The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is with Tim Kinkade of Cynthian Vineyards. In this interview, Tim discusses how he accomplished his vineyard dreams.Tim talks about his many years as a contractor. He started in construction at 18 and stuck with it until he retired. He found work in places like Alaska and Hawaii until he got married and had children and settled in Corvallis, Oregon. Towards the end of his career, Tim's sub-contractors were all retiring and he felt it might be time for him to follow suit. After having a dream of building his own vineyard for years, Tim sold the house he built and his children grew up in to started looking for vineyard property in 2012.Tim discusses the property of Cynthian Vineyards itself. Tim stumbled upon the property when he was golfing at Cross Creek located above the golf course. After checking it out and realizing there was already a house there, Tim jumped on the opportunity. In terms of growing grapes, the fruit loves the property. There is not a flat spot on the vineyard and the vines get the wind directly from the coast. Tim believes that good wine is about the farming and the fruit itself.Later in the interview, Tim talks about the reality of owning a vineyard and his hobbies outside of it. Tim explains that owning and living on a vineyard is not exactly what he imagined. Instead of retiring, he bought himself another job. Owning a vineyard is more work and risk than he originally thought. On the bright side, Tim is never bored along with his hobbies of woodworking, welding, scuba diving, maintaining old cars, and electric biking.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Cynthian Vineyards in Dallas on July 16, 2026.

This interview is with Lane Kinkade of Cynthian Vineyards. In this interview, Lane  discusses getting wrapped into his dad's dream of building his own vineyard.Lane talks about his life before joining the wine industry with different career paths. Lane got his degree is graphic design which led him to different jobs in design, user experience design, and product design. Eventually, he was offered the opportunity to teach at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta. During this time, Lane's father, Tim, had retired and started his own vineyard and production was ramping up. After teaching for about three years, Lane decided to move across country to Oregon to help his dad build the Cynthian brand.Lane discusses his growth within his wine knowledge. Starting out, he didn't know much about wine, but loved how it paired with food. After helping his dad with harvests for years, Lane enrolled in the Chemeketa wine program to learn more about winemaking to eventually take over as the sole Cynthian winemaker. Along with a structured education, Lane is learning from mentors as well. Now, Lane has also completed his WSET level 2. Lane realizes that knowing all the work that goes into wine makes it taste better.Later in the interview, Lane talks about the future of the Oregon wine industry.  Although it is a difficult time for the Willamette Valley, Lane is optimistic. He believes that keeping the unique spirit of the Oregon wine industry will keep it afloat. He explains that the industry is kind and cooperative. He has multiple first-hand experiences of bigger brands helping out the little guy.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Cynthian Vineyards in Dallas on July 16, 2026.

This interview is with Laurent Montalieu of Soléna Estate. In this interview, Laurent discusses his journey in creating a multi-generational legacy within the Oregon wine industry.Laurent talks about his beginnings in wine. He started out studying engineering in France until he switched to the neighboring Bourdeaux's Institute of Oenology  because it looked like they were having more fun over there. While studying, Laurent did many internships. One took him to Napa Valley which gave him an appreciation for American business management. Freshly graduated, Laurent got a call from Bridgeview Winery to work with them and finally made his way to Oregon.Laurent discusses creating NW Wine Company and its progression throughout the years. The property started as an old pie factory and was originally used to make his own wine. It turned out that people wanted Laurent to make wine for their brands as well. From there, Laurent was the winemaker for many different brands and NW Wine Company was born in 2003. After a creating a successful business with high demand, Laurent sold the company in 2021.Later in the interview, Laurent talks about his current focus, Soléna Estate. Purchasing the property in 1999 and planting vineyards as well as living on it, Soléna Estate was overshadowed by the beast of NW Wine Company in Laurent's mind. Now, Soléna Estate is Laurent's main focus as he nurtures the vineyard and his daughter Soléna to become the next leader of the estate.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soléna Estate in Yamhill on July 15, 2026.

This interview is with Bryan Lewis of Björnson Vineyard. In this interview, Bryan discusses how he has obtained his dream job.Bryan talks about the how he started out as a pastor, went into video production, sales management for 14 years, and eventually wine retail while making his own beverages from wine kits on the side. After being in retail for so long, Bryan started working as a steward for Market of Choice. When he felt he didn't know what he was talking about, he decided to complete his WSET level 3 and is currently working on his level 4. When he realized he loved teaching people about wine, he started a wine education-focused Instagram page.Bryan discusses the beginnings of his account and its goal. Initially, Bryan wanted to teach wine beginners about wine in a fun, approachable way. Eventually, even more people outside of his target demographic started consuming and sharing his content. Bryan produces videos and graphics that make learning about wine easy and enjoyable. When Björnson asked Bryan to create a video, he also applied as their hospitality manager and began working there in July of 2025. Now, Bryan has taken his social media presence to the press and has two published books with the same fun approach.Later in the interview, Bryan talks about the future for himself and the Oregon wine industry. Bryan believes that Oregon is going to become more renowned around the world for wine. With this progression, Bryan hopes the industry doesn't loose who they are along the way. As for himself, there is nothing bigger and better than Björnson for him. He is right where he wants to be and plans to grow Björnson along with his individual side projects.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Björnson Vineyard in Salem on July 14, 2026.

This interview is with Kelley, Brad, and Kerry Brainard of Native Son Cellars. In this interview, the group discusses their family's heritage and transition into wine after retirement.The trio talks about the history of their family as Oregon natives. Their father was the chief of the Miluk Coos of the Confederated Tribes of Coos and his sons take great honor in their heritage. After deciding to start a vineyard and wine brand, the sons decided to pay homage to their family history within the branding. They are “Native Sons” of Oregon and use tribal images on their bottles as representation of their tribal identity.Kelley and Brad discuss their experiences traveling around the world while Brad was in the Air Force. Staying in the same place for five years or less  at a time and frequently traveling abroad, the couple has tried many different wines from many different places. A notable experience was tasting a Hungarian wine they still think about to this day. When Brad retired in 2021, they decided to bring in Brad's brother, Kerry, to start a vineyard and wine brand. Later in the interview, Kelley talks about her hopes for the future of Native Sons. Mainly, Kelley wants to get their name out there and continue telling the story behind the brand. Since she is only distributor and doesn't want to work well into her 90s, they plan to keep the brand small and enjoy the privilege to do what they are passionate about. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at their home in Eugene on July 8, 2026.

