Cricket Hill Winery is now an additional option for wine tasting experiences right in Jacksonville. They have opened a tasting room in McCully House Inn at the corner of California & Fifth Streets.
Cricket Hill Winery is a traditional French winery that for 27 years has been solely focused on producing premium quality Right Bank Bordeaux styled wines. Wines made only from grapes grown on their estate vineyard in Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley. At Cricket Hill expressing each wine’s individual personality replaces volume production. This rustic little winery produces some of the most drinkable wines in Southern Oregon – wines classically crafted in admiration of the most famous Châteaux of France and typically known only to dedicated wine aficionados.
“We know many of our McCully House guests consider the wine experience a major draw of their stay in Jacksonville. To satisfy those needs we are thrilled to have Cricket Hill, one of Southern Oregon’s favorite wine brands, as a part of the unique experience we can offer to our guests,” said Tamara Bushnell, Country House Inns Vice President of Operations. “With their focus on premium quality wines and a long history in the area, Cricket Hill has the right credentials. We look forward to working together with them to make our guests’ wine country experience something they will remember long after their stay.”
McCully House Inn is a unique Jacksonville property. Built in 1861, just at the start of the U.S. Civil War by John McCully, it’s a recognized local landmark. Today the McCully House Inn hosts visitors from America and around the world. It’s a strong draw for upscale visitors seeking that special Southern Oregon experience. The shared philosophy of enhancing the visitor’s enjoyment by offering luxury accommodations and unique winery experiences is what brought these two entities together.
“Cricket Hill is bringing our storefront winery tasting room to Jacksonville, offering the authentic winery experience to our guests,” said Duane Bowman, Cricket Hill Winemaker and Owner. “McCully House Inn is packed with guests every week but local wine fans will find the location convenient for their day-to-day wine needs. The capacity for what’s possible is endless and that’s going to make this relationship ‘great fun’ for Cricket Hill, the McCully House and everyone who loves wine with premium hospitality.”
Cricket Hill has a long-standing tradition of releasing rich and supple wines later than most wineries. They frequently introduce many of their guests to the pleasures of properly aged wines for the first time. This second Cricket Hill tasting room and the relationship with the McCully House Inn will mean increased scale and grandeur to expose more people to these remarkable wines.
“The Right Bank wines of Bordeaux are a favorite of the French people. They’ve long been recognized for their early drinkability as well as their ability to develop with age, a difficult to achieve combination sought in fine wines. We fell in love with those wines on our travels to France. Unfortunately, they can be prohibitively expensive so at its founding we decided to dedicate our winery to creating that amazing style of wine right here in Southern Oregon.” said Cricket Hill Winemaker and Owner Duane Bowman.
Cricket Hill was a pioneer winery in Southern Oregon. Established 27 years ago in 1991 on a carefully researched hillside it enjoys the singular combination of climate, soils, and slopes needed to grow Grand Cru quality grapes here in the Applegate Valley.
After years of visits to Bordeaux, France’s most famous wine region, this tiny winery decided to follow the French tradition of specializing to produce only one type of wine. It dedicated itself to producing only Right Bank Bordeaux style wines in homage to the wines of that small region of Bordeaux; premium wines of exceptional character made only from Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes.