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August 2026 Cellar Selects: Summer Delights
Foris 2024 Estate Grown Riesling, Rogue Valley (panel pick) Intensely aromatic with jasmine and white rose over a honeystick sweetness. The floral notes give way to honeydew, Meyer lemon and snow leopard melon. A chalky minerality and whisper of white ginger contribute additional lift. A touch of spritz brightens the entry before pivoting to a mouthwatering, dry ending. $19 Chris James Cellars 2023 Gewürztraminer, Willamette Valley Candied ginger and gardenia lead on the nose, setting an aromatic, spiced tone. Vibrant and expressive, jasmine tea, cantaloupe and guava wed with candied orange and tiger melon. A burst of tropical fruit carries to a long, exuberant finish. $30 Rain Dance Vineyards 2024 Estate Riesling, Grand Oak Vineyard, Laurelwood District A mineral-forward bouquet with wet cement and lemon establishes a clean, stony foundation before white grapefruit emerges. Precise and energetic, honeysuckle, orange zest and lemon-lime citrus flavors build across a taut frame. A
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On the Ridge of Greatness
By Annelise Kelly In 1980, Harry Peterson-Nedry bought land on a narrow, fog-prone ridge running north to south on the outskirts of Newberg. His contemporaries were skeptical and considered it to be too far west, too deep in the Coast Range shadow and too high in elevation to ripen grapes reliably. But Peterson-Nedry forged ahead and planted. Twenty-five years later, on July 1, 2005, that ridge became an official American Viticultural Area, or AVA. It’s Oregon’s smallest at 3,350 acres, and by nearly any measure, one of its most distinguished. Today, the Ribbon Ridge AVA celebrates its 21st anniversary. Let’s reflect on what a small community of farmers, winemakers and true believers built on a patch of ancient ocean floor in the Northern Willamette Valley. RIBBON RIDGE ORIGINS Ribbon Ridge is an island-like formation rising 683 feet above the Chehalem Valley floor, bounded on all sides by creek valleys. Colby Carter, an early settler from Missouri, named the ridge in
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Headliner Status
By Neil Ferguson It’s a pristine spring day in the Dundee Hills and the kitchen at Nicolas-Jay is abuzz. A mix of wine club members, serious foodies and industry hot shots wet their palates with the winery’s eminently gluggable Pink Vinyl rosé. Some make their way into the tasting room, adorned with photos of Jay Boberg from his days running influential label IRS Records and signing bands like R.E.M., the Go-Go’s and the Bangles. In 2014, he opened the winery with Burgundian winemaker friend Jean-Nicolas Méo of Côte d’Or’s famed Domaine Méo-Camuzet. Others mingle on the expansive deck, enjoying the view of the vines surrounding the winery like an amphitheater, while chatting amicably with the Nicolas-Jay team. Lunch is nearly ready. The group’s excitement is palpable as they await the upcoming multi-course culinary blitz. This marks the first installment of Nicolas-Jay’s annual Chef Dinner Series. Yes, this is lunch&n
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The Long Way Home
By Pete Holland “I knew dad’s history growing up,” marvels Chelsea Hinman Miller of Hinman Vineyards, founded by her father, Doyle Hinman. “But as I listened to him explain it today, I thought, he really is an OG of Oregon wine!” Hinman planted his first vines in 1972, only two years after Willamette Valley trailblazer David Lett released the first vintage of The Eyrie Vineyard. Now, after repurchasing the estate sold 33 years ago, the Hinman family is back where they made history. WHERE IT STARTED Today, the founding families of the Willamette Valley wine industry– the Letts, Ponzis, Adelsheims, and others– are widely known. Had Hinman toiled in the north Willamette Valley’s nascent Pinot paradise, he would likely be as well-known as his contemporaries. But, because Hinman planted his vines in Eugene, 90 miles south of the region’s most famed terroirs, he has remained under the radar. Still, his foresight and achievements are impre
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The Emerald Standard
By Neal D. Hulkower In a short piece recognizing Remy Wines’ 10th anniversary (see “Remy Wines Celebrates 10” in OWP August 2016), I wrote: “Over the next decade, Drabkin says she has no ambitious plans, just refinements and improvements. With her current space filled and no interest in moving, she’s content with her case production.” That isn’t exactly how things played out… In 2017, Drabkin closed her cozy McMinnville baR (pronounced R bar) and opened a tasting room in the 1900s farmhouse on her Dundee Hills property, previously called Lone Madrone Vineyard in honor of the tree gracing the property. To avoid confusion with a California winery, Drabkin changed the name to Three Wives Vineyard. When the winery’s lease expired, she moved it into an updated tractor barn on the vineyard. The barn renovations reflect Drabkin’s emphasis on sustainability. The most heralded feature is the Drabkin-Mead Formulation, a carbon-sequeste
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What Comes Next?
