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Work in Progress
By Michele Francisco, OWP editor Patriotism is deeply personal. I’ve recently pondered this sentiment as our nation approaches 250 years since its founding. Over that period, our country has endured difficult times alongside genuine progress. However, the future has never been obvious and certain. It wasn’t long before I realized the similarities to winegrowing. Weather, small and large decisions, along with luck, influence the outcome of each vintage. There’s no redo button when drought, frost, rain or heat strike at the worst time. Forced to adapt, winegrowers craft the most honest wine from what the season delivers. And then they do it all over again the next year. Humility must be ever-present in winemaking. Terroir is the industry’s constant reminder we are never fully in charge. The land does a lot of the deciding. The weather does more. One plants, tends and trusts the land– it has been here long before any of us and will be here long af
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Blanc Check
By Aakanksha Agarwal “White wines play a key role in Oregon, both in its past and future,” notes Jen Cossey, general manager at Brooks Wine. Oregon has long been defined by Pinot Noir, the cool-climate grape whose success shaped not only planting decisions but the region’s global identity. It is a reputation marked by restraint, acidity and a measured approach to ripeness, favoring structure over power. But, as Cossey points out, those conditions were never exclusive to Pinot Noir. “Broadly speaking, our whites are also characterized by high acidity and balanced, developed aromatics.” That consistency extends across the category. Pinot Gris remains one of Oregon’s most widely planted varieties. Chardonnay continues gaining ground. Riesling, long central to Brooks, has developed depth across sites and styles, with the winery producing 14 distinct bottlings annually from estate fruit and historic vineyards. Cossey attributes that consistency to climate
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June 2026 Cellar Selects: Oui Like White
Freed Estate Winery 2024 Viognier, Umpqua Valley (panel pick) Richly aromatic and immediately inviting, with scents of honeysuckle, jasmine and lemongrass layered over beeswax candle and an unexpected note of peanut brittle. Honeydew and cantaloupe take center stage before introducing honeycomb, jasmine tea and orange zest, finishing with a bright flash of starfruit. A classic expression of Viognier’s opulent, fragrant character. $26 Quady North 2024 Chenin Blanc, Four Diamonds Vineyard, Applegate Valley Fresh and mineral on the nose– fresh rain, gravel dust and lemon set an inviting, clean tone, with casaba melon adding a soft, fruity note. Each sip reveals lemon yogurt, white peach and Persian melon, with Meyer lemon and carambola brightening the mid-palate. Nicely balanced, with a pleasing texture and spicy ginger finale. $28 King Estate 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Oregon An attention-grabbing nose of jalapeño, kaffir lime, white flowers and petrichor signals something
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Blanc Check
By Aakanksha Agarwal “White wines play a key role in Oregon, both in its past and future,” notes Jen Cossey, general manager at Brooks Wine. Oregon has long been defined by Pinot Noir, the cool-climate grape whose success shaped not only planting decisions but the region’s global identity. It is a reputation marked by restraint, acidity and a measured approach to ripeness, favoring structure over power. But, as Cossey points out, those conditions were never exclusive to Pinot Noir. “Broadly speaking, our whites are also characterized by high acidity and balanced, developed aromatics.” That consistency extends across the category. Pinot Gris remains one of Oregon’s most widely planted varieties. Chardonnay continues gaining ground. Riesling, long central to Brooks, has developed depth across sites and styles, with the winery producing 14 distinct bottlings annually from estate fruit and historic vineyards. Cossey attributes that consistency to climate
- news
Busy as a Bee
By Sarah Murdoch Oregon winemakers are sourcing grapes from vineyards prioritizing healthy ecosystems– long before the wine reaches your glass. This month’s Pollinator Week (June 22-28) provides a wonderful opportunity to learn more about bees and the role they play in wine. Grapes are magical little machines whose blooms contain both male and female reproductive parts, making them self-pollinating and reliant on wind and gravity rather than bees. Although bees aren’t necessary for grape production, they’re vital to vineyard ecosystems. Bees pollinate flowers and clover between rows to improve soil health, supporting the overall biodiversity of the vineyard. Their presence signals a balanced, healthy ecosystem. MEET THE BEE GIRL Equally remarkable is the bee itself; melittologist Sarah Red-Laird has devoted most of her life to bees. A self-described wild child who felt calm only when outdoors, splitting her childhood between Ashland and Alaska, she “
