January is a special time in the vineyard. The lull of December begins to give way to the next growing season. It is a time to reflect on the prior season and a time to contemplate the upcoming season.
2Hawk Vineyard and Winery experienced an incredible shift in 2017. Our growth and momentum has set the stage for even greater things to come in 2018. From continued implementation of cutting-edge technologies in the vineyard, winery, and tasting room to Tesla charging stations, a new website, and ever-improving facilities for our guests, 2017 proved that 2Hawk is indeed soaring.
Another harvest is over. All of the new wines are in barrel, and it’s time to reflect on how the vintage has taken shape and to give thanks for what Mother Nature provided. One of the most frequent questions I’m asked this time of year is, “What wine pairs well with a special holiday meal?”
Harvest and crush—it’s an end and a beginning all rolled into one. It’s the end to the growing season and the beginning of production of this year’s vintage of wine. This autumn, there are smiles all around thanks to increased quantity and superb quality.
Yesterday was a banner day at 2Hawk. At sunrise, we were harvesting Chardonnay and Tempranillo. Throughout the day, I fielded media interviews about the 9-1-1 wine release, and at 4 pm, I headed to the tasting room to join the winery’s celebration of National First Responders Day. The event honored first responders and opened sales of the new 9-1-1 red blend.
2Hawk Vineyard & Winery recently had the honor of hosting four wine writers on a tour of Oregon wineries in Portland, Willamette Valley, and Southern Oregon. Arranged by the Oregon Wine Board (OWB), the tour concluded on August 1 with a dinner hosted by 2Hawk. We were joined by our talented colleagues and friends Ruth Garvin, Cliff Creek Cellars; Earl and Hilda Jones, Abacela; and Dyson Demara, Hillcrest Vineyard.
A couple times a year, the 2Hawk team visits other local wineries so we can taste other wines and experience the range of hospitality available across southern Oregon. It gives us a sense of what’s going on in the local industry and shows us other places we can recommend our guests visit. Cloudy and cool weather greeted us this summer as we started our outing for a day of wine tasting, food, and fun.
At 2Hawk, we are always looking to lead the way in sustainable practices and enhance our guests’ experience. Installing three Tesla charging stations does both. I got the idea while making my regular monthly trip back and forth to Coalinga, Calif., where we have 1,000 acres of pistachio nut trees and 400 acres of almonds. Each time, I drive past Harris Ranch, a traveler’s oasis along I-5 in the Central Valley. It’s got an airport, restaurants, hotel and conference center, country store, and gas station complete with Tesla charging stations.
Wow, here’s another great article on our new winery and our steps toward making 2Hawk a world-class winery! We love that this February 2017 issue of the Oregon Wine Press will be all over the upcoming Oregon Wine Symposium. I’ll be on a panel at the Symposium talking about how our tasting room matches our brand. Stay tuned for more on that!
We are excited to be getting such great press lately! Take a look at this feature story in the Fall/Winter 2016–2017 edition of the Southern Oregon Wine Scene. Ross and I love the picture of us on our horses. This was taken before the new winery was completed. Done in record time, the new winery opened in September, just in time to process its first harvest. Can’t wait to see what Kiley does with the wines!