By Aakanksha Agarwal When Oregon’s pioneering wine families planted vineyards in the 1960s and ‘70s, succession wasn’t the pressing question. Survival was. Dick and Nancy Ponzi were busy proving the Willamette Valley could produce world-class Pinot Noir. Bill and Susan Sokol Blosser were instrumental in establishing a new industry. Around them, a handful of families were planting vineyards and building wineries, often with children playing among fermenters or helping during harvest. Half a century later, a new challenge has emerged: what happens after the founders step back. Increasingly, Oregon wine’s younger generation is redefining succession on its own terms – not simply by becoming winemakers, but by expanding the possibilities of a life in wine. Alexander Blosser, the oldest member of Sokol Blosser Winery’s third generation, is shaping the family’s future through governance, applying his experience with Oregon politics to the boardroom. M
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Southern Fried Rockfish with Roasted Corn Chow Chow
Fried fish 1 pound trimmed rock fish Marinade 2 cups full-fat buttermilk 2 tablespoons hot sauce Dredge 2 cups cornmeal 1 cup potato starch 1 cup corn starch 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon paprika Instructions Marinate the fish for 30 minutes while you mix the dredge and get your frying oil up to 350°F, although you could also fry this in a pan. Using a frying thermometer in a Dutch oven is recommended, making sure to leave plenty of room for the fish. Dredge each piece of fish. Fry the fish until it reaches 145°F. Let the fish rest for about 2 minutes on a wire rack. Roasted corn chow chow 2 heads of corn shucked and roasted on the grill or over the eye of your gas stove ½ head of green cabbage, diced into about ½ inch squares 1 shallot, diced 1-2 green tomatoes, finely chopped 2 sweet peppers, finely chopped Instructions Add 1 ½ tablespoons salt and 1 ½ tablespoons sugar to season the
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Tonight’s the Night
By Aakanksha Agarwal The best bottle in your cellar doesn’t need a luxurious filet mignon. Sometimes a bag of chips proves to be outstanding. For years, food and wine culture dictated our best bottles be reserved for elaborate meals and special occasions. Sparkling wine with lobster, Cabernet Sauvignon and steak. Riesling with foie gras or spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes. As chef de cuisine at Stoller Family Estate, Matt Case spends his days creating dishes to complement Oregon wines. But when it comes to pairing at home, he believes, “People complicate wine pairing. Our default questions are ‘Should I match sweet with sweet? Should I pair high acid with high acid?’ Yeah, that works, but the opposite is often more fun.” Instead of focusing on luxury ingredients, Case considers texture, acidity, salt and fat. The goal isn’t to impress dinner guests but to elevate and enhance both the food and wine. He champions unconventional pairings that make perfec
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In Memoriam: Joe Herald Campbell
The family of Joe Herald Campbell, age 87, of Sherwood, Ore., is saddened to announce his passing on June 28. Joe was born on June 25, 1939 in Altadena, Calif. to Lois E Campbell (née Cordner) and Frederick Clarence Campbell. Joe grew up at his family’s motel in Hood River, Ore. and attended Hood River High School. Always a hard worker, Joe had 11 jobs before the age of 18 including working at the Lone Pine Motel, strawberry picking, setting pins at the bowling alley and driving spikes on the railroad. Joe received a full scholarship to Harvard University graduating with a History of Science degree before attending Stanford Medical School. During the Vietnam War, Joe was a conscientious objector and alternatively drafted into the Indian Health Service. Joe spent two years working as an emergency room physician in Pine Ridge, S.D. Their time in this amazing place was a transformative experience for both Joe and his wife, fellow Oregonian Patricia A. Campbell. After finishin
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Graduation Day Siete
By Greg Norton “We know these are challenging times, but today we’re here, united, with hope.” With those words, AHIVOY co-founder Sofía Torres-McKay welcomed a large group of family and well-wishers to Chemeketa Community College’s Eola campus. They gathered to celebrate the graduation of the organization’s seventh cohort of vineyard stewards. Born from a conversation among friends, nonprofit AHIVOY is committed to empowering vineyard stewards through education. During 17 weekly meetings, 15 participants deepened their understanding of vineyard practices, explored cellar work, examined the business side of the industry and strengthened their appreciation for what’s in the glass. Keynote speaker Juan Barraza offered a vision of lifelong learning. “We learn new skills, being uncomfortable in places where we’re going to grow and figure out the next step for us in life.” Barraza is executive director of Latino Founders, a Portla