This interview is with John Peacock of Ocelli Cellars. In this interview, John discusses his beginnings in analytics and unique transition into wine full-time.John talks about his job experience and introduction to wine. Majoring in real estate finance at Portland State University, John had a lot of jobs in analytics. John was introduced to wine by his wife, Sirpa, and was not a fan of the beverage until he tried Pinot Gris. After enjoying wine together, John and Sirpa decided to make wine their hobby and create their own wine brand in 2013 while still maintaining their seriate full-time jobs. In 2023, John was laid off from his wine production software job and decided it was time to embrace Ocelli as a full-time gig.John discusses his hopes for the new Ocelli tasting room that opened in March of 2026. John considers wine more than a beverage and strives for community within the tasting room. John loves that the Oregon wine industry allows people to create the environments they want to create. He believes that there is new experiences available and something for everyone. Later in the interview, John talks about his goal to never retire from Ocelli. John believes he already lives in paradise and currently does what he wants to do for the rest of his life. In the future, John hopes to hire others to manage the everyday tasks so he can focus on the winemaking and logistics and “sprinkle the winemaker dust” in the tasting room.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Ocelli Cellars tasting room in Dundee on July 8, 2026.

This interview is with Sirpa Peacock of Ocelli Cellars. In this interview, Sirpa discusses her work in the Oregon wine industry and her path to starting her own brand.Sirpa talks about how she began in the industry. A Linfield University graduate in sociology, Sirpa was not looking forward to more schooling, so she decided to get into an industry she enjoyed. She started working part-time at a wine bar and kept growing from there. Her unique talent of establishing structure and organization opened doors for her to keep evolving within the industry and working at places such as Archery Summit, Colene Clemens, and Appassionata Estate.Sirpa discusses the beginnings of starting her wine brand with her husband, John. Ocelli was born in 2013 after her husband jokingly said to their winemaking friend that it would be fun to start a brand. That friend let them use some barrels to start their project and the rest is history. For the next decade, Sirpa and John would work their full-time jobs while producing and selling their small brand.Later in the interview, Sirpa talks about their new tasting room. Opening in March of 2026, the Ocelli tasting room is actually a dual tasting room with another small brand, Stephen Goff Wines. Sirpa wanted the tasting room to have a “neighborhood vibe” where people can experience comfortable community. Sirpa is confident for the growth of the tasting room and cannot wait to watch it evolve. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Ocelli Cellars tasting room in Dundee on July 8, 2026.

This interview is with Anne Root and Ashley Campanella of Edenvale Winery. In this interview, the duo discusses their introductions to the wine industry and everything that came after. Anne talks about how her husband's family was in the pear business and she was given the responsibility to do something with an empty orchard. This orchard soon became a vineyard and the rest is history. The winery still grows pears and uses them for their unique pear cider. Ashley discusses how after she graduated from college, her mother asked her to help her with her winery project. From there, Ashley began to build the community aspect of the winery until 2008, she had to jump in as winemaker after their previous one left right before harvest. Edenvale never intended Ashley to be the winemaker, but she has a talent for it and still remains in the position.Later in the interview, the mother and daughter talk about the future of the winery. While it is important to them to keep the family history by producing pears, they do not believe Edenvale will stay within the family in the future. However, this all depends on the next generation.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Edenvale Winery on June 12, 2026.

This interview is with Javier & Erik Marin of Marin Estate Wines. In this interview, the father-son duo discuss their history in the wine industry and what they hope to accomplish with their own brand.The two talk about their individual introductions to the wine industry. Javier joined the industry in 1990 as a crew member and vineyard manager. Once he got his contracting license, he purchased his own property for a vineyard. Erik joined the wine industry when he was 14, working for his dad in the vineyard during summers. While not planning on joining the wine industry, he ended up doing the wine program at Chemeketa and even worked a harvest in New Zealand. Through the program, Erik discovered that he enjoyed wine mechanicsJavier and Erik discuss what they have learned during their time in the industry and how they apply it to their vineyard. The family, especially Javier, have worked with many different wine makers and vineyard managers from across the Willamette Valley. From many, they have gotten different perspectives and take the best from each. After purchasing the property in 2013, they got to planting in 2018 and produced their first vintage in 2023.Later in the interview, the two talk about the labor that goes into the vineyard. With full-time jobs, the two would come home after and go straight to working on the vineyard. The property is 20 acres and they have planted everything themselves. They believe that doing everything themselves creates a better connection to the final product. For the future, Javier & Erik want to create a winery and tasting room on the hill and plant more vines on their property.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in McMinnville on July 6, 2026.

This interview is with Shannon Mayhew of Brooks Wine. In this interview, Shannon explains her farming philosophies and how she applies them to Brooks' garden and vineyard.Shannon talks about growing up in Napa Valley, but never having an interest in wine. She dipped her toe into the wine industry when she saw the lack of habitats for bees and cold called vineyards to ask if they wanted hedgerows implemented in their vineyards. After a variety of jobs as a vineyard scout, in restoration work, and even a farming internship in Italy, COVID hit so Shannon switched to agriculture.Shannon discusses the transition to Oregon and the development of her role at Brooks. Shannon moved to Oregon because she felt the farming career was more sustainable in this location. Applying to manage the garden at Brooks, Shannon moved to Oregon and started working as a gardener. From there, she continued to evolve into different roles within the garden, vineyard, and tasting room. Now, she is the sustainability director that manages the whole operation's  footprint.Later in the interview, Shannon talks about the community she has built within the farming community and her ideas for the future. Shannon is a member of many groups that meet and talk about farming, books, and bees. They share their stories and advice for ways to improve the biodynamics of their vineyards. As for the future of Brooks' garden and vineyard, Shannon does not lack ideas for growth that span even to the next generation.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brooks Wine in Amity on July 2, 2026.

This interview is with Chris & Candice Plewik of 3 Goats Vineyard. In this interview, the couple discusses their original plan for their vineyard and what it has turned into. Chris and Candice talk about the idea that started it all. Chris' mother was moving onto their property after retiring, and Chris thought it would be nice for her to look at a vineyard all day. Initially involved in public work and various other avenues, the couple had no interest in wine and were using the vineyard as an outlet from their day-to-day lives. After the decision to plant a vineyard, Chris and Candice built their vineyard in a must-hear, comical way, producing everything “caveman style.”The two discuss the transition from maintaining a vineyard to making wine. They figured they might as well make wine out of their grapes and if it doesn't turn out, no harm, no foul. After finding a mentor that taught them things and let them use his cellar for their small production, Chris and Candice were ready to start their first harvest. Their first vintage of 2021 was hand-planted and hand-picked by Chris alone, and when they finally tasted their wine, they felt a spark.Later in the interview, Chris and Candice talk about their tasting room and thoughts on the Oregon wine industry. The tasting room is incredibly important to the two and is viewed as an extension of their home. Candice even got to use her interior design degree. Chris and Candice have optimism for the Oregon wine industry because of the community. Oregon welcomes everyone into the industry, and as long as the industry maintains the community aspect, it will be okay.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at 3 Goats tasting room in Hillsboro on July 1, 2026.