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Cyborg Somms
By Luis Romero “Freedom,” Marco reads the word, written in quotation marks, on his chit. Two women are seated at one of the clamshell booths, lit from above and covered in shiny red velvet. “Good evening, ladies,” Marco says, cocking his head and letting his hair fall across his cheekbone. “May I ask what you are celebrating tonight? I see a cake with the word freedom on it, correct?” “Hello, Marco. Marie here. Barbra just got divorced. Forty years was enough torture. Right, Barb? I ordered the cake, because you start a marriage with cake, you should end it the same way.” Marco tilts his head like a confused puppy. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he says out of gut instinct, looking at Barbra. “Nothing to be sorry about,” Marie says, trying to lighten the mood. “She is free!” Marco’s eyes lock on Barbra as she lowers her eyebrows in acknowledgement. “We want to order Champagne. What do you r
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Trunk Show
By Branden Andersen The sky over Concinnitas Farm in Yamhill was blue and bright. While still a brisk February day, the weather was unseasonably dry and warm, with highs in the low 50s. The surrounding hills were bare of snow, and spring felt right around the corner– two months ahead of schedule. Enologist Chad Stock was working with Sterling Vineyard Management operations manager Juan Cruz, pruning vines in a style the Willamette Valley rarely sees: a head-trained vine. “Think of it like a goblet, or an umbrella turned inside out,” Stock explained as he inspected vine positioning to identify the best candidates for pruning. “It’s the start of what will essentially be a grape tree.” Stock, who manages Concinnitas and co-owns Limited Addition Wines with his wife, Master of Wine Bree Stock, was pruning a block of Gamay Noir that morning alongside Cruz. Together they examined each vine, shaping the eight-year-old plants with a vision of what they would
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Lemon Olive Oil Black Cod
Serves 2 Ingredients 2 6-ounce black cod fillets (you can easily substitute your favorite white fish) 1 teaspoon Durant French Citrus Fennel Salt (1/2 teaspoon per fillet) 8 tablespoons Durant Fused Lemon Olive Oil 1 pound fingerling potatoes, halved 1 tablespoon finely sliced fresh chives 2 teaspoons Durant Fleur de Sel A couple handfuls of pre-washed arugula leaves 1 lemon, juiced Directions Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Wash and split your potatoes lengthwise, toss with 2 teaspoons Fleur de Sel and 2 tablespoons lemon olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking sheet pan and roast in oven for approximately 20-30 minutes until browned and cooked through. As the potatoes roast, season the black cod fillets with 2 teaspoons of Durant French Citrus Salt. Transfer to a baking sheet pan and pour over 4 tablespoons of Durant Lemon Olive Oil (being sure some of the oil is under the fish to prevent it from sticking). Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, along with the potatoes, until cook
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After Hours
By Neil Ferguson When chef Spencer Ivankoe opened Café Rowan in Portland’s Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood in March of 2020, serving brunch was not exactly what he had in mind. But the COVID-19 pandemic turned the restaurant world upside down. “I ripped my business plan in half and went back to the drawing board. I remembered how much people loved brunch when I lived in New York City. I decided to pivot and add some fun here in the Northwest. People could come and go, food traveled well in a box– it worked,” reflects Ivankoe. After setting aside his fine-dining dream, Ivankoe built a loyal following as one of the city’s best brunch destinations. Elevated takes on breakfast sandwiches, burritos and eggs Benedict include foraged mushrooms, Dungeness crab and salmon, in-season, local produce and Tillamook cheese. The menu soon generated long wait times, and when Café Rowan introduced Maine lobster rolls in 2021, a popular trend began. Finding su
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Seized the Day
By Michele Francisco The process of eminent domain allows the government to take private property and convert it to public use. After the city of Portland took Jeff Meader’s southeast property, he turned the loss into an opportunity by purchasing land in the Ribbon Ridge American Viticultural Area, or AVA. Meader followed his passion for farming and planted a vineyard. This year, the cleverly named winery, Eminent Domaine, celebrates 20 years. Meader’s initial investment has grown gradually over the course of two decades. With time, it has yielded a family home atop a winery, a tasting room, second vineyard with a vacation rental, an enclosed pavilion and a newly finished deck for wine guests to enjoy the stunning views. He recently achieved a long-held dream of growing all the grapes for Eminent Domaine. The winery’s general manager, Camille Stabler, notes, “Our annual production decreased to about 2,200 cases with the move to all estate-grown fruit. And while
