This blog will be just a quick update on happenings around the vineyard and winery, but mainly we’re putting this out so you can hopefully put some of these dates on your wine and social calendar (see below!). We have mentioned in blog posts in prior years, even though the weather is not great, we LOVE February, because the days start getting longer, we’re starting to see buds swell up in some of our shrubs and trees, and dormant perennials and other garden plants start to show a little green. Very nice, after a gloomy winter!
Things are moving along great in the vineyard, we are 100% done making the ‘primary cuts’, which leaves each vine with just two main shoots from last year; these two shoots will then be tied down to the main bottom wire, and all this year’s new shoots will but out from the tied down, year-old shoots.
In the winery, we have gotten all the 2022 wines tucked away in the barrel room, with the exception of the 2022 Pinot Gris, Rosé, and Duology. Those will all be bottled in the next couple of months, along with the 2021 Flagship Chardonnay, and our 2021 Flagship Syrah. Advance tank and barrel tastings of all of these wines are indicating that we will be pouring some exceptional new release wines for you very soon! And just in time, because we have sold out of, or will very soon sell out of all our 2021 whites! We’re hoping to follow up tradition and have some of these wines show well in future tastings and judgings.
Speaking of which, we’re looking forward to the April issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine
(www.winemag.com). Some pretty good ratings, and we’ve been informed that one of our wines will be highlighted as a ‘Best Buy’ in that issue, and online as well at the W.E. website. Keep an eye out!
Now the full list of Bluebird Hill winter and spring events are listed below, but we want to highlight a few because they will require some advance registration and/or planning on your part:
Wine Tasting at Nick’s new place, “Corazon” in Corvallis – Wednesday March 8
This will be a ticketed event, tickets to be purchased from the wine bar. Advance ticket sales will be ongoing and possibly (but not with certainty), there will be tickets available the day of. We will be pouring an assortment of current and new release wines, our recent Platinum Award reserve wines, and maybe even a barrel sample or two of pre-release wines! (If you have not been to Nick’s yet, it is lovely!)
“Fire On The Hill” – THE CHILI COOKOFF IS BACK! Sunday March 19 from 1 to 4
So, so happy to have things back to normal – with one new twist: This year’s chili cookoff will be held at our neighborhood gathering place, the Alpine Tavern! Come taste at least ten different chilis and vote for your favorite. To register an entry, contact the winery by phone or email. This will be first-come, first-served for the first ten entries. Bring a crockpot full of your award winning chili. No charge for entrants, but to come, hang out, maybe shoot pool (it’s free!), taste chili and get two tickets for wine or beer, it will be $20 per person. (wine club plus guests register in advance for $15 pp).
Gourmet Wine Dinner at Corvallis Club – Thursday March 30.
Chef Iain Duncan will be putting together a four-course masterpiece, featuring some of his specialties and favorites, all paired with Bluebird Hill gold medal winners. For those of you who do not know, Corvallis Country Club is now ‘Corvallis Club’, and is in Southwest Corvallis just a bit off Philomath Boulevard. The dinner will be held in the fine dining room of the club, and limited to the first 36 registrants! Cost will be $95 pp for wine club members and other paid registrants made before March 15; otherwise it will be $110 per person. This in an all-inclusive cost, for the dinner, wine, and gratuity.
Mom’s Block Ten Year Anniversary: Hard to believe, sometimes it’s just been a blur, but May of 2023 will be our ten-year anniversary of the planting of Mom’s Block. This section of Pommard Clone Pinot Noir has already been the source of several gold medal, 90+ point wines from this small single block of about 400 vines! Details to follow, but we will celebrate with a vertical tasting of wine derived from these vines, paired with some special food and great music! So stay tuned, watch this space!
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:
February 23 - 26 Newport, OR
March 3 & 4 Portland, OR
March 8 Corvallis, OR
March 10- 12 McMinnville, OR
March 11 & 12 Central Point, OR
March 18 Keizer, OR
March 19 Alpine, OR
March 22 Florence, OR
March 24 Corvallis, OR
March 29 Veneta, OR
April 8 3 - 7 pm Corvallis, OR
April 28 - 30 Astoria, OR
May 13 - 14 12 to 5 pm Bluebird Hill Cellars
May 26 - 29 12 to 5 pm Bluebird Hill Cellars
May 2024 CRUISE FROM: PORTO TO PORTO
Rambling vineyards and charming native farms cling to the steep sides of the Douro River Valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe’s most unspoiled regions and to Port country— the world’s oldest demarcated wine region. Sail round trip from Porto, the beautiful “City of Bridges”; visit Regua, the ‘capital’ of the Douro Valley; and marvel at Salamanca, the UNESCO-designated “Golden City.” Taste wines from historic wineries and soak up the genuine beauty of one of Europe’s most unadulterated landscapes.
Additional Pre-Cruise option 3 nights in Lisbon. Details can be found here.
Neil & Sue will be your wine hosts onboard the cruise and they plan to enjoy the Pre-Cruise option in Lisbon. Space is limited on this small ship, there are still cabins left and we would love for you to join us.
We know that we have a lot to be thankful for. It's all of you that make it possible for us to live our dreams every day. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Stay safe and healthy, and we hope to see you on the Hill or at one of our upcoming events in the near future!
Best always, Neil and Sue
