australia and numerous regions of New Zealand. Michael and his winemaker wife, Anna Matzinger, make Matzinger Davies wines.”
Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022 delivers usual pinot noir flavors, raspberry and cherry, then pitches in cranberry and tartness that bodes well for food pairing and adds unexpected drama. The grapes come from all over the Willamette Valley, so the pour does not have the specific charm of single-vineyard efforts, but it delivers a tasty Willamette Valley experience that does not require a boost in your credit card limit. $38
Pairing—Salmon, particularly wild Pacific salmon, the bright fruit and tart acidity complement grilled, roasted, cedar-planked, poached in olive oil. Its relatively toned-down tannins also will work well with turkey, lamb, roasted duck or quail. Pork tenderloin, baby back ribs, barbecue pulled pork, pork with apple-based accompaniments. Mushroom dishes, mushroom risotto. Cheese—Mild cheese; brie, camembert, gruyère, aged gouda; goat cheese; Tillamook Cheddar. Avoid pungent cheese, aged hard cheese.
