The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is with Stirling Fox, owner of Mad Violets Wine Co. In this interview, Stirling discusses how he got into wine, found his place in the Oregon Wine industry, as well as his education at OSU. He talks about the various places he worked, as well as the difficulties in dealing with harvests. Stirling then goes on to discusses his “stick with it” attitude that comes with his job of viney...

This interview is with Luisa Ponzi, winemaker and second generation owner at Ponzi Vineyards. Luisa discusses growing up in the family business, leaving then finding her way back to wine and eventually taking on the role as winemaker from her father. She also talks about the rapid growth of the winery and advice for someone wanting to join the industry. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt...

Originally having nothing to do with viticulture or enology, Dick and Nancy Ponzi were just working class citizens of Southern California. Their path to wine began to unfold one day when Dick decided to revive his family tradition of home winemaking. Their interest grew and they moved to Oregon where they established their vineyard in 1970, and produced their first vintage in 1974. In this intervi...

This interview is with Dai Crisp of Lumos. In this interview, Dai discusses what got him into viticulture, how he learned about growing grapes, and the early challenges that he faced in doing so. He also talks about his early decision to farm organically and the difficulties in that decision, how he manages his relationships within the wine industry, and the idea behind Lumos. Towards the ending o...

This interview is with Anna Maria Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards. In this interview, Maria talks about how she was born into the wine industry with visionary parents and how she is so grateful to be a part of the industry. She speaks about her past— how Ponzi has evolved into what it is today— reflecting on her childhood memories of long hours in the dirt and rain. She then goes on to explain how she fo...

This interview is with Jerry Marshall of Oswego Hills Vineyard and Winery. In this interview, Jerry talks about how he got into wine after originally being a pilot. He always admired the property, and his love for agriculture grew, so it was only natural that Oswego Hills Vineyard was created. Jerry speaks about how he got the property, his education at Chemeketa, and the process of learning the i...

This interview is with Marjorie Vuylsteke. Topics included what it was like to be one of the early Oregon wine industry pioneers and Vuylsteke’s role in developing outreach and educational events for the winery. In the mid-1960s, amid a busy household with six children, a hobby of canning transitioned into homemade winemaking. After receiving accolades from family and friends for their berry wines...

This interview is with Laurent Montalieu, owner of NW Wine Company, Selena Estates and Westmount wines. He talks about how he came to the United State to make wine, starting each of his wineries and what makes them all special. Laurent also discusses the difficulties of selling wine once it’s made and the future of the Oregon wine industry. This interview was conducted by Stephanie Hofmann at NW W...

This interview is with Boyd Teegarden of Natalie’s Estate Winery. In this interview, Boyd discusses how he got into wine through the sales side of the industry. He then speaks about the various places he’s worked at, and how he ended up in Oregon. Boyd then goes on to discuss Natalie’s Estate Winery and the land that its on—as well as some of the difficulties in starting it. Towards the ending of...

This interview is with Mike and Robin Murto, owners of Murto Vineyard. In this interview, Mike and Robin discuss why they chose to grow grapes, and the difficulties in taking care of the land alongside their day jobs. Mike and Robin’s unique trait is that they do the work themselves; making their grapes one of a kind. The couple discusses the challenges seen within the wine industry, as well as th...

This interview is with Mo Ayoub, founder and winemaker at Ayoub Wines. Mo talks about moving to the United States from Lebanon and after a career as an engineer, he went to Oregon to become a winemaker. He talks about creating a quality product, the uniqueness of his terroir and the future. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ayoub Winery on April 4, 2017.

This interview is with Allen and Jill Methven of Methven Family Vineyards. In this interview, the couple discuss how they got into the Oregon Wine Industry, as well as the challenges that came with planting a vineyard and picking a property. They also talk about what the most important part of the hospitality side of their business is, how they chose what they wanted to plant, the uniqueness of th...

