My grandfather was a farmer, though he never owned much land or any big tractor or shiny equipment. I grew up in the city, but I spent plenty of time in the countryside, and at a young age I became surprisingly good at spotting crops and vegetables even when they were barely sprouting. Corn, eggplants, wheat, rice, sesame, peanuts, I could name them all.
It became a little game my parents and I would play on walks. They would point at a plant, and I would guess what it was. We still do it even now, and it always brings me back to those days of fresh soil smells and warm breezes over the fields.
Though my parents never farmed themselves, the love of the land somehow made its way into my blood. Now, to stand here at our own vineyard, knowing that our harvest will be shared not just as fruit but as wine which tied to people’s happiest memories, feels like coming full circle.
What We Have Learned
Since Kevin and I began our journey at Bluebird Hill almost three months ago, we have learned a lot about farming, winemaking, and selling wine. It has been a crash course in everything from driving a tractor to designing labels. We have made mistakes, celebrated small victories, and discovered that there is always something new to learn and fix when you run a winery.
If there’s anything we’ve found to be the most important, it’s having a good product and providing good service. Wine starts in the soil and the vines, but it truly comes alive in the hands of the people who enjoy it. That means tending every vine with care, crafting every bottle with pride, and making sure every person who walks through our doors feels welcome. Kevin and I have been diving deep into understanding and documenting our winemaking standards, as well as refining the hospitality experience in the tasting room. Behind the scenes, we’re working on a few exciting projects: revamping our website, redesigning labels, renovating the house and tasting room, and brainstorming creative ideas for more on-premise and offsite events. Speaking of which, we’d love to see you at our 8th Pinot on the Patio — registration closes in just 5 days, at the end of this weekend. Stay tuned… we have so much more to share with you along the way.
Beyond the tasks and the to-do lists, these first months have taught us something deeper. This is not just about what we can provide to our customers, it’s about what we can do for each other. Winemaking is teamwork. It’s about discovering what each of us is good at and letting those strengths shine. It’s about supporting each other even when we disagree, and it’s about those comforting hugs after long days and nights of learning and work.
And while Kevin and I are learning every day, we know we wouldn’t be here without the people beside us, the ones whose skill, dedication, and heart make Bluebird Hill what it is.
The People Who Make It Possible
I first met Neil and Sue this February at the pruning workshop. At the time, I didn’t think much beyond first impressions. Sue struck me as the lady with stylish glasses and a big smile who makes an incredibly delicious chili, and Neil as the kind, tall gentleman who doesn’t talk a whole lot.
It wasn’t until we started working together day after day that I began to see more and more of who they are. They are some of the most hardworking and resilient people I’ve met. Their diligence shows in every detail, whether it’s winemaking or making guests feel at home in the tasting room. I’ve watched their faces light up with genuine joy when tasting wine from the barrels, and in those moments you can see how deeply they care about the craft. It’s not just work for them: it’s passion, pride, and the reward of doing something the right way. Their dedication, joy, and pride in doing things the right way are values we hope to honor and carry forward in everything we do.
In the same spirit, we want to take a moment to thank the other wonderful people who make this place what it is, and just as importantly, all of you who visit, taste, and share your time with us.
Wine Spotlight
From time to time, we’ll share a little spotlight on one of our wines. This is a chance to dive deeper into the stories and flavors behind what’s in your glass.
This time, we’re featuring something close to our hearts: the 2023 Red Wine Blend we bottled in July. It’s special not only because it’s one of our most popular wines since 2016, but also because it reflects the blending craft that makes Bluebird Hill unique. We invited Neil to write a short piece about it, and he shares the history, inspiration, and character of this wine better than anyone could:
Last month, we released our 2023 red wine blend. This blend has been one of our wineries most popular offerings since we first bottled it back in 2016. Back then, we were experimenting with bringing on some bigger red varietals to accompany our pinot noirs so that when people visited us at the tasting room, we would have a little bit more variety to offer red wine lovers.
Our very first Syrah and red wine blend was sourced from Southern Oregon in the Applegate valley. Since then we’ve been offering these two wines with Syrah obtained from Washington state.
We’ll provide you here this short essay based on the description of Syrah-Pinot Noir blends from wine-searcher.com:
Pinot Noir – Syrah wines may seem an odd coupling; Syrah is the heavy, tannic and spicy grape of the Rhone, while Pinot Noir is the lighter, more aromatically expressive grape of Burgundy. However, the practice of blending the two has been around for some time.
Prior to the 1920s (when France began to tighten legislation around wine labeling) it was relatively commonplace for Burgundian producers to beef up their Pinots with a proportion of wine from the Rhone Valley. Syrah was often added to increase the Pinot Noir’s alcoholic strength and add depth of color to wines that had suffered from a weak vintage.
The practice is controversial today in California, where up to 25 percent of wine labeled as Pinot Noir can be from other grapes (like Syrah). However the surreptitious addition of Syrah to Pinot is only common in lower quality wines, as good Californian Pinot Noir is expressive enough on its own.
There are, however, producers who openly embrace the challenge of blending Syrah and Pinot Noir. Balancing the two is like walking a tightrope, as too much Syrah can easily overpower the more nervous Pinot. While the blend defies the concept of terroir, done properly it can express the red berry flavors of Pinot against the darker side of Syrah’s fruit spectrum. (Note: our Bluebird Hill Red Blends are typically very close to a 50/50 blend of the two varietals; we have never released a blend with a ratio greater than 60/40 in either direction.)
A few notable American wineries produce these blends, right here in Oregon, Domaine Serene had been producing a blend for many years. Other countries producing these Syrah/Pinot blends include Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia.
We describe our own Red Blend as a red wine that can be enjoyed twelve months a year. We consider it a great wine pair for almost anything you can cook up on the grill — steaks, ribs, even burgers! In the winter months, we suggest trying it with roasts, grilled salmon, venison and even roast turkey at Thanksgiving!
If you’re not sure about this combination of Syrah and Pinot noir, mention you read this description in the blog and we’ll give you a free pour of our 2023 Red Wine Blend!!!
Looking Ahead
We have more grapes to tend, more wine to make, and more ways to connect with all of you, whether in the tasting room, at events, or out among the vines.
Owning a winery is not just about producing bottles. It is about caring for a piece of land, honoring the people who built it before us, and creating something that becomes part of other people’s memories. That is the heart of what we are doing here at Bluebird Hill.
In the past few weeks, our son has taken his very first steps here among the vines. Kevin and I would take him out for slow vineyard strolls. We point out the grape clusters, the plum and apple trees, the blueberry bushes in the back of the shed. He is still too young to understand much other than eagerly grabbing a plum to taste (those are his favorite!), but we see his eyes follow our hands, and sometimes he reaches out to touch a leaf or a cluster of grapes. It makes me think about how these small walks, these moments in the breeze and sunshine, might one day become part of his own memories of this place. That thought leaves me smiling every time because even as seasons change, joy has a way of passing on.
Kevin and I are excited to be at the start of this new chapter in our lives, learning, growing, and sharing it all with you. We hope to see you soon at Bluebird Hill.
Best wishes,
Cleo