This interview is with Anna Welch & Olivier Prost of A to Z/Rex Hill. In this interview, the couple discusses how wine brought them romance and livelihood Olivier and Anna talk about their separate educations in viticulture. Anna went to CalPoly where she had the opportunity to study vines, wine chemistry, and technical wine tasting in New Zealand. Olivier, originally from France, studied viticulture after his father opened a wine shop after retiring. Individually, they both ended up in Napa where they met at a brewery during the 2007 harvest.The two discuss their path to A to Z/Rex Hill. After their harvest in Napa, Olivier and Anna participated in a harvest in Australia where they decided to become a couple. From there, the two decided to go places for harvests that would accept couple. When they decided they need somewhere to place roots, they came to Oregon and interned at A to Z for the 2009 harvest. In early 2010, Olivier was offered a full-time position as a cellar associate while Anna took a part-time job in the marketing department. In 2012, Anna was offered a full-time job as lab technician.Later in the interview, Olivier and Anna express their thoughts about the future of winemaking and production for A to Z/Rex Hill. The couple want their wines to keep the Oregon identity and establish a sense of place. They want people to attach emotion to the wine as they drink them. Ultimately, they want their wines to be made with intention.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at A to Z/Rex Hill in Newberg on June 30, 2026.

This interview is with Ben Denton of HiFi Wine Bar. In this interview, Ben explains what it is like to make your way through the wine industry. Ben talks about his “magical moment” with wine. After majoring in history and philosophy, Ben didn't know what he wanted to do as a career. While working at a restaurant with his roommate, Ben tasted and nice bottle of wine. That was the moment he realized he wanted to be drinking wine on the regular, and the best way to drink wines you can't afford is to work in the industry.Ben discusses his path in wine as he started out working in a big factory liquor store. From there, he began working in distribution. He didn't care what job he had at the time, as long as it was in wine. Ben moved to Washington and then Oregon to pursue wine after he had visited on a trip with the liquor store. Here, he met his business partner and they began the makings of HiFi.Later in the interview, Ben talks about the incorporation of music at HiFi. Ben and his partner shared a love of music and collecting vinyl that they decided to make it a major element of the wine bar. Vinyl is constantly spinning for visitors, and Ben believes it creates a holistic experience for the customers. In 2026, HiFi celebrates its 5th-year anniversary.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at HiFi Wine Bar in McMinnville on June 29, 2026.

This interview is with Pat & Jackie Dukes of Dukes Family Vineyards. In this interview, the couple explores their journey in fulfilling their vineyard dreams. Pat & Jackie talk about their lives before joining the industry. The two went to high school together but didn't start dating until college until eventually getting hitched. From there, Jackie worked in real estate and Pat worked in accounting. After the company was sold, Pat retired at 37 and eventually went to culinary school. Surprisingly, the couple didn't start drinking wine until their 30s in California. After trying some great bottles, Pat started to collect wine.The Dukes discuss their start in Oregon. At first, they wanted to start a restaurant because they had heard that Oregon was a good market for it at the time. After they discovered the restaurant business wasn't for them, they started a vineyard instead. From there, the property kept evolving and they now have a tasting room and various other buildings. Later in the interview, the couple talks about their future in the industry. This year, Dukes celebrates its 20th vintage. Pat claims that every year of those first 20, there was an ongoing project or construction on the property. Now, Pat & Jackie are mellowing out the projects and enjoying what they've made.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Dukes Family Vineyard in Amity on June 26, 2026.

This interview is with Peter Rosback of Sineann Winery. In this interview, Peter discusses his long history within the Oregon wine industry. Peter talks about living in Europe as a teenager which set him on the winemaking path. With a lot of wine experience in Oregon, he has collected many stories over the years. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the 2010s, Peter preferred to have the interviewer read some of his stories. An excellent writer, Peter's stories were filled with color and his personality even with another voice reading them.Peter discusses what it was like to be in the industry when it was first getting started. He explained how the industry was so small that everyone used to get together in one room, something impossible today. Now, the number of wineries in Oregon has exploded and is a whole different animal than what he experienced in the early days.Later in the interview, Peter talks about the future of Sineann Winery and the Oregon wine industry. While Peter currently directs the production of his wines and picks during harvest, he plans to hand off the winery to someone else in the near future. As for the industry as a whole, Peter believes that a good Pinot Noir attracts money.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Peter's home in Corvallis on June 25, 2026.

This interview is with David Adelsheim. In this interview, David talks about his unique role in the history of the Oregon wine industry, from starting his brand in 1971 to being part of committees, planning commissions, event creations, and lobbying efforts on Oregon wine's behalf throughout his career.David talks about his initial interest in wine, and how he came to Oregon. He describes meeting with the other founding members of the Oregon wine industry and starting to see opportunities in the small community of winegrowers. From there, he talks about working with land use regulation, wine labeling restrictions, the formation of various events and technical tastings designed to move Oregon's industry forward, and the moments that played a role in the industry's growth.He also talks about his own wine brand, Adelsheim, and its growth, struggles, and successes. He speaks about the personal challenges that come with trying to grow both a company and an industry, and offers his thoughts on where the industry goes next. This interview was conducted in two parts by Rich Schmidt at David's home in Newberg on April 20 and May 6, 2026.

This interview is with Jenny Burger of Yamhill Valley Vineyards. In this interview, Jenny discusses her journey of taking over as a second generation for the company. Jenny talks about how Yamhill Valley Vineyards has always been at least a little part of her life. Her parents started the company before she was born, and she recalls spending weekends and summers on the vineyard without any real idea of the elaborate production her parents were heading. After attending college and taking a few jobs involving parks, Jenny decided to take an offer to work a harvest in New Zealand. From there, she discovered that she really did like how multifaceted and universal the wine industry is.Jenny discusses her transition into the family business. Her father had told her that he wasn't going to give her a full-time position if there wasn't a true role to fill and if she wasn't ready for it. Eventually, the family decided the business needed assistance in the communication and organization, so in January of 2014, Jenny took on the role of office manager. From there, Jenny worked on developing to take over the operation.Later in the interview, Jenny talks about the future for the wine industry and her role as the general manager. Jenny believes the Oregon wine industry must level-out the over-supply and under-demand of wine production. As for herself, she plains to integrate herself more within the industry and build on the community aspect of wine.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Yamhill Valley Vineyards  in McMinnville on June 24, 2026.

