Talk Wine with Me: Rebecca Pittock-Shouldis of Ghost Hill Cellars

In this on-going interview series, I will introduce you to a different Oregon winemaker in the hopes that as you learn more about them, you'll also be interested in learning more about their wines. You might discover how and why they came to make wine, you may gain a better understanding of their palate and how it influences the wines they craft, you might get some great new ideas for what and where to eat, what to drink, or you might get a glimpse of the future. Whatever you take away, I hope includes a deeper appreciation for the notion that behind every bottle, behind every brand, behind every decorated or undecorated label, stands a person with a unique vision and a personality all their own. Let's step back and discover how those characteristics intertwine with and become that memorable wine in your glass.

Q. What was the first wine you ever drank?
A. This horrible little bottle of something red on the British Airways flight from San Francisco to France (via Heathrow) as I departed for my Junior year of High School as an exchange student. They asked if we wanted wine with our meal… so of course we all said yes…it was terrible! Thank goodness my host father in Arcachon, Gilbert, insisted on changing my mind about wine!

Q. What was the first wine you ever enjoyed?
A. I think it was a gradual process. Gilbert would put a little of red Bordeaux in my glass at dinner and then water it down. Each night he put a little more wine and a little less water until I was able to enjoy a small glass of wine with the family at the evening meal. It was important to him that I was able to understand and appreciate the role that wine played in their culture and their lives. I think the first night I had a glass of wine with no water was a life changing moment; even though I didn’t realize it at the time and wouldn’t see the impact of it until more than a decade later. Today I am so grateful for that experience and how it helped lead me to where I am today.

Q. Tell me about your aha wine moment. Either when you realized you wanted to make wine, or when you gained an understanding of the beauty and complexity wine offers.
A. See above… Other than that… maybe the night at a Rotary International dinner in a winery outside of Bordeaux when I realized that the wine I was drinking and that everyone was floored by was older than I was!  I wish I could remember what the wine was. But I do know that it was from 1973 and it was 1992 when we were drinking it

Q. What's your favorite part about being a winemaker?
A. Creating something that makes people happy. 

Q. What's your harvest kickoff soundtrack?
A. Changes every year… but I love to blast classical violin in the winery when there alone late at night.  The acoustics at Scott Paul Wines where I make the wines for Ghost Hill and Gypsy Dancer (and my own) are incredible. It is really a sanctuary; Kelley Fox (of Scott Paul Wines) and I often refer to it as "the Cathedral." 

Q. What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
A. Ghost Hill Cellars Pinot Noir Blanc or WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Blanc and fresh oysters either from OR or WA – favorites are the little Kumomotos or Shigokus from Washington or extra smalls from Netarts Bay in Oregon.

Q. You're celebrating the end of a busy week, what's your go-to drink?
A. BUBBLES!  Even better if it’s a rosé champagne. One of my favorite go-to is the Rosé Champagne from Marc Chauvet imported by Scott Paul Imports.

Q. Full fridge or empty fridge?
A. It fluctuates a lot. This time of year it is pretty full with the great stuff coming out of my garden!  J  During harvest… you might find condiments. LOL

Q. Is there a wine you hate to love?
A. Barolo – Because great ones are so darn expensive!

Q. Is there a wine you love to hate?
A.  California Cabs – There is always an exception to the rule… but high alcohol, over extracted and over-oaked Cabernet Sauvignon is not something I enjoy at all; that and over-oaked Chardonnay are two things I can’t stand.

Q. What's your guilty pleasure?
A.  Scotch – neat, and the older the better.

Q. What are you working on right now that excites you?
A. Finally releasing my own brand! I'll be releasing a Syrah from the North Willamette Valley and a Viognier from the Applegate Valley. The brand is “A La Main” (pronounced “a la man” – which means “to be done by hand”). It should be available for purchase in July.

Q. Favorite wine - variety, region or brand.
A. This is tough! It depends on SO many factors and variables. I have always loved the Alliette Pinot Noir from Willakenzie, and that started way BEFORE Thibaud.  ;)  I have a strong adoration for the lovely Rosés from the south of France and am inspired by true cool climate Syrah, such as the incredible ones from the N. Rhone Valley. In truth, my favorite wine is the one I am drinking at any given moment with family and friends that will forever be cherished for both the memories it will leave imprinted on my heart and then brought back each time that wine is enjoyed again.

