The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is an oral history conducted by Linfield College archivist Rachael Cristine Woody with Lonnie Wright of The Pines 1852. The interview took place at Wright’s home in The Dalles, Oregon on June 15, 2014 and included topics such as the history of his vineyard, his start in the wine industry, and the Columbia Gorge climate.

Wright talks about the long history of his vineyard, including the Sandoz family, one of the first grape-growing families in the area. He goes on to talk about how he came to have an interest in wine and winemaking and his interest in the history of his property and the Columbia Valley. He also discusses reviving the old vine Zinfandel vineyard, with roots that are over 100 years old.

This interview is with Jeff Lewis of Alexana Winery. In this interview, Jeff speaks about growing up in Kansas and his interest in cooking and industrial design. This led him into the restaurant scene where he was able to design his own restaurant at a young age, and also allowed him to begin to explore the world, including Argentina.

Eventually he found his way to Portland and his experience in Argentina helped him land a role at Alexana, as the company was starting a winery in Mendoza. He takes us through this journey, and his evolving role at Alexana, as well as talking about the changes and growth in the Oregon wine industry since his arrival.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Alexana Winery on December 14, 2022.

This interview is with Leigh and Ceille Campbell, and Tracy and Andy Parks of Campbell Lane Winery. Leigh and Ceille talk about finding the property and planting the vineyard, and tell stories of the early days. Leigh talks about how he found grapes, and how he found mentors and colleagues in the industry.

Tracy (Leigh and Ceille's daughter) and Andy then talk about expanding the operation into winemaking, and finding a vineyard management and winemaking team to work with. They talk about hospitality and plans for growth as well.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Campbell Lane Winery in West Linn on April 6, 2022.

This interview is with Leigh Brown of Lolati Wines. In this interview, Leigh speaks about her upbringing and life before wine, and her experience in the music industry as a professional harpist. She shares how she was introduced to the wine industry and what she’s learned in the process of creating her brand.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at on June 2, 2022.

This interview is with Maggie Harrison of Antica Terra and is in two parts. In part one, Maggie talks about her life before wine, including travel and work in international relations and conflict resolution. She also talks about learning about wine by working in fine dining, and becoming enamored.

Deciding that she had to try her hand at making wine, Maggie tells of finding her way to California and landing at Sine Qua Non. She talks at length of her work there, lessons learned and the mentorship and ethos that formed her winemaking style and philosophy. She then talks of how she found her way to Oregon and about the path of starting/growing Antica Terra.

In part two, Maggie talks more in depth about "making the most beautiful choice" at every stage of winemaking, and what that means for the business and team at Antica Terra. In addition, she talks about where Antica Terra fits in the Oregon wine industry, and her perceptions of the growth and evolution of that industry.

These interviews were conducted by Rich Schmidt at Antica Terra in Dundee on April 13, 2022 and May 12, 2022.

This interview is with Marcus Glaze of Lavinea Wines. In this interview, Marcus speaks about his slow, steady growth in the wine industry, finding wine by accident and working