This interview is with Ariel Eberle of Yamhill Valley Vineyards. In this interview, Ariel is interviewed for the second time after 8 years and reflects on what has changed and what the future may hold. Ariel talks about her initial interest in wine being related to science. She started with an interest in biology that transitioned into botany and wine. Studying biology and minoring in chemistry at Oregon State University, Ariel believes that knowledge is power and that this education laid the foundation for her work as a winemaker. Ariel explains how she was originally interested in working in healthcare, but joined Yamhill Valley Vineyards in 2008 when head winemaker at the time, Stephen Cary, needed help. Now, she believes it is a gift to study the land.Ariel discusses her relationship with her mentor, Stephen Cary. She describes him as the most determined person she has ever known and discusses how she values his commitment to nature. She explains Stephen's significance within not only the Oregon wine industry, but within the international wine industry as well. She claims that Pinot Noir would not be where it is today without Stephen. After working under him as the assistant winemaker for years, she made the natural transition into head winemaker.Later in the interview, Ariel explains how her relationship with Yamhill Valley Vineyards has changed and deepened since 2018. She believes that being a winemaker is her purpose and that purpose is to facilitate connection. Ariel talks about how the energy from the people who grew and made the wine transitions to the people who drink it. To her, it is all about intention when winemaking.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville on June 24, 2026.

This interview is with Levi Danielson of RAW Cider Company. In this interview, Levi explains his motivation for bringing “fine-dining” cider to the Oregon wine/cider industry. Levi talks about how his background in microbiology and health. Attending the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Levi was interested in the healthcare industry, especially nutrition. After working many hours in the healthcare system, Levi wanted a break, so he headed to France.Levi discusses his experience in France as he worked on an organic cider farm. During his time on the farm, he learned about traditional cider making. While he always had an interest in fermentation, he was planning on returning to the healthcare industry. It was until he compared the lifestyles of the people within the healthcare industry and the cider industry, that he realized which life he would rather live. After six months in France, he returned to the United States and eventually started his own cider company with the knowledge he gained in France.Later in the interview, Levi explains his vision for RAW Cider Company. The company's slogan, “work with wild,” represents using natural techniques to produce his cider. They do everything in-house and even have a tasting room on the orchard. Levi hopes to scoop wine people up who are visiting the Willamette Valley and introduce them to fine cider. Now, Levi is learning how to be a boss and manage a company. A black belt in jujitsu, Levi explains the similarities between the sport and cider making. For both, one must have the confidence to be creative and the confidence to fail.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at RAW Cider Company in Dayton on June 23, 2026.

This interview is with Teddi Fuller of Lushington Wines. In this interview, Teddi discusses the lifestyle she has built through wine and art. Teddi talks about how she ended up in Lyle, Washington. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in fine arts without a defined career path. After she moved to California to ski, she worked in restaurants and a wine bar where she learned a lot about wine through their wine education programs. After working harvests in Tasmania and New Zealand, Teddi set out for a place with mountains, eventually finding Lyle.Teddi discusses finding a vineyard to farm in exchange for grapes to make wine, creating Lushington Wines in the process. Later, Teddi talks about buying the house across the road from the vineyard and enjoying the proximity to the vineyard.Later in the interview, Teddi talks about her passion for art and how it translates into Lushington. Teddi creates the labels herself with her recognizable style of vertical lines. Teddi emphasizes how wine overlap with art. She explains how both wine and art involve trusting your intuition and making your own decisions.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Hi Hill Vineyard on June 16, 2026.

This interview is with Brandon Hasart of Lingua Franca. In this interview, Brandon talks about his wine journey and how he came to be the vineyard manager at Lingua Franca.Brandon speaks about his original intention to work in veterinary medicine, but becoming interested in wine while attending Washington State University. He charts his path from the initial interest to a variety of internships in Oregon and abroad.From there, Brandon talks about his work at Abacela Winery in the Umpqua Valley and Brittan Vineyards in the Willamette. He speaks about the lessons he learned on the wine production side, and then his growing interest in viticulture. This led him to pursue his career working with the vines.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Lingua Franca in Salem on April 1, 2026.

This interview is with Carrie Alexander of Holocene Wines. In this interview, Carrie discusses the many different roads she has taken that eventually led her to wine. Carrie talks about the various career paths she has taken. She started pursuing a degree in teaching which she later changed and graduated with a fine arts degree. While she played with owning coffee shops, skate shops, and being a hairdresser, she was introduced to wine by working in restaurants. Carrie discusses how she first began tasting wine while working in restaurants and hospitality in Napa Valley. Eventually, she moved up to making wine lists and running tasting rooms. After meeting her husband who is a winemaker, their dream was to own their own wine brand where her husband would make the wine and she would do the rest. Then in 2015, they achieved their dreams in creating Holocene. In 2020, they also started making wine in France.Later in the interview, Carrie talks about her proudest achievement during her time in the industry. For her, creating Grenache Fest is what she is the most proud of. After finding out that many others share her love of Grenache, she decided to create an event that honors it.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Salishan Coastal Lodge on June 15, 2026.

This interview is with Eric Weisinger of Weisinger Family Winery. In this interview, Eric discusses his 30 years in the industry and how he came right back to where he started. Eric talks about how his father always had a dream of owning a winery. Eric was roped into this dream when his father suffered an injury and he had to take over. From there, he realized he was drawn to wine and could make a living from it. For many years, Eric would switch from the two hemispheres for harvest. It was when he hadn't seen spring in over 10 years that he decided to return to his father's business in 2011.Eric discusses how him and his father were best friends, but bad colleagues. Eric had left his father's business originally to learn about the industry from new places and perspectives. When his father asked him to return, he figured the worst that could happen is that he might fail.Later in the interview, Eric talks about the future of the industry and Southern Oregon's unique attributes to it. Eric believes that to stay relevant within the industry, you must be able to change. He also believes that Southern Oregon can evolve by leaning into its uniqueness of topography. Eric plans to change and stay relevant to continue carrying on his father's dream.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Weisinger Family Winery on June 11, 2026.

This interview is with Mike Brunson of Valley View Winery. In this interview, Mike discusses what it is like to be a winemaker and how that passion brought him to Oregon. Mike talks about his journey into the wine industry and how he had a natural gift for it. Mike has a good sense of smell and strong palate. This paired well with his former boss, Fred Payne, who passed the job down to Mike. Fred had his PHD in food science and Mike had the natural abilities. Mike reminisces about Fred serving as a meaningful mentor.Mike discusses the working relationship between him and his son who also works at Valley View. While they may argue over what music to play while working, Mike is proud of his children for the people they have become. Even his daughter is in the industry as she runs a separate winery.Later in the interview, Mike talks about what it is like to be head winemaker and having the wines you make available to consumers. He imagines that seeing people buy your wines is like being a music artist and having people sing your songs. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Valley View Winery on June 11, 2026.

This interview is with Mike and Mark Wisnovsky of Valley View Winery. In this interview, the brothers discuss the responsibility of continuing the legacy their parents passed onto them. The brothers talk about how they were almost born into the industry. They started planting at four and eight years old, learning the ins and outs of harvest. When they were made partners after their father passed away, they were forced to make big decisions about the winery earlier than most. After their mother passed away, they took on full responsibility of the winery. Now, Mark's children work with their father and uncle, a three generational impact on Valley View.Mark discusses how connected he is to the vineyard even having nightmares about bugs and various other corruption. This isn't just a business for the family, it is their life. While Mark focuses on the vineyard, Mike is responsible for the sales. They described their partnership as passing the baton to each other throughout the years. Later in the interview, the duo talks about their strengths. With the responsibility of continuing a 50-year legacy, they discuss how they keep the business afloat. A big strength they talked about is their accessibility. They also discuss the benefits of producing wine in Southern Oregon as it is the place to go to try something different.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Valley View Winery on June 11, 2026.

