The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is with Joe Nueman, grandson of Hugo Neuman, an early figure in Oregon’s wine history. In this interview, Joe talks about his childhood, his career as an electrician, his family, and his experiences growing up in Oregon. 

Joe was born in Eugene, Oregon, in 1943 and grew up in a large family with four brothers and three sisters. His father worked in logging and farming, and when his father became sick, Joe took over the family’s farming work. He was working in orchards when he was 12 years old, was a part of 4-H and FFA, where he raised and sold pigs. Joe was usually found outside, working on something. Joe eventually pursued a career as an electrician, completing a four-year apprenticeship and working in the electrical industry before retiring in 2003.

Joe also reflects on his family’s connection to Oregon wine through his grandfather, Hugo Neuman, who founded Willamette Valley Winery after Prohibition ended in 1933. Located outside of Philomath, the winery became Oregon’s third bonded winery. Joe remembers enjoying his grandfather’s wine as a child and visiting the winery property during family reunions. Hugo made wines from fruits including pear, blackcap raspberry, cherry, and table grapes. Joe later collected wine labels, blueprints, and other materials from the winery, which he donated to the Oregon Wine History Archive to help preserve his family’s legacy.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2026.

This interview is with Amy Peetz of Revolution Crop Consultants. In this interview, Amy talks about the benefits of her product and her unique connection to the wine industry
 
Amy talks about how she wasn’t planning on being a part of the wine industry. She doesn’t have a connection to wine itself, but she has great passion for the impact the wine industry has on land. While she originally was going to detect powdery mildew on the newly-legalized cannabis plants, she found that it is identical to those found on sunflowers and lettuce, leading her to the wine industry.

Amy discusses her device and the benefits it provides vineyards. The spore trapper is able to detect airborne powdery mildew. The product then gives growers a 7 to 10 day window to react. The spore trapper saves about 2.5 sprays per year. She also provides a map for her clients of wineries who might be experiencing powdery mildew outbreaks. Amy found the want and need of this product through her connections within the industry. 

Later in the interview, Amy talk about the future of her product and the future of her company. With climate change, powdery mildew is likely to increase in production due to heat and humidity. As for the company, Amy can see herself expanding into different industries and plants.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Abbott Claim in Carlton on June 18, 2026.

This interview is with Eric & Lorrie Normann, longtime vineyard owners and wine industry professionals who own Viking Vineyard. In this interview, they share how they unexpectedly entered the wine industry, built their vineyard, and developed careers in Oregon wine and vineyard real estate. 

Eric grew up in Minnesota and Washington and worked for the Springfield Utility Board from the time he was in high school. Lorrie was born in Eugene and originally planned to attend law school. The two met in their early 20s through a mutual friend and married within the year. Although neither had experience in the wine industry, a visit to a vineyard listed for sale changed their lives. In 1997, they purchased the property that would become Viking Vineyard and learned how to manage the vineyard with help from a neighboring grower.

Lorrie became involved in the wine business through Sweet Cheeks Winery, which she helped start with friend Dan Smith. She later worked as a part-time wine club manager at LaVelle Vineyards, where she realized there was no such thing as a part-time job in the wine industry. Eric continued working in the utility industry before joining Lorrie in building their vineyard business. Together, they purchased Domaine Meriwether in 2012 and renamed it Valhalla in 2013, reflecting the Viking theme behind their vineyard.

Today, Lorrie works real estate, specializing in vineyard and winery properties. Her experience allows her to help clients navigate the process of purchasing vineyards and wineries and turning them into successful businesses. Through their experiences as vineyard owners and wine industry professionals, Eric and Lorrie have built a life around Oregon wine and continue to share their knowledge of the wine industry. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Viking Vineyard in Veneta, Oregon on September 28, 2026.

This interview is with Ed Hellman, a longtime viticulture specialist who worked closely with Oregon grape growers and wrote Oregon Viticulture. In this interview, Ed shares stories of his journey into grape growing, his experiences working with growers, and his involvement in the Oregon wine industry. 