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Rhône Away From Home
By Annelise Kelly It’s a balmy spring night as I swirl my glass of Grenache while sitting with new friends. On my left is a retired couple who live blocks away, members of the wine club at Oak Flat Vineyards. On my right sits an outdoorsy pair of millennial wine enthusiasts, one of whom takes careful notes about each wine. About 20 of us are comparing six different years of Oak Flat Mourvèdre, all from the same estate vineyard. I’m among the lucky diners signed up for the porchetta dinner, to be delivered with the final wine sample. Wood barrels are stacked three high, and a compact yellow forklift is parked tightly between them. The roll-up garage door is open until sunset, inviting fresh air and a view of one of Southeast Portland’s sleepier corridors. If I’m craving authentic Rhône-style wines, there’s no need to travel 5,900 miles to Avignon. Oak Flat Vineyards, dedicated to Rhône wine, opened its Southeast Portland tasting room in 2
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On the Record
By Paula Bandy There is a moment when someone recalling the past pauses– and you feel the weight of what they are carrying. Not during an expected moment, but while remembering a name, place or decision made long ago. This is where history lives. At Linfield University’s Oregon Wine History Archive, the understanding shapes everything. The archive was built on a simple premise: the story of Oregon wine could not be preserved solely through objects. Most archives choose a lane, collecting books, documents or artifacts. Useful, certainly. Necessary, even. Yet, incomplete. As director Rich Schmidt explains, none of those approaches fully conveyed what needed to be saved. “We thought all of those should be a part of what we’re doing,” he notes. “But none were quite enough.” So, the archive followed a different path. “We’re collecting stories.” THE WORK OF LISTENING The heart of this archive is not what it holds, but how it listens
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Home Field Advantage
By Annelise Kelly It’s a warm summer evening at a Portland ballpark. The crowd is on its feet. The smell of popcorn drifts through the stands. And in your cup holder? A cold can of Oregon sparkling rosé. This isn’t your grandfather’s ballgame– and that’s precisely the point. A new kind of partnership is emerging in Oregon, one pairing the communal joy of live sports with the craft and accessibility of local wine. Two notable collaborations have taken shape in recent seasons. Underwood, the canned wine brand under the Union Wine Co. umbrella, has partnered with both the Portland Bangers FC soccer club and Portland Pickles baseball team. Argyle Winery has joined forces with minor league baseball team Hillsboro Hops, whose newly built stadium features a premium space called the Dugout Lounge by Argyle. These partnerships are more than marketing arrangements– they reflect a mutual belief: wine belongs anywhere people gather to have a good time. A
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Pear Pressure
By Michele Francisco Today, it’s hard to imagine Rogue Valley’s wine industry being vilified. Yet, pear growers, threatened by the region’s nascent wine activity, treated Porter Lombard, Ph.D., like a scoundrel and ran him out of town. Lombard had served as the superintendent and horticultural researcher at the Oregon State University Experiment Station near Jacksonville. Determined to learn if wine grapes could thrive in the area, he planted the area’s first post-Prohibition vineyard in 1967. Before the pear growers ousted Lombard in 1980, he studied various varieties and discovered the Rogue Valley was ideally suited for a range of wine grapes. His success generated interest both locally and in California. Commercial vineyards, established in the decade after Lombard’s experimental plantings, led to the Rogue Valley’s first bonded wineries in 1978. Valley View Vineyards was established by the local Wisnovsky family and Siskiyou Winery was founded b
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Pour Favor