This interview is with Soléna Andrus Montalieu of Soléna Estate and her mother Danielle Andrus. In this interview, the duo discusses being raised in the industry and the memories that come with it.  Danielle talks about growing up in Napa Valley with her father Gary Andrus of Pine Ridge Vineyards and eventually moving with him to Oregon to start Archery Summit in 1995. After doing a lot of the grunt work, Danielle was asked to create  a hospitality department for the winery until she got married and created Northwest Wine Company and Soléna Estate with her husband at the time, winemaker Laurent Montalieu. After they went their separate ways, they left the estate in Soléna's name.Soléna discusses how she grew up in the wine industry. While she planned on staying away from the industry, studying psychology and entrepreneurship at Lewis & Clark College, she fell in love with the industry when she came back to pursue a wine internship. Now, Soléna runs the estate and puts an emphasis on the social media and marketing of the brand. She further discusses her big plans for the future of Soléna Estate.Later in the interview, Danielle talks about the personality and impact of her father within the industry. She explains how he was all bout the community. The mother and daughter agree that they've found this community for themselves and have never regretted joining the industry they were raised in.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Soléna Estate on June 10, 2026.

This interview is with Jen Parr of Valli Wines in New Zealand. In this interview, Jen talks about her plethora of experiences in different wine regions of the world. Jen talks about growing up in Portland and eventually heading to Stanford University pursuing a degree in English literature. During her time at Stanford, she discovered the wine industry for the first time. After graduating, she transitioned into financial software sales until she found she was hitting snooze on her alarm every morning, not excited to go to work. From there, she decided she wanted to work in the wine industry because she wanted to drink wine that was out of her price range and make a livelihood out of this passion.Jen discusses how she sent around 45 letters to wineries in hopes they would be willing to let her work a harvest. Since she didn't have any experience at the time, she received many rejections, if any response at all. However, a special place responded and gave her a chance. After working her first harvest, Jen went around the world working at different companies and learning about the unique qualities of each place. Jen specifically notes her formative time in South Africa because of the team she worked with. Eventually, she settled at Valli Wines in New Zealand, where she works today and plans on staying. Later in the interview, Jen talks about the future of the industry. Jen believes the industry needs to work with consumers to help them find the language of wine and explain why they like what they like. Jen describes wine as “liquid language” as it connects people, place, and time. Jen compares the future of the industry to Darwinism, and explains how the wineries that are able to adapt and listen will survive. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Jen's childhood home in Portland on June 8, 2026.

This interview is with Bruce Felix of Pacific Winemaking. In this interview, Bruce explains how he transitioned into the wine industry and his thoughts on the future of Oregon wine. Bruce talks about working in petrochemicals and paint after he moved to Australia with an exchange student. Not only did Bruce sell petrochemicals, he also sold tartaric acid to winemakers, sparking his initial interest in wine. Through these jobs, Bruce was able to travel all over the world and try different wines. It was when his friend moved into the wine industry and started a wine supply company that Bruce made the switch into the industry as well. This company is known as Vinvicta Services.Bruce discusses how he ended up in the Oregon wine industry specifically. In 2005, Bruce wanted to come back to the United States for family and was looking for a place to settle. It turns out, Oregon was the perfect fit, so he started his current company, Pacific Winemaking, in March of 2006. He began the services as a one-man operation which has grown significantly over the years. This year, Pacific Winemaking celebrates 20 years of business. Later in the interview, Bruce talks about the future of the industry. He believes that people are not done drinking wine and that wine will always have a place. He explains that wineries need to tailor-make their production and get rid of the backlog of product from overproduction. Bruce also emphasizes using new technology within the industry. He discusses how a lot of new technology is trailed in Europe, but not the United States. His company would like to introduce these tactics to the Unites States to improve production.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bruce's home in Hillsboro on June 8, 2026.

This interview is with Jason Flaig of Northwest Distribution and Storage. In this interview, Jason explains his long road into the wine industry and the unique service his company provides. Jason talks about the beginning of his journey that is rather complicated. He started out as pre-med student before he got married and had a family. When he returned to school he decided to pursue a degree in education. When that didn't work out, Jason pursued the law and became a paralegal. After he realized that wasn't his path either, he started working in logistics where NWDS was one of his clients. After developing a relationship with the owner of NWDS, Jason transitioned into working in sales at the company.Jason discusses the purpose of his company within the wine industry. Although it's not usually what people think of when they think of wine, NWDS has a vital role within the industry. NWSD offers service and storage. While the facility is where winemakers store their wine for safe keeping, whether to let it age or store before selling in a temperature controlled facility, Jason believes the true assets the company offers to its clients is their people. Jason uses his newest degree of counseling to facilitate exceptional service for their clients.Later in the interview, Jason talks about how he made his way to the top of the company. Beginning in sales in 2007, Jason took on many roles within the company that helped them succeed. After moving up as president in 2012, Jason and four others bought the company from the previous owner in 2018, and became one of three owners in 2022. Without prior knowledge of wine, Jason asked questions to learn and established a name for his company within the Oregon wine industry.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Northwest Distribution and Storage on June 5, 2026.

This interview is with Brian Zielinski of Scenic Valley Farms. In this interview, Brian shares about growing up on the farm and how wine worked its way into the family's livelihood. Brian talks about how grapes made their way into the family's farm. The farm was constantly rotating the crops to best utilize the land. From strawberries to beans to corn, the farm has seen a lot of produce. Once the farm settled on grapes, they realized they could coordinate with winemakers and make wine directly from their own fruit. The family planted grapes in 2008 and had their first successful harvest in 2012 after a comical, yet educational harvest in 2011. Brian discusses working with his father in the new venture of grapes and wine. Not a drinker himself, Bob Zielinski was skeptical about his son's new idea so Brian established the “hypothetical bridge” to lessen the familial head-bumping. After successfully planting grapes for whites, the farm purchased a vineyard to grow for reds. Now, the farm features their wines in a self-built tasting room on-site.Later in the interview, Brian talks about the reality of growing up on the farm. While there were difficult tasks, it taught him resilience and responsibility. He claims that he wouldn't have wanted to grow up in any other way. Some of his best memories were those he made on the farm with his father. These days, Brian is making memories working on the farm with his own children. His proudest moment was seeing his kids being excited about working on the farm.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Scenic Valley Farms in Gervais on June 4, 2026.

