Have you ever looked at two seemingly identical bottles of wine with different years printed on the labels and wondered, “What’s the difference?” If so, you’re not alone! Vintage does matter—and not just in terms of how old the wine itself is. The good news is just a little knowledge on the topic of vintages can go a long way toward enhancing your selection and enjoyment of wines.
Archive for Oregon Wines
As euphoric an experience as wine tasting usually is, it can be daunting for some, especially the more casual wine appreciators. The good news is you don’t have to be a sommelier to taste wine like a pro. It just takes a little basic knowledge and perspective.
Fall in the vineyard brings the bustling activity of the harvest as the growing season draws to an end. At 2Hawk, fall is special for an additional reason: our semiannual wine club release.
At 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery, we’re proud of our handcrafted, estate-grown wines. If you’ve visited our tasting room or our online store, you may already be familiar with some of our wines, such as Tempranillo, Viognier, or Malbec—just to name a few. But why do we choose to cultivate these varieties specifically? In this post, we’ll explore how our location influences the types of wine we produce—and why Tempranillo is right at home here at 2Hawk.
As spring advances and the vineyard blossoms into activity, a special time of year for 2Hawk approaches: our spring wine club release. Twice a year—in May and November—we make our very best wines available to members of the 2Hawk Wine Club for shipping or pickup. This May, we are excited to release four exquisite wines that represent the exceptional terroir of the Rogue Valley and especially the 2Hawk estate vineyard.
2018 is drawing to a close, marking another stellar year for 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery. We’re particularly pleased to report we experienced an excellent harvest, despite some daunting challenges. Below you’ll learn what went well, what we’re excited about, and what we’re looking forward to in the future.
Coming face to face with a wall of wines at your local shop can be an intimidating experience. Should you select by price? Favorite varietal? Prettiest label? With so many options and just the shelf talkers to go on, you may feel paralyzed by the possibilities.
Sulfites. You’ve probably heard the term used in regards to wine … but what are they? Do 2Hawk wines contain them? Why are there sulfites in wine, anyway? A natural byproduct of fermentation, sulfites are present in all wines to a degree. More than just a byproduct, they’re a powerful, natural preservative and essential to the winemaking process.
“What are tannins, and can you taste them in wine?” We get questions like this fairly often in the 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery tasting room. Found naturally in grapes, tannins are antioxidant polyphenols that impart dryness, astringency, and mouthfeel to wines. They play a crucial role in the winemaking process, starting at harvest and continuing on even as wines age in the bottle.
Boasting 180 vineyards spanning over 4,000 acres, Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley is home to more than 70 different varieties, totaling some 10,000 tons of grapes each year. But what makes the Rogue Valley so special, and why do so many wineries call this region home? Just like a great wine, it’s a careful balance of the right factors.