Symposium Standouts

By Greg Norton The Oregon Wine Board recognized eight exceptional wine professionals at the 2026 Oregon Wine Symposium on Feb. 3, celebrating individuals whose work has shaped the state’s wine industry. The annual awards, determined by peer nominations, spotlight contributions ranging from pioneering viticulture to community building across Oregon’s diverse wine regions. THERE FROM THE BEGINNING Bill Fuller, founder of Tualatin Estate Vineyard and consulting winemaker at Willamette Valley Vineyards, received the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously for his extraordinary dedication spanning five decades. When Fuller moved from California to Oregon in 1973, he brought a vision for cool-climate Pinot Noir that would transform the state’s wine identity. “David Lett’s cuttings of Pinot Noir were put together on Bill Fuller’s back porch” before making their way to Oregon, recalled Jim Bernau, founder and president of Willamette Valley Vineyards an

by Hilary Berg · source ↗