In the 1850s, prospectors discovered gold in the southern region of the Oregon Territory. From the moment gold was struck, the Oregon Territory was flooded with miners seeking their fortune. During the rush, a gold prospector whose identity has been lost to history traveled from the goldfields of Southern Oregon to Portland to sell his gold and make his fortune. He made the fateful decision to stop for the night and set up camp at the top of what is currently the Bayliss farm, the place we now know as Ghost Hill. At the time, the hill and the surrounding land was heavily wooded making it an ideal place to camp in peace. During the night, someone snuck into his camp to rob him of his gold. The miner was killed and his horse was mortally injured. His hard-earned poke of gold disappeared into the night. To this day, the miner is said to wander the hill looking for his stolen gold and to right the wrongs that befell him.
While the miner never recovered his gold, we have found our treasure with our Pinot Noirs.
THE LAND:
Excellent wine starts in a remarkable vineyard. The resplendent, rolling hills of the farm are Willakenzie series soils with marine sediment bedrock. These soils are ideal for the propagation of the difficult-to-grow, but very rewarding, Pinot Noir grape. We strive to produce delicious, elegant wines from the grapes grown in our estate vineyard.
The Bayliss-Bower Vineyard is part of the family’s 234 acre section of land in the Yamhill-Carlton District. The Bayliss family has owned the farm since 1906. The first vines were planted in 1999. Currently, all 16 acres of vines are Pinot Noir of the Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon clones 114, 115, 777. One hundred percent of the fruit used to produce the wines of Ghost Hill Cellars comes from the estate vineyard. We only use around a third of the grapes we grow. The rest of our grapes are sold to other wineries looking for exceptional Pinot Noir grapes.
THE FAMILY:
The quote from Robert Frost “The land was ours before we were the land’s,” epitomizes the bond of the Bayliss family with the land. The Baylisses have been stewards of this piece of the Willamette Valley for more than a century. In 1906, brothers Daniel and Samuel Bayliss purchased the Donation Land Claim of James and Edith Greene. The family started clearing the trees and brush in order to farm the land. The farm added a dairy operation in the 1920s. Samuel Bayliss took milk into Portland to sell on a sternwheeler steamboat.
Daniel’s son, Samuel D. and his wife Barbara purchased the farm in the 1930s. They moved from dairy-based farming to raising wheat, hay, clover, peas and sheep. As their son Mike and daughter-in-law Drenda became more involved in the farm in the 70s and 80s, they began making more grass hay and raising Black Angus cattle for beef. Today, the vineyard is the only crop farmed by the Bayliss family. The fourth and fifth generations of the Bayliss family continue to work and live on the farm today. Mike and Drenda live in the original farmhouse built in 1906 by Daniel and Samuel. Mike, Drenda, their son Michael, their daughter Bernadette and son-in-law, Cameron Bower are working together to make the vineyard and Ghost Hill Cellars a success and preserve the farm for future generations.
Ghost Hull Cabernet Sauvignon is made of 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aromas of blackberry, elderberry and ripe plum are accentuated by notes of mocha, fresh tarragon, vanilla and oak. The palate is full-bodied and offers a lovely balance of acidity and tannins accompanied by rich flavors of dark fruit and black currant, ending with a juicy and lingering finish
Sourcing immaculate fruit from the cool Adelaide Hills region, Shaw + Smith carry out whole berry fermentation in open-topped steel vats allowing for gentle yet thorough extraction and optimal aromatics. Maturation in French oak allows tannins to soften and aromas to harmonize before bottling under screw cap.
Shaw + Smith own two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, totalling 55 hectares. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.
Hand picked, sorted and fermented as a combination of whole berries and whole bunches in open fermenters, with gentle plunging and minimal working. Aged in French oak for fourteen months, of which one third was new.
Shaw + Smith Shiraz is a medium bodied cool-climate Shiraz, in which balance is more important than power.
Decant and enjoy with slow cooked lamb shoulder.
Review:
Lovely crunchy fruit to this, with spice and dried-meat undertones through the wine, from the nose to the palate. Medium body, fine tannins and a fresh and vivid finish. Tangy and bright. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
-James Suckling 94 Points
A slope (un talud) leading up to a mountain where centuries of rock falls have left the soil beneath full of large angular rocks, and therefore useless for most agriculture. Deposited hugger-mugger amongst the clay and sand however, they offer perfect drainage and allow vines to grow, forcing their roots ever downwards in search of water, picking up minerals along the way. If you wanted to explain to someone what Cabernet Sauvignon tasted like, you could do a lot worse than showing them this beautiful expression of the variety which demonstrates great purity, concentration and elegance.
Review:
Talud is from the oldest cabernet sauvignon vineyards on Tabalí’s estate in the coastal Maipo zone, 50 kilometers from the Pacific, planted in 1999. The soils are colluvial, which often deliver firm, pointed tannins, and those are present here, but they’re very nicely accompanied by juicy red fruit and bright acidity that allows this wine to put its fresh, vibrant facet in the foreground. Take note, however, there are deep, dense flavors here. It’s still a very young cabernet, so make room in the cellar.
-Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 95 Points