This interview is with Jillian Barnhart of Lux Nova Creative. In this interview, Jillian shares her many experiences as a photographer, marketer, and the many hobbies she has collected along the way. She believes these experiences give her a unique set of skills that benefit her clients.Jillian talks about how she began in photography by moving to Los Angeles to work in the music industry and fell in love with metal music. She photographed many famous names during concerts and even photographed album covers. After working in photography, Jillian began working in LA restaurants.Jillian discusses her introduction into the industry as wine reps would come into the restaurants she worked at and have her taste wines. She discovered she had a good palate and that wine was like nothing else. From there, she got multiple wine certifications and started working as a rep in Oregon after moving from LA with her husband in 2016. Soon after, she started working as a director of marketing for Brooks Wine.Later in the interview, Jillian talks about why she started her own company and how she runs it. She has worked in every side of the industry and offers a broad range of skills. She creates all of the content for her clients herself and believes wine is supposed to be fun. Jillian also gives advice on how the wine industry can appeal to younger generations.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Jillian's home in Salem on June 3, 2026.

This interview is with Avery Hadley of Gala Creative Agency. In this interview, Avery talks about his young company and what it aims to do for hospitality-based clients.Avery talks about after graduating from Oregon State University, he sent out 380 applications in search for a job. Originally from Salem, Avery knew some local businesses that he was able to photograph for and eventually manage their social media. Word of mouth spread his work throughout the community where he secured more clients. After collecting consistent clients, he and his partner discussed opening their own creative agency.Avery discusses how he chose the hospitality industry because of his mom. While his parents weren't necessarily wine drinkers, Avery grew to love what wine brought to social settings. To Avery, wine is the best delivery mechanism for storytelling. Later in the interview, Avery talks about how he feels about the current climate of the wine industry. While his agency aims to mimic the voice of the brand, he believes it is imports to cater to the younger generation as well. He discusses the value of the longterm return from these young wine drinkers.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville on June 2, 2026.

This interview is with Diego Valeri of Conur Wines. In this interview, Diego talks about his journey of becoming a professional soccer player with the Portland Timbers and eventually creating his own wine company.Diego talks about how creating a wine company was not actually his idea, but his wife, Florencia's scheme. However, Diego planned to wait until he retired to begin the endeavor. After nine reasons with the Timbers, Diego and his family moved to Florida where he met Frederico Garobbio and his wife Luci who were from the same area of Argentina. The stars aligned when Frederico revealed that it was his dream to produce wine. Diego discusses his connection to wine as the center of communication and celebration. To Diego, wine was always in the middle of socializing and friendship. As the company began with four Argentinians who live in the United States, the team wanted to put their blended cultures in the bottle. Along with what is inside the bottle, the design of the labels features a cartoon dog with a special meaning to the four owners. Florencia even writes a special story on the back of each label.Later in the interview, Diego talks about the uniqueness of Conur Wines. Specifically, Conur produces a white blend called “Mate” that blends Argentina and Oregon grapes. He also discusses his 70/30 blend of pinot and Malbec that mirrors a popular drink in Argentina.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Northwest Wine Company in Dundee on June 2, 2026.

This interview is with Jim Maresh of Arterberry Maresh. In this interview, Jim talks about growing up on the family farm, becoming interested in wine, and starting his own wine label.Jim talks about his family's history in Dundee. His grandparents Jim and Loie purchased the property on Worden Hill Road in 1959 and began planting many different crops. Jim's dad, Fred Arterberry, met his mom, Martha Maresh, while working at Erath. Fred started making wine under the Arterberry label in 1979.Jim discusses getting into the wine industry himself in 2003, working at the Carlton Winemakers Studio under the Penner-Ash brand. In 2005, he began his own label called Arterberry Maresh, honoring both sides of his family history. He has made wine every year since and overviews the memorable vintages.Later in the interview, Jim talks about how his winemaking style has evolved over his 20+ years in the industry. He also touches on becoming a dad and how that changed his approach towards his work. As for the future, he doesn't plan on retiring from winemaking anytime soon.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Jim's home in McMinnville on May 29, 2026.

This interview is with Emily Rozga of Soter Vineyards. Emily is originally from Santa Rosa, California, and talks about growing up around food, agriculture, and the outdoors. She shares how those early interests led her to attend Cal Poly with the focus on wine and viticulture, initially believing winemaking would be her future. Through internships, harvest experiences, and working in tasting rooms and cellars, she discovered she was more drawn to vineyard health and grape growing than production itself. Emily discusses wanting to see more of the world after college, traveling internationally, gaining hands-on vineyard experience abroad, including time in New Zealand. She reflects on returning to California, working in Napa, and eventually stepping away from the wine industry for a period to work in organic vegetable farming in the Pacific Northwest. The experience deepened her interest in ecology, sustainability, and long-term land health.Next, Emily talks about how she returned to wine with a different perspective—focused less on winemaking and more on viticulture, vineyard systems, and environmental stewardship. She talks about collecting vineyard data, monitoring pest and disease, improving crop health, and helping create long-term solutions for sustainable farming practices. She also shares how finding community within Oregon agriculture and the wine industry played an important role in her career. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Sheridan, Oregon on May 14, 2026.

This interview is with Wayne Oppenheimer of A Great Oregon Wine Tour and WineUp.Wayne is originally from Seattle, Washington, and was raised in Beaverton, Oregon. He talks about first becoming interested in wine in his early twenties after attending a tasting and realizing how different wines could be from one another. The curiosity led him to dive deeper into what he describes as “liquid geography,” eventually pushing him toward a career centered around wine and hospitality. Wayne discusses attending Portland State University for economics while always feeling drawn toward the wine industry. After visiting Napa Valley, he began reaching out to wineries directly and eventually landed a position working in public relations and hospitality. He reflects on working as a tour guide, meeting people from around the world, and discovering that wine was as much about storytelling and connection as it was about the product itself.Wayne talks about various businesses he has created, including starting wine tour companies, wine clubs, retail projects and WineUpTV, which is a show focused on interviewing people throughout the wine world. He talks about businesses alongside his wife, Camille, growing A Great Oregon Wine Tour over the years, and creating spaces that introduce people to wines from across the globe.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Newberg, Oregon on May 19, 2026.

This interview is with Jay Pscheidt of Oregon State University. In this interview, Jay talks about how he came to be in Oregon, transitioning from studying potatoes to all kinds of woody perennials.Jay talks about his journey from pre-med to bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin. After attending a lecture by a plant pathologist, he realized he could apply all his newfound knowledge for the betterment of growers in his area.Jay discusses beginning to work at Cornell, where he switched his focus from potato plants to grapevines. There in New York, he studied a combination of grapes grown for wine and table or juice grapes.Later in the interview, Jay talks about moving to Oregon and getting a job with OSU. He really enjoyed extension services and embedding himself in the community in that way. In addition to teaching a field diagnostic course, in which students traveled all around the state to study different crops, Jay was also in charge of the yearly Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook publication.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Oregon State University's Botany & Plant Pathology Field Laboratory in Corvallis on April 28, 2026.On March 26, 2026, Jay gave a lecture at Chemeketa Community College's Eola Campus outlining the highlights of his 38-year career with OSU's extension plant pathology department. He summarizes some of his team's key findings while working with 21 different crops, estimating some 4,400 treatments studied for plant disease management.