Ghost Hill Cellars, in the Yamhill Carlton AVA is owned by the Bayliss-Bower family. 15 acres of Pinot Noir is planted on Willakenzie soil to produce in what is my opinion to be some of the region's finest and most elegant estate wines. In 2005, Rebecca Pittock-Shouldis, winemaker for Ghost Hill Cellars, Gypsy Dancer and now her own label A La Main, left a career as an F-15 aviation technician with the National Guard, to pursue a her passion for making wine. According to Rebecca, "Pinot Noir should be listened to  and gently encouraged to reveal its beautiful, haunting and ethereal flavors." A busy mother and winemaker, read more about Rebecca here in 1859 Magazine.

Behind Every Wine Label Lies a Real Personality

A label is only the surface-level story of the wine. A winemaker’s job, besides making the best wine possible with a given vintage, is often to be the face of the brand. Winemakers attend wine dinners near and far, and participate in market tastings to acquaint potential consumers with their wines. With so many bottles on the shelf to choose from, it’s not easy to develop brand loyalty. Opportunities that allow the winemaker to display his or her personality and create a faithful fan are often what bring people back to the same wines each year. Discovering how a winemaker puts their touch on the wine requires one to look beyond the label on the bottle.

In this two-part series, I will peel back the label to show you how Oregon winemakers pour their heart, soul and personality into each bottle. I’ll start here with some of the female powerhouses of Oregon wine. Read the whole story Behind the Wine Label here…

Oregon Wine Goes Social

In honor of Regional Wine Week (sponsored by Drink Local Wine), I'd like to take a moment to draw your attention to a new monthly tasting group with a focus on Oregon wine. The Oregon Wine Social which has recently emerged in Portland, brings Oregon wine country directly to the city. Thinking beyond urban wineries and giant wine festivals, each month this wine group presents a fantastic opportunity to taste a variety of producers from all over Oregon wine country in a very intimate venue.

This ain't no wine festival though. With limited tickets available, you won't be fighting your way through crowds thick as fog seeking wines and conversation with the producers. Instead, you'll discover interesting wines, time with the winemakers, cozy venues and clever food pairings from the restaurant of choice, all while mingling with other local food and wine lovers.

The next Oregon Wine Social celebrates the 2013 Grape Harvest on Wednesday, October 16th from 5:30-7:30pm at 23 Hoyt. This months guest wineries are Ghost Hill Cellars, Imbue Cellars and WillaKenzie Estate. In addition to the food, wine and great company, fun prizes and tickets to future events will be up for grabs. A few tickets still remain, but get them before they're gone.

Oregon Wine Social "Harvest Celebration"

Wednesday, October 16, 2013
5:30pm-7:30pm
Where: 23 Hoyt 

RSVP is required by Tuesday October 15th. $30 per person

Ticket price includes wine tasting from the 3 featured wineries, and special appetizers prepared by 23 Hoyt. 

Tickets are very limited and will sell out quickly. Ages 21 and over only. 

Click here to purchase Tickets

Like them on Facebook, to stay in the know about upcoming events, I do.

Small Wine Producers… For the Win!

Nothing could keep me from a Memorial weekend discovery of boutique wineries in Oregon's wine country. In fact, to ensure I wouldn't miss it all, I left the comfort of my family and drove until 2:30am until I finally arrived home in time to catch a few zzz's all so I could present you with the following (truth be known, it was worth all the effort).

Anam Cara

Founded by: Nick and Sheila Nicholas

Winemaker: Aron Hess

Vineyard: 35 acres, planted in 2001, including some of
Oregon's original David Lett Vadensville Pinot Noir clones

The words Anam Cara are Celtic meaning "friend of my soul" and symbolize the long journey they've taken to produce wine. The boys were busy digging holes in the vineyard, while Digger the hole digging dog was busy hamming it up for my camera. Sheila and Nick hold a "Garage Sale" twice per year (Labor Day & Memorial Day), but you can visit by appointment and you'll be welcomed. Though Sheila's Pinot noir's are excellent, and I've heard some think her Chardonnay is the best they've ever tasted, I was completely bowled over by her 2008 Riesling—bone dry and bright with complex yet elegant notes of jasmine, pear and honeysuckle… I love this wine!

Laura Volkman

Founded by: Jim and Laura Volkman

Winemaker: Laura Volkman

Vineyard: 3.5 acres of Pinot noir, planted in 2002

Laura Volkman Vineyards was planted in 2002. A true boutique winery, producing a mere 500 cases per year. With the exception of their Chardonnay, Laura carefully crafts all their wines from estate fruit at August Cellars, located just down the road.