This interview is with Thomas Savre of Lingua Franca. In this interview, Thomas describes how he got into wine from a very young age, and how he is connected to Burgundy culturally, his education in learning wine, and his decision to go to America after deciding not to go to medical school. He then goes on to discuss his initial impressions of the Oregon wine industry, his goal as a winemaker, and...

This interview is with Kelly Kidneigh of Mad Violets Wine Co. In this interview, Kelly talks about how she started out in acting and made her way to developing a passion for wine. After moving from California to Oregon, she talks about the various places she worked and gained experience from, her decision to get an education at OSU, and how she got to where she is today, making wine for the “most...

This interview is with Steve and Karen Lutz, who are the owners of Lenne Estate in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. In this interview they talk about their rough start in the vineyard, how their name came to be, the unique qualities of their wine and the future of the Oregon wine industry. This interview took place on June 24th, 2016 at Lenne Estate by Rachael Woody.

This interview is with Leah Jorgensen, owner and winemaker of Leah Jorgensen Cellars. Leah starts the interview by talking about how she got into the wine industry on the east coast and what drew her to Oregon. She then goes on to talk about working at Erath Winery and the challenges of starting her own label. She ends the interview with a captivating discussion on being a woman in the industry. T...

This interview is with Susan Teppola of Laurel Ridge Winery. In this interview, Susan describes how she got into wine through her husband’s passion for wine, the process of getting the winery, and what it was like when they first started. After her husband’s passing, she then goes on to talk about figuring out her roles/responsibilities of carrying on with the winery, what it’s like working with f...

This interview is with Gabriele and Craig Keeler of Keeler Estate Vineyards. In this interview, the couple discuss how they got into the wine business, their decision to choose biodynamic farming, and the standard that they hold their wines to. The couple then talk about the respect and gratitude they have towards the Oregon pioneers, and their marketing philosophy. Towards the end of the intervie...

This interview is with Grant Coulter, of Flaneur Wines and Hundred Suns Wine. In this interview, Grant talks about how he chose wine after being interested in farming and agriculture. He then speaks about his education at Fresno state, the various locations that he worked in, and how he eventually found Oregon through various tastings in California. Grant then goes on to discuss his experience wit...

This interview is with Don, Wendy, and Jesse Lange at Lange Estate Winery. Don and Wendy discuss how they got into the industry and how they grew as a label. Jesse, their son, also adds in his opinions of the Oregon Wine Industry and his experience as a second-generation winemaker in the family business. *This video contains a bit of static audio. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Ju...

This interview is with Morgan Beck of Johan Vineyards. In this interview, she discusses how she got into wine which stemmed from a variety of things— her parents being involved in horticulture, her experience in the restaurant business, tasting Oregon Pinot Noir, and traveling to South America being some of them. She discusses her first winemaking experience in Sonoma, first biodynamic winemaking...

This interview is with Dan Rinke of Johan Vineyards. In this interview, Dan talks about how he got into the wine industry after working in the restaurant industry; he then went on to decide to go into winemaking and then specifically, viticulture. He speaks about biodynamics and sustainability, and how he ended up in Oregon at Johan, as well as the changes/growth he’s seen within it. Towards the e...

This interview is with Ray Nuclo of King Estate. In this interview, Ray answers the question “why grapes?” and talks about how he got into viticulture due to his commitment to sustainability within the industry. He then goes on to speak about challenges with being biodynamic at King Estate, his various responsibilities on and offsite, and a typical day during the growing season. Ray then goes on t...

This interview is with Ed King, of King Estate. In this interview, Ed discusses how he got into wine, and the challenges that came with running the business. He then goes on to talk about the importance of organic and biodynamic farming at King Estate, projects like the Oregon Solidarity Project, and what makes Oregon unique with its collaborative spirit. Towards the end of the interview, Ed talks...

This interview is with Brent Stone of King Estate. In this interview, Brent talks about how he got into the wine industry after first being involved in the dairy/ice cream industry. He talks about how he started with wine through the “University of King Estate,” and later transitioned to winemaking. Brent describes the similarities/differences in packaging for ice cream vs. wine, recent production...