This interview is with Anna Jesse of Forest Hills Farms, a third-generation farmer helping lead a family operation that has grown from strawberry fields in the 1950s into thousands of acres producing blueberries, wine grapes, corn, and other crops across Oregon. Anna is from Cornelius, Oregon, and talks about growing up in Forest Hills Farms, spending years working in vineyards and agriculture, and learning firsthand what is means to be part of a multigenerational farming family. She shares how attending Oregon State University initially led her towards business, changing majors, and developing a stronger appreciation for the connection between farming, land, and community. Anna discusses working internships and gaining experiences outside the family business, including time at Northwest Wine Company, where she worked in operations and earned more about the wine industry before eventually returning home. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Forest Hills Farm in Cornelius, Oregon on May 13, 2026.

This interview is with Davis Palmer of McMennamin's Edgefield Winery. In this interview, Davis talks about his early fascination with fermentation leading him to working at McMennanmin's in beer production. Working in a variety of brewpubs within the company allowed him to work on honing the house style while also experimenting with new fun recipes.He talks about being intrigued by winemaking and viewing it as more dynamic work, and joining the winemaking team at Edgefield for harvest in 2000. Soon after he joined at the cellarmaster, then later the head winemaker. He talked about the evolution of his work and the evolution of the production in that time.Later, Davis talks about how he's seen the Oregon wine industry grow and where it might go next. He also discusses Edgefield's evolution and what he's looking forward to.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville on April 13, 2026.

This interview is with Morgan White of Amaterra. In this interview, Morgan talks about her career in the wine industry, from moving to Oregon without having a harvest job lined up to becoming the winemaker at Amaterra.Morgan shares about going to the University of Florida for physiology & kinesiology with plans of becoming a physical therapist. After graduation, she and a friend visited Mendoza, Argentina, and she fell in love with the wine culture there. Upon returning to Florida, she took a sommelier course and began working at wine bars and restaurants.Morgan talks about her first harvest in 2017 at Apolloni Vineyards and becoming their cellar master. There, she learned to solve problems in the moment, which helped her become a better winemaker. She also began working with Matt Vuylsteke, Amaterra's founding winemaker, as the fruit was processed at the Apolloni facility.Later in the interview, Morgan discusses joining the Amaterra team for the 2021 harvest. The multi-floor winery was still under construction, so she again learned to pivot and make things work while the site was in flux. Now as winemaker, she is enjoying finding her unique winemaking voice and trying new things.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Amaterra in Portland on April 14, 2026.

This interview is with John Platt of Helvetia Winery. In this interview, John talks about moving off a houseboat to Helvetia, planting grapes, and expanding his business into a winery.John shares about moving to the Helvetia area after a piece of land came up for sale and meeting with an extension agent to determine what kinds of crops he should plant. Among the list was grapes, which John and his wife Elizabeth planted with the intention of selling fruit to home winemakers.John talks about his other work during that time, including legal work with Pacific Northwest Native American tribes and their fishing rights, as well as Elizabeth's work in politics including a 6-year term in Congress. As they began planting the vineyard and building the winery, they were flying back and forth to DC for her career.Later in the interview, John discusses how he went about deciding what to plant, collaboration with many in the industry, and learning to farm grapes by “looking it up” and “making mistakes.” Within 20 years of planting the vineyard, he had purchased additional land to build a winery and host guests at the house-turned-tasting room. While he sees lots of challenges facing the industry in the future, he's also optimistic that the industry will continue on for years to come.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Helvetia Winery in Hillsboro on April 6, 2026.

This interview is with Kevin Pogue, of VinTerra. Kevin is a geologist, educator, and wine industry consultant whose career has taken him from the caves and mountains of Kentucky to studying tectonics in Pakistan, teaching geology for decades, and eventually becoming deeply involved in viticulture and wine regions across the country. Kevin is originally from the Bluegrass region of Lexington, Kentucky and talks about spending much of his early life outdoors; he enjoys caving, climbing, skiing, and exploring the mountains, which sparked his interest in geology. Hediscusses his decades-long career in education, beginning college-level teaching at 22 and spending 35 years teaching different types of geology. He talks about mentoring students, his time at Oregon State and Whitman College, and the fulfillment he found in helping others learn about what he loved so much. The conversation explores how Kevin developed an interest in wine through geology, eventually consulting with grape growers in Walla Walla and helping evaluate terroir — the relationship between soil, climate, and land characteristics in wine production. He explains his involvement with AVA applications across the country and how geology connects directly to agriculture and wine.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Portland, Oregon on April 3, 2026.

This interview is with Tim and Kathy O'Leary of Long Walk Vineyard. Tim is originally from Palo Alto, California, and Kathy is from Sacramento, California. Although their careers began far from the wine industry, both eventually found themselves building a life centered around farming, community, and wine.Kathy talks about attending Stanford, where she met her husband, Tim; switching to an engineering major from a math and science major; and spending years traveling internationally for consulting work. She reflects on reaching a point where constant travel no longer fit the life she wanted, leading her toward buying a farm, raising a family with Tim, and eventually helping build Long Walk Vineyard. She also discusses learning through trial and error, managing projects, and planting multiple grape varieties while balancing life remotely.Tim talks about his path from Stanford to law school, working in corporate law and tech-related fields, and his unexpected shift toward wine. He shares how experiences abroad and a growing appreciation for wine influences the decision to leave behind traditional career expectations.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University's Nicholson Library on April 2, 2026.

This interview is with Joe Ferris of Lingua Franca in Salem, Oregon. In this interview, Joe shares his background and how he found his way into the world of winemaking through travel, science, and hands-on experience. Joe grew up in Wisconsin and attended UW Madison, where he studied biomedical engineering. His interest in wine first started casually, but after traveling through South America with his wife and visiting wineries along the way, he became fascinated by the culture and science behind winemaking. After moving to Los Angeles and working in the biotech field, Joe realized he wanted to pursue wine more seriously. He later attended UC Davis for viticulture and enology, where he gained hands-on experience and learned more about the industry. During this time, he completed internships and harvest work in Oregon, Germany, and New Zealand, experiences that helped shape his understanding of winemaking and wine culture around the world. Joe especially valued the way wine brought people together and became integrated into everyday life in places like Europe. After hearing about an opening at Lingua Franca, Joe joined the team as a harvest intern and steadily worked his way up through the cellar. After several years as an assistant, he became the estate winemaker and continues to focus on producing thoughtful wines that reflect Oregon's Willamette Valley.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Lingua Franca in Salem, Oregon on April 1, 2026.