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Picture Perfect
By Greg Norton Years ago, I shared my plan to write about wine with a friend. “I envy you,” he replied, which surprised me since he rarely drank. “Wine only grows in beautiful places.” Northwest wine photographer Richard Duval has spent nearly two decades visiting and documenting some of those locales. One of his photos recently earned international recognition with a third-place prize at this year’s World Food Photography Awards, placing an Oregon vineyard among some of the world’s most beautiful places. STORIES BROUGHT TO LIFE Founded in the UK by Caroline Kenyon in 2011, the competition is one of the world's top photographic contests, receiving over 120,000 entries from more than 100 countries this year. Open to professional and amateur photographers, the awards have more than 30 categories, spanning images of food grown in the field to its role at religious festivals and family tables. According to Kenyon, “Our goal is to bring global food
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Zip, Dip and Sip
By Tamara MC Our group drove into Del Rio Vineyard Estate, located midway between Medford and Grants Pass, and parked near an ample timber arch with the words Del Rio hung from the crossbeam. The vineyard opened beyond it in straight rows, green to gold in the afternoon light, and the Rogue River ran close by, bright below the old Rock Point Bridge. (Del Río means “of the river.”) Exhilarated from my first whitewater run, I was ready to relax. The day began hours earlier and miles away. The Zip, Dip and Sip Tour spanned a full day: a zipline course, deli lunch, whitewater float and the tasting, with a shuttle handling the driving between stops. SOLID GROUND My friends spent the morning on the ziplines. (I am afraid of heights, so I skipped that part and met them at lunch.) They geared up at a replica mining town, then rode a five-line course with Rogue Valley ZipLine Adventures, high over old gold country, looking out at the Table Rocks and Mount McLoughlin. They cam
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Malbec to Marriage
By Sarah Murdoch Oregon wine events promise fun, food, and– of course– wine. Getting out and exploring may offer much more, like a chance encounter with your soulmate. Malbec in the City, an annual Portland wine event, stands out. Oregon winemaker and organizer JP Valot, an Argentine native, brings energy, unique food pairings and even tango to the celebration. In 2023, this event changed the lives of two Portlanders forever. I met my friend Eric Lee on the tennis court. A footwear engineer at Nike, his cool style and great tennis form came from years of playing with his dad in Taiwan. Lee’s calm manner and talent, coupled with my fiery attitude and defensive play, made us ideal tennis partners for nearly a decade. After his game improved and he rose a level, we remained good friends. Through professional and personal uncertainty, combined with pandemic isolation, Lee’s spirits dropped. His singleness suddenly became an insurmountable problem. Having played the
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The Big Five-O
By Michele Francisco, OWP Editor With this issue, I’ve had 50 opportunities to speak directly to you. Reading through some of my letters, I’ve shared moments of hope, inspiration and gratitude, alongside tragedy and death. The common thread? Each is written from the heart. Over the last four years, I’ve experienced tremendous sadness but also countless moments of happiness and joy. I expect you have as well. Looking back, what strikes me most is how much has stayed the same. The people who established this industry are still showing up. Still farming. Still pouring. Still believing the next vintage will be the best one yet. This stubborn optimism might be Oregon wine’s defining characteristic. And, believe me, it’s contagious. It is my honor to continue sharing Oregon’s many wine stories. I regularly connect with visionary winemakers who have spent decades building Oregon’s wine reputation. Their enthusiasm and drive created a solid, collaborat
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July 2026 Cellar Selects: The Rosé Report
