Medium yellow color; lime, green apple, pear, peach, pineapple on the nose; peach, pear, apple, lemon, key lime pie on the palate.
Dry; bright acidity; very rich, ripe, tasty fruit. The ripeness gives illusion of sweetness, but the excellent acidity adroitly balances the attack and mid-palate fruitiness. Light body, but lushness fills the mouth. Whole cluster fermentation for depth and complexity; 100% riesling. Cold fermented in stainless steel to put emphasis on the fruit, and that strategy was completely successful. 12.9% ABV
The husband and wife team of George Hillberry and Carla Rodríguez own Beacon Hill. The website explains they were driving through Willamette wine country in 2010 “when they stopped by Beacon Hill to pick up equipment they purchased from the prior owner. After a few friendly exchanges, Carla was able to connect with him given her time spent in his homeland of Romania, where she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer. George and Carla immediately fell in love with the property and realized the tremendous care and love that had been placed on the site. Six months later, in April 2011 George and Carla were official owners of Beacon Hill Winery & Vineyard.”
Hillberry is a two-decade veteran of the Oregon wine industry. His family spent extensive time abroad when he was growing up. Hillberry’s formative years were spent in Brazil and Spain. The family, however, always considered Oregon home. Hillberry earned a business degree from USC and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace. In 2000, he moved to Oregon and started a vineyard management company and other wine-related operations. Those were sold in 2010 in order to purchase Beacon Hill.
Carla Rodríguez was born and raised in Northern México and moved to Texas to earn an undergraduate degree in finance. In 2001, she joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in Constanta, on the Black Sea coast of Romania, as an environmental volunteer. After her Peace Corps service, she spent six months traveling the world with a small backpack and two friends. She earned an MBA in international business from Thunderbird then returned to the U.S., and landed a job with a high-tech company in Portland. She expected a short stay in the Northwest. Then met George. The website notes: “Carla continues to work full time in Finance and manages all aspects of the tasting room, private events, and the vacation rentals within the Beacon Hill property.”
Beacon Hill sources its grapes from La Colina and La Sierra vineyards in the Dundee Hills and the estate Beacon Hill vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, the source of the grapes for this effort. The vineyard and winery are LIVE certified—meaning the farming and winemaking are as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. They also are certified Salmon-Safe.
Beacon Hill Winery & Vineyard Riesling Beacon Hill Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton 2019 is fruity, fleshy, delicious. Exuberantly ripe fruit inundates your palate. This is what riesling can do—deliver yummy, mouth-watering fruit skillfully counterpointed by acidity. Pair with shellfish; spicy food; charcuterie board; pork; poultry; pair with camembert, brie cheese. $21-26