Ed grew up in the Chicago suburbs and developed an interest in plants and fruit while studying at the University of Illinois. He later earned his PhD in fruit breeding from the University of Arkansas. While working at Kansas State University, the developing wine industry sparked his interest in grapes, eventually earning him the nickname “the grape guy.”

Ed came to Oregon looking for a new challenge and became involved with the Oregon Winegrowers Association, where he helped update the grape growers guide and worked with growers throughout the state. He later moved to Texas, where he continued working with grape growers and helped establish research and extension programs as the Texas wine industry grew.

Through his career, Ed worked to connect research with real-world grape growing and became an important resource for the wine industry. He is now retired and continues to share his knowledge and experiences from his time in both Oregon and Texas.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon on September 24, 2026.

This is a conversation with Bill Blosser, David Adelsheim, and Craig Greenleaf revolving around Oregon's landmark land use planning legislation in the early 1970s. At the urging of Governor Tom McCall, the state senate passed bills 100 and 101 in 1973, giving Oregon counties unprecedented power over their local land use planning.

Bill Blosser, who had just co-founded Sokol Blosser Winery in the Dundee Hills, had a background in city planning and saw right away how the wine industry could benefit from the bills. He teamed up with David Adelsheim and others in the early days of the Oregon wine industry in order to lobby on behalf of the industry.

Craig Greenleaf had been hired by Yamhill County to help implement the new laws. Together with Blosser, Adelsheim, and others, they came up with a plan that preserved much of what has become Oregon wine country, creating a template that was copied by many other counties the Willamette Valley and beyond.

In this conversation, they discuss how the bills came to be, the response, and the process for implementing the wine industry's suggestions and protecting vineyard land.

This conversation was led by Rich Schmidt in Linfield University's Nicholson Library in McMinnville on September 23, 2026.

This interview is with Gregory Theim, a longtime Oregon businessman and wine lover who grew up alongside the early Oregon wine industry. In this interview, Gregory shares stories of growing up around his father’s businesses, his introduction to wine, and his experiences watching Oregon wine develop.

Gregory was one of five children. In the early 1970s, he and his father opened Gregory’s International, a gourmet food and wine shop at the newly developed Water Tower in Johns Landing, San Francisco. The store featured foods and specialty products from around the world, along with gourmet cheese, beer, and wine. Gregory became especially interested in Oregon wine and took wine courses at Portland State to learn more about it.

Through tasting, traveling, and talking with some of Oregon’s early winemakers, Gregory gained a deeper appreciation for the industry. He remembers Dick Erath in particular as both a friend and mentor during those early pioneering years.

After running the grocery business with his father until 1979, Gregory went on to become a home builder and later opened a Traeger sales and supply store in Sherwood. Through his businesses, he continues working with early Oregon winemakers and customers and helped spread the word about Oregon wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon on September 21, 2026.

This interview is with Hopper Canty of Negociant PDX in Portland, Oregon. In this interview, Hopper discusses his journey from music to the wine industry. 

Hopper discusses growing up in San Diego, having a very outdoorsy childhood and originally had more interest in music than wine. After moving to Portland at 18, he attended PCC’s music production program and later began playing music all around Portland. A trip to Europe after graduating opened his eyes to the stories, history, and artistry behind wine, and he quickly developed a much bigger interest in the industry. 

While working at New Seasons during the pandemic, Hopper eventually found his way to Negociant PDX. He spent years learning about wine through books, studying maps and French wine, and attending weekly tastings with distributors. Over time, he worked his way up and gained more freedom to explore the wines he was excited about, from natural wines to traditional Burgundies. 