Abacela 2025 Grenache Rosé, Umpqua Valley (panel pick) Slate and red cherry open over rose petal and ripe Hood strawberry on the nose. In the glass, raspberry and cherry lead into lemon zest, with vivacious acidity and an exuberant, fruit-forward mark. $20 Schmidt Family Vineyards Wilderness Rosé, Applegate Valley Gravel dust and pink grapefruit meet lychee and red cherry on the nose. Light and breezy on the tongue, with pink grapefruit, raspberry and a whisper of unripe strawberry. Well-balanced and refreshing. $23 Dominio IV 2025 No. 68 Inverse, Coyote the Trickster, Oregon (80% Viognier, 20% Syrah) Playful and aromatic, with red hots candy, violets and jasmine over a mineral backbone. Tart cherry, raspberry and rhubarb carry through on the flavor, building to a spicy cinnamon finale with a lingering raspberry sorbet richness. $38 Puffin Brand 2025 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley Highly aromatic, with graphite, cranberry, grilled lemon and blood orange over
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Field of Dreams
By Luis Romero In Vienna, Gemischter Satz , meaning “mixed planting or set,” is a winemaking style where various grape varieties– growing side by side– are harvested and fermented together. In Alsace, the tradition is called Edelzwicker , edel means noble in German and zwicker is blend– a noble blend of whites. These field blends are shaped not by a winemaker’s blending decisions in the cellar, but by the chemistry of unique varieties interacting within a single fermenter. The ethos of minimal or non-intervention winemaking is part of Oregon’s identity and inspiration for some of the newest and most creative blends. While not all the wines precisely match the definition of a field blend, they do reflect the ingenuity, passion and winemakers’ desire to find new ways to make wines from the land. All allow nature to tell its story. Meet Oregon’s winemakers daring to craft something distinct. In May, I visited nine producers across the
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Small Seeds Become Ancient Trees
By Branden Andersen You’ve almost certainly driven past this tree without realizing it. To most, it looks like a standard shade tree, usually standing alone in the middle of a field or at the edge of a vineyard. Its bark is deeply furrowed, limbs gnarled and canopy– in advanced age– as wide as a farmhouse. If the tree is old enough, it stood when Lewis and Clark explored the Willamette Valley. Its acorns fed the local Kalapuya people long before a single grapevine was intentionally planted in Oregon soil. It is Quercus garryana – the Oregon white oak– and is rapidly disappearing. According to the Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, a mere 10 percent of the oak habitats present in 1850 still remain. And 96 percent of what’s left stand on private land. The Umpqua Watersheds organization puts the loss in starker terms: estimates of remaining oak ecosystems across the Pacific Northwest range from just five to 15 percent of their pre-European
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Declaration of Deliciousness
By Aakanksha Agarwal Fourth of July in wine country rarely resembles a polished fantasy. Yes, there are bottles on ice and grills fired up in the distance. In Oregon, the holiday arrives when vines are surging through long summer days and growers continue to keep one eye on the weather forecast. It is a season of celebration, yes, but also one of vigilance and work. Still, they celebrate. Across the state, winery owners spend the holiday in ways that feel deeply personal and surprisingly unpretentious: neighborhood potlucks where rare library wines sit alongside cans of Rainier beer, community parades, burgers loaded with kimchi slaw, pork tenderloins on the grill, IPAs sweating in coolers and vineyard kids sprinting between the vine rows. Fireworks are increasingly approached with caution. But gathering together, opening something special and making time for family remain nonnegotiable. We asked this simple question: What does Fourth of July actually look like at your house? COMMUNITY
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Palette and Palate
By Greg Norton Is a bottle of wine a work of art? Or is it the product of skill and craftsmanship? Maybe it’s merely a beverage? And what is a work of art, anyway? These questions (and more) are on the menu at the Portland Art Museum’s monthly Maker’s Table series, running through September. Pairs of Oregon winemakers and visual artists come together for evenings of conversation moderated by Julia Dolan, interim chief curator and Minor White senior curator of photography at Portland Art Museum, or PAM. Each Maker’s Table event begins with a walk-around wine tasting, accompanied by the featured artist’s work. A conversation between the winemaker and artist follows, exploring the creative processes behind both disciplines. The evening concludes with an optional three-course meal of selected wine pairings and menus showcasing the artistry of local chefs. Tickets can be purchased without the dinner. A CULTURAL COMMONS The series takes place in the museum&rsquo
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Train of Thought