Natalie's Estate Winery

Founded by: Boyd and Cassandra Teegarden

Winemaker: Boyd Teegarden

Vineyard: 2 acres of Pinot noir, the rest of the fruit is sourced from The Dalles and Yakima Valley

Natalie's Estate Winery, located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, is named for the owner and founder's 12-year-old daughter. The winery released their first commercial vintage in 2000 and is now producing 2,300 cases a year of 12 different wines. The whites are all stainless steel fermented showing bright, crisp and true flavors, while the Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet and red blend were equally impressive. This is definitely a winery to watch.

Anderson Family Vineyard

Founded by: Cliff and Allison Anderson

Winemaker: Cliff Anderson

Vineyard: 16.5 acres on a mountain of fractured basalt with broken rocks hundreds of feet deep forming the foundation for the rocky terrace.

Anderson Family Vineyards has been growing grapes for Oregon's premium wine producers for years, and their grapes can be seen in a current collection (as shown in the photo above). In 2002, they crafted their own wines and released their first commericial bottling. They primarily grow Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (producing some of Oregon's finest unoaked Chardonnay I've had the pleasure of tasting) but have less than an acre of Pinot Gris which was accidentally planted after being mislabeled by the nursery. Producing under 1,000 cases a year, they were clearly thinking of the future when they built their magnificent new winery production and tasting facility.

Monks Gate

Founded by: Ron and Linda Moore

Winemaker: Ron Moore

Vineyard: 20 acres planted on the 50-acre estate

Monks Gate, located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, is a wonderfully unpretentious taste of history. With the old barn, rustic tasting room and the Moore's country hospitality, you're sure to feel right at home. The story of Monks Gate is as rich as the land. In 1988, on the day Ron bought the property (full of overgrown Christmas trees, scrub oak and blackberry bramble), he was surveying the land when two monks from the nearby Trappist Abbey walked out of the woods. After introductions, the monks inquired about Ron's plan for the land and he informed them he intended to grow wine grapes. They asked if he planned to put up a fence because this path was their shortcut from the Abbey to town, and he told them if he did, he would put in a gate for them, and he did.

Ghost Hill Cellars

Founded by: The Bayliss family

Winemaker: Rebecca Shouldis

Vineyard: 15 acres planted on the 234-acre estate

Ghost Hill Cellars is named for an old legend about from the 1860s when Oregon was in the midst of a gold rush. A miner traveling from southern Oregon to Portland with his hard-mined gold decided to camp for the night at the top of the hill that overlooks the site where the vineyard is now planted. During the night, someone killed the miner and his horse and stole his gold. Story has it, the miner is said to wander the hill with his horse, looking for his stolen gold. The farm has been in the Bayliss family since 1906, with the fourth and fifth generation now at the helm. Winemaker Rebecca Shouldis is crafting some very unique and memorable wines using only estate fruit. Her Rosé was gorgeous, and I so wished I had been able to include it in my review of Oregon Rosés, next year!!

Stag Hollow

Founded by: Jill Zarnowitz and Mark Huff

Winemaker: Mark Huff

Vineyard: 34-acre estate with a 10-acre designated wildlife preserve

Stag Hollow is an Old World-style family estate that's been producing wine since 1994. Stag Hollow will be at TASTE THE PLACE in Portland on Saturday, August 30,from 5-8pm (check their website for more information). They were offering tremendous discounts on their quality wine for the holiday weekend as well as selling futures of their 2008s. A testament to Stag Hollow's quality, their wine is currently being used by the prestigious Joel Palmer House for their private label Cuvée.

Séjourné

Founded by: Kevin and Robin Howard

Winemaker: Kevin Howard

Vineyard: One-acre of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris planted on the five-acre estate.

Séjourné is a small estate winery located within the Yamhil-Carlton AVA which, in addition to the vineyard, grows lavender gardens as well. They have a Wine Room in downtown McMinnville where you can taste the wines and pair them with small bites, but I chose to visit the actual winery and get a real feel for the place. Séjourné literally means "place of rest." The Howards wish is for their guests to enjoy their wines in the warm ambiance of their tasting room or relaxing in the adjacent garden patio while enjoying views of lavender fields, orchards, vineyards and the rolling hills of the valley below.

I was seriously amazed at the number of wineries I visited over two days, but still missed so many; I need more holiday weekends!! Lots of highlights on this day's outings, and it's so hard to narrow it down, but the best of the best for me (wine and experience) was Natalie's Estate, Anderson Family Vineyard and Monk's Gate. Until we sip again…

Cheers!