By Greg Norton Oregon wines consistently draw recognition for their high quality. You can compare the characteristics of numerous bottles by consulting reviews and ratings available on various websites and publications, including this one. But if you want to know which Willamette Valley tasting room is family-friendly, you’re on your own. For the second year, the Cellar Stars Awards aim to bridge this data gap. In April, more than 50 industry professionals and friends gathered at Abbey Road Farm for a happy-hour awards ceremony celebrating quality hospitality programs across the Valley. Nominated by industry peers last fall, three finalists were named in each of 20 categories. The public voted for the finalists in February. As the winners were feted, attendees swirled Abbey Road’s wines alongside a generously loaded charcuterie table from Bellyful Catering Company. “It was incredible to see our industry come together to celebrate the hospitality programs t
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Showing Up
By Michele Francisco, OWP editor For two years during college, I lived next to Mrs. Holmes. She was in her 70s (or maybe 80s) and had spent more than 40 years in her Westwood apartment. Most days, she planned a single outing: bank, grocery store, dress shop, pharmacy or lunch with a friend. As a young college student juggling classes, writing papers and working a part-time job, I was a little jealous of Mrs. Holmes’ schedule. As my parents grow older, I find they need more help navigating daily life. With less energy, everyday tasks feel almost monumental in scale. I realize now, Mrs. Holmes had developed a rhythm and routine to match her stamina. I’m visiting them in California right now. My time here is always busy. I accompany my parents to their medical appointments, help automate their finances so bills are paid on time, declutter and sort through what seems like a metric ton of paperwork and mail. All while managing my own work and responsibilities. I&rsqu
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May 2026 Cellar Selects: These Gris are the Bees Knees
Ridgecrest 2024 Old Vine Estate Pinot Gris, Ridgecrest Vineyard, Ribbon Ridge (panel pick) Commanding aromatics entice with lime zest, fresh rain and dusty minerality framed by a core of green pineapple. Bright citrus energy strikes the taste buds: lemon, lime and orange zest alongside gooseberry, starfruit and lemongrass. Lively acidity keeps everything in focus. $30 Illahe Vineyards 2025 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Bright and inviting on the nose, with lemon-lime citrus, petrichor and an unexpected lift of bubblegum and grilled lemon. The flavor profile shifts toward a softer register– pear, honeydew and Thompson grape support white flowers and a whisper of mint jelly. Crisp and clean with a long, refreshing ending. $23 Willamette Valley Vineyards 2024 Estate Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley Honeysuckle and Meyer lemon open over a bed of golden raisin, bay leaf and stony minerality. Flavors of quince and orange peel introduce coconut water, honeystick and a distinctive thread of
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Grand Dames
By Gail Oberst It’s no secret: Men often receive credit for accomplishments owed to their wives. Counted among them are the women who contributed to Oregon’s burgeoning wine industry. Oregon’s wine media, including this publication, has participated in that oversight– and this feature alone can't right it, but it's a start. Luckily for us, Oregon’s wine women didn’t need acknowledgement when establishing wineries or becoming winemakers and winegrowers. Picture a room filled with women, most in their 80s, a few nonagenarians, all vertical. Each had a hand in launching our state’s wine economy. This room, at Sokol Blosser Winery– perched on a hill supplying sweeping Willamette Valley vineyard vistas, with Mount Hood in the distance. It is a pre-spring day complete with bluebird skies and unseasonable sunshine. Ponder the hugs, stories and laughter shared by women who, in many cases, worked at professional jobs and raised children while also
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Cork Pop and the Bass Drop
By Paula Bandy Wine culture has long aligned itself with certain soundtracks. Jazz in the tasting room. Classical at the gala. Acoustic guitar on the patio during golden hour. These pairings feel natural because they reinforce a particular identity– wine as contemplative, refined, slightly elevated from everyday life. Something to be studied, appreciated, discussed quietly. Wine deserves that reverence. Karen Blixen, author of “Out of Africa,” published under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen, wrote that wine is “one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world.” Music shares that same duality– instinctive and refined, bodily and cultural, moving easily between the raw and the composed. But culture shifts. Music shifts. And wine culture must decide whether it shifts with it. PARALLEL SYSTEMS From an anthropological perspective, both music and wine are social instruments– tools to organize space, mark time,
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The Spirit of Hospitality: Part Three