By Ron Scott At The Stazione (Italian for station), the sound of nearby trains forces its way into the room. Boisterous horn blasts abruptly interrupt casual chit-chat, prompting awkward chuckles from guests. The noise momentarily disrupts the spell cast by sunlight, slow-turning vinyl records and glasses of Gorge-grown wine in The Stazione’s old-world industrial Southeast Portland wine bar. For Graham Markel, founder and winemaker of Buona Notte Wines, the disturbance is so unavoidably foundational to the concept that he baked it into the name. “I’ve been dealing with it for a year and a half now,” explains Markel. “Every time one goes by, it’s a little annoying, but also part of the charm. That’s the reason we call this The Stazione.” The Stazione, which opened in April, is the new urban outlet for Buona Notte, Markel’s Portland-based winery built around Italian varietals and a deep affection for the fruit and terroir of the Colum
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Pinots, Plates and Pillows
By Molly Amber The Dundee Hills glow in golden light long before the first cork pops. Rows of Pinot Noir grapevines drape down the slopes. Lavender gently sways beside garden beds. The kitchen hums with activity as chefs prep dinner. High above the Valley floor, The Grange Estate, The Four Graces and Anthology have transformed a familiar stretch of Oregon wine country into one of the Willamette Valley’s most complete hospitality experiences. Wine travelers have flocked to the area for decades in search of Pinot Noir. Now, many long for something more immersive. A polished tasting room. A design-forward wine country retreat. A communal dinner focused on storytelling, seasonality and Oregon agriculture. Together, the three form a destination that feels both grounded and genuinely ambitious. At the center stands The Four Graces, a winery renowned for its elegant Pinot Noir. Established in 2003 by the Black family and named for their four daughters, the winery helped shape the modern
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Organic Matters
By Gail Oberst Life’s twists and turns often alter one’s career path. Before Dai Crisp, longtime Oregon vineyard manager, began caring for his parents’ four acres of Pinot Noir– a former dude ranch they purchased in the 1970s, he set his sights on theater, studying at Oregon State University and UC Irvine. Then, a love of farming called him back to vineyard work in 1985. On the farm, Crisp began experimenting with organic methods on the wine grapes and other crops. Farming organically was rarer for the time. He took on additional work in the Southern Willamette Valley– planting, hedging, harvesting, and much more. “I did every single job in the vineyard,” he recalled. In 1989, with experience and a good reputation in hand, Crisp was hired by Chancy Croft, founder of Polk County’s Croft Vineyards (with his family). Croft approved his plan to create an organic vineyard. “I’d always questioned the use of herbicides,”
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Sky’s the Limit
By Paula Bandy For years, whenever aphids appeared on my indoor herbs, I reached for a simple homemade remedy: cinnamon and cayenne mixed with water and sprayed by hand across the leaves. It wasn’t sophisticated technology. I was simply a gardener trying to protect a few plants. Today, Oregon agriculture is applying similar ideas– natural products, targeted applications and minimized waste– using technology that provides a glimpse into agriculture’s future. Instead of a hand sprayer, imagine an autonomous aircraft carrying 20 gallons of material. It flies 10 feet above a vineyard canopy, navigating by GPS, adjusting droplet size in real time and returns automatically for a battery change before resuming precisely where it left off. This technology is already operating across thousands of acres in Oregon. “We started drone applications in 2023,” noted Lane Marsh, ag-services technology lead for Pratum Co-op. “Immediately after graduating from Or
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United by Bubbles
By Annelise Kelly Pop quiz: Is Oregon the next great sparkling wine region? Method Oregon says yes. Oregon sparkling wine is having a moment, and its wineries are collaborating under a new organization to celebrate and strengthen the industry. Nonprofit Method Oregon is dedicated to promoting Oregon as a world-class region for traditional method sparkling wine. Launching with 45 founding members, the organization has since grown to 54 as of mid-May. The organization’s mission is to celebrate exceptional wines, sustainable farming practices and the distinct sense of place that defines Oregon sparkling wine. It ensures each bottle bearing the new Method Oregon logo adheres to strict traditional method winemaking standards and farming procedures. Oregon sparkling wine isn’t new, but it’s never been more popular. Winemaker Rollin Soles began making traditional method sparkling wine in 1987, while working at Argyle Winery. He was the first commercial producer in Oregon. Wh