This interview is with Scott Kelley of Paul O'Brien Winery. In this interview, Scott talks about starting to work in the wine industry as a teenager, his experience with big, corporate wineries, and starting his own project in Oregon. Scott shares about beginning to work in the industry at 17 years old cleaning mobile grape presses. When his boss learned about his affinity for chemistry, he started taking grape samples in the vineyard to help determine pick dates. During this time, he met a winemaker who encouraged him to go to UC Davis. Scott talks about working at a brewery in Monterey, where he enjoyed the fermentation science but not the repetition and consistency of beer making. Without any cellar experience, he had to wait for someone in the wine industry to give him a chance, and that opportunity finally came through Golden State Vintners. Later in the interview, Scott discusses working for Robert Mondavi's La Famiglia label and learning to balance attention to detail with the large volume of wine he was producing there. While working for Estancia, he took their production up to 1.6 million cases yearly. In 2013, he started his own project with partner Dyson DeMara, which came to be known as Paul O'Brien Winery. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Paul O'Brien Winery in Roseburg on March 19, 2026. Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Charlie Becker of Becker Vineyard in Roseburg. In this interview, Charlie shares his background and how he got started in winemaking.Charlie grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and made his first wine at just 10 years old out of store bought grape juice and yeast. He later studied biology in college and eventually moved to Seattle, where he worked as a painter for many years. After some time, he move to southern Oregon and bought property in Drain, where he began pursuing winemaking more seriously.He started making wine around 2000 and produced his first batches in 2003. Over time, he planted about 13 acres of grapes and focused on growing a few different varietals. Much of what he learned about winemaking came from self-education, including researching in public libraries. In the early years, he and his wife, Peggy, did much of the work themselves, including bottling wine by hand.Charlie built most of his winery and tasting room on his own. His wines have gone on to win awards, and he takes pride in the quality of his work. He also values his lifestyle that comes with winemaking, having grown up around wine culture and enjoying the independence it brings. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Becker Vineyard in Roseburg, Oregon on March 20, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Rob Ikola of Whitetail Ridge. In this interview, Rob shares his background, career path, and how he became involved in the wine industry.Rob was born in Portland and grew up moving all around Oregon, including time in Bend and Roseburg. He attended Umpqua Community College, where he earned a business degree. Before entering the wine industry, he spent many years working in hands-on trades, including running a horse trailer company for about 20 years and operating a machine shop through a long-term business partnership. In 2012, Rob transitioned into the wine industry by starting a mobile bottling business. His company travels to different wineries to bottle wine efficiently, with the ability to process hundreds of cases per day. Around the same time, Rob planted his own vineyard in 2010, growing around 11 grape varietals. He developed a strong interest in winemaking and the vineyard lifestyle, combining his business experiences with agriculture. Rob emphasizes his love for farm life, including raising animals such as pigs, goats, and chickens. He values the independence and creativity that come with owning a vineyard and winery, as well as the ability to build something of his own. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Whitetail Ridge in Roseburg, Oregon on March 20, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Bryan and Pam Freed of Freed Estate. In this interview, Pam talks about growing up in Honolulu and working as a flight attendant. She talks about meeting her husband Mike and his desire to be a farmer.Later, she talks about finding land in Roseburg and starting Freed Estate. Bryan talks about growing up watching his father Mike farm, and eventually deciding he wanted to follow in his footsteps.They talk about Bryan's time at Oregon State learning enology and viticulture, and starting to take over more of the business. They talk about Mike passing away and the wines they made to honor him. And they talk about their favorite parts about being in the wine industry and being a space for their friends and neighbors.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Freed Estate in Roseburg on March 19, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Andrew Wenzl of Abacela Winery. In this interview, Andrew talks about his journey from biology and chemistry for veterinary school to applying those principles to winemaking.Andrew shares about his family's history in present-day Austria growing lesser known varietals, making wine, and running bed and breakfast-type inns. With that history of winemaking and hospitality, it made sense for Andrew to take his scientific education and start working at King Estate performing “bucket chemistry.”Andrew talks about enjoying cellar work first at King Estate and then at Silvan Ridge Hinman Vineyard before applying to work at Abacela Winery. He joined the team there in 2002, and he has been there ever since. When he first started working there, he acted as assistant winemaker, and in 2008 he was promoted to head winemaker. Though he grew up in the Willamette Valley and enjoyed the wines made there, he now loves working with varietals like Grenache and Tempranillo.Later in the interview, Andrew discusses the growth of Abacela during his time there, including a new and expanded tasting room, new programs like port and sparkling, and using 25 years' worth vineyard & cellar data to continue improving the wines. He also talks about how becoming a dad helped him to be more empathetic and supportive during the winemaking process.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Abacela Winery in Roseburg on March 19, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Denise and Bryan White of Troon Vineyards in Grants Pass. In this interview they share their journey into winemaking, their professional backgrounds, and how they built their vineyard and business together.Both Denise and Bryan originally came from medical backgrounds. Bryan worked in internal medicine and is board certified in hospice and palliative care, while Denise attended medical school and worked in a clinic, including time in neurology. Before entering the wine industry, they were involved in starting medical nonprofits in California and in Texas.In 2017, they purchased Troon Vineyards and began transitioning it to organic and biodynamic practices. Inspired by ecological approaches to farming, they focused less on industrial methods and more on soil health and microbiology. Over several years, they replanted much of the vineyard and expanded beyond just wine production to include apple cider, gardens, and livestock.They emphasize the importance of building a strong, knowledgable team to support all aspects of the vineyard, from soil science to vineyard management. They even conducted extensive soil testing, digging large soil pits and consulting experts to better understand the land. Overall, Denise and Bryan highlight intentionality in both their farming and business practices, aiming to create high-quality wine while improving the land and contributing positively to their community.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Troon Vineyards in Grants Pass on March 18, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

This interview is with Andy Myer of Goldback & Trivia Wine Room. In this interview, Andy talks about his path into winemaking, starting with studying philosophy in Pennsylvania before transferring to Willamette University to study environmental science. He shares how a summer job at Cristom sparked his interest, describing his first experience in a vineyard as a “lightning catalyst” that got him hooked.Andy discusses his hands-on learning journey, including harvests in New Zealand and Australia, working in Sonoma and Seattle, and spending time in Italy studying archaeology to understand early winemaking practices. He shares that these experiences shaped his perspective and led him to realize he didn't need a formal degree to succeed in the wine industry.Later in the interview, Andy talks about starting Goldback in 2016 after moving to Oregon, his work with Wine Collective, and balancing family with his career. He reflects on challenges he faced throughout his career while also emphasizing his passion for winemaking.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Goldback & Iruai Wine Room in Talent, Oregon on March 18, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!