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

by Hilary Berg · source ↗