Today, Hopper helps shape Negociant’s neighborhood wine café atmosphere through programs like their glass pour selection, Wine Wednesday, and small wine club tastings. Outside of wine, he continues to play music in dive bars around downtown Portland and plans to release music with his band soon. Hopper hopes to continue growing Negociant, expand its wine education and events, and possibly even start a Youtube channel one day. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Negociant PDX in Portland, Oregon on September 16, 2026.

This interview is with Chris Luby who worked at Cherry Hill winery and Dobbes Family Estate.  Chris discusses his journey into the wine industry and how his career has changed over the years.

Chris originally became interested in wine after a honeymoon trip to Napa Valley in the late 1980’s, where he developed an interest in sparking wine. With a background in business and economics, he originally worked in insurance before deciding to pursue a career in wine. He taught himself about wine through reading and then decided he wanted to give it a try so he applied to work at High Pass Winery and completed a harvest internship there.

Chris began his winemaking career after being referred to a cellar job at what was formally known as Flynn Winery, where he worked a little over 3 years. He later worked at Cherry Hill, where he began making his own wine from 2003-2010. After Cherry Hill, Chris spent three years as a winemaker while also working in marketing and sales at Olsen Family Vineyards. 

Chris then spent ten years at Hobbes Family Estate as a vineyard liaison and senior cellar technician. After deciding he wanted a change from the wine industry, he began working at Prestige Senior Living as an Enrichment Assistant. He also works as a certified personal trainer at Southwest Community Gym. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon on September 15, 2026.

This interview is with Zach Mance of Sidereus Winery & Vineyard. In this interview, Zach discusses his journey into the wine industry and what led him to pursue a career in wine.

Zach is originally from upstate New York and attended college at Ithaca College, where he studied film and cinema making. After graduating, Zach went wine tasting with friends, which sparked his interest in wine. He eventually moved back to Ithaca and got a job at a winery, beginning his career in the wine industry. 

Zach later moved to Oregon in 2011 and continued building his experience in the wine industry. He started at Cooper Mountain Vineyard, where he worked as a Tasting Room Associate, then continued his career at Ardiri Winery & Vineyards as a Tasting Room Manager before eventually joining Sidereus Vineyard & Winery, where he has worked as a Hospitality Manager for the last five years. 

Throughout his career, Zach has expanded his knowledge of wine, developed his palate, and became involved in wine education. He has also earned WSET certifications and developed wine education classes, including Wine 101 and Wine 102: A brief History of Wine. At Sidereus, Zach has helped build the wine club, create a welcoming tasting room experience with awesome monthly events and share his passion for Oregon wine with customers. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Sidereus Winery & Vineyard in Cornelius on August 27, 2026.

This interview is with Skip & Ruth Tarr of Sidereus Winery & Vineyard. In this interview, Skip & Ruth discuss what brought them to the wine industry and what they are still learning.

The couple talks about how it wasn’t actually wine that brought them to the wine industry. After retirement, Skip & Ruth were looking to move into the country to find their final home. When looking at properties in 2020, they fell in love with the location and view of their current property, it just happened to have a vineyard. When they figured they didn’t have anything specific to do after retirement, they decided to take on the challenge of starting up the winery as people who knew very little about wine.

Skip & Ruth discuss their road to Sidereus. Not knowing much about the industry, the two hired a winemaker and tasting room manager to help them along the way. Luckily they scored two people who had previous experience and knew what it took to create and open a successful winery. Since they started their venture during the pandemic, they had to soft-launch Sidereus by hosting tastings on the crush pad. As for the name, Ruth would look up what certain words were in Latin and see if they were already taken. Remembering the first word she used to describe the property, heavenly, the winery was named the Latin version, also meaning divine and starry.

Later in the interview, the couple talks about being newcomers within the industry. Although they haven’t been in the industry for long, they have already experienced what it’s all about. They explained their experiences with collaboration and generosity within the industry. They believe the industry attracts good people. The two are proud of what they have been able to accomplish in a short amount of time and hope to see more growth in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Sidereus Winery & Vineyard in Cornelius on August 27, 2026.