This is the final installment of the series. Part One of this story was published in December 2025 and Part Two ran in February 2026. By Luis Romero “How was it?” Joe asked Alma. “It was peaceful,” Alma replied, looking at the green of spring washed in sunlight outside the windows. “Mr. Hemmich was a great guy,” Joe said. “He really was. I am glad I got to know him better at the end.” Alma sighed. “I finished the calls for today’s appointments and updated the notes from yesterday’s visits,” Joe said, changing the subject. “Thank you, Joe,” Alma said sincerely as she walked to her office. “Your desk is less cluttered,” the stranger observed, looking at the flurries of dust revealed in the light coming through the window. Surprised by his appearance, Alma quipped, “Do you ever knock?!” “Joe has become quite the ambassador, and I see you were able to keep Carly after all.&rdqu
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Grilled Peach and Pinot Gris Summer Soup
Serves 2-3 INGREDIENTS 1 pound ripe peaches, halved and pitted 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 4 oz Pinot Gris 2–3 ounces mascarpone (depending on how creamy you want the soup) 1 lemon Salt, to taste Neutral oil (for cooking) For Garnish crème fraîche fresh basil, chopped 1 pint of raspberries, frozen overnight and “shattered” INSTRUCTIONS Preheat a grill or heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the surface. Place the peach halves cut-side down and cook until they develop caramelized grill marks or a deep golden sear, about 3-5 minutes. This step adds a smoky sweetness and complexity to the soup. Remove and roughly chop. In a medium saucepan, heat a small splash of oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook gently for about 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the grilled peaches to the pan. Lightly mash them with a spoon to release their juices. Add the Pinot Gris and increase the heat slightly to medium. Let the wine simmer f
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A Natural Pairing
By Annelise Kelly Once a sleepy Washington college town, Walla Walla was best known for growing fruits, vegetables and grains, and the sweet onion that bears its name. In recent decades, folks realized that farmland could grow premium wine grapes. Today, the area boasts more than 120 wineries and dozens of restaurants; a transformation luring food and wine lovers to the town of 34,000 people. With its culinary and enology and viticulture programs, Walla Walla Community College, or WWCC, plays an active role in this flourishing environment. The two programs complement each other, as food and wine so naturally do, to the benefit of students in both. ORIGINS Two decades ago, as the college established its enology and viticulture program, it became clear the area could benefit from developing a culinary program as well. “When they were designing the facility for the enology program back in the early 2000s, a big question became ‘what do we need for the success of this as a wine
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An Extended Bloom
By Annelise Kelly High on a crest in the Dundee Hills, flanked by some of the Willamette Valley's most storied wineries– Archery Summit, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Winter’s Hill Estate, Domaine Serene– sits White Rose Estate. Ensconced above sweeping views of the Valley, on a clear day, the distant silhouette of Mount Hood is visible. Since the winery’s first vintage in 2001, annual production has increased from a couple hundred cases to approximately 3,000 cases. Primarily from the estate's 14 acres, 10 planted with Pinot Noir, it also sources fruit from a selection of premier vineyards across the Northern Willamette Valley. The lineup focuses almost exclusively on Pinot Noir. ORIGINS After college in Southern California and years in the aerospace industry, owner Greg Sanders sought a new challenge. In 1995, he began viticulture and enology courses at UC Davis. Five years later, he purchased an existing 10-acre property known as White Rose Vineyard. Twenty-five ye
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Bass Lines and Grapevines
By Greg Norton Ron Berrett and Maggie Yuan were seeking a quieter place to raise their kids. Tired of the bustle of Los Angeles, the pair relocated to Oregon in 2009 and, two years later, purchased 20 acres in West Linn. Over time, a vineyard, winery and ballroom-sized hospitality space led to Festive Hill Winery’s opening last June. “We bought this property in 2011 but didn’t start planting vines until 2014,” Berrett recalls. Original plantings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were soon joined by Pinot Gris and Tempranillo. The most recent additions, Riesling and a small block of Gewürztraminer, increased the vineyard to 16 acres. The first Festive Hill vintage was 2017. A ROOM WITH A VIEW The property’s existing residence is tucked away behind a rise. Berrett remembers a day spent clearing the land of Himalayan blackberries, when he paused to admire the sunset from the top of the hill. “Why did they build the house over there?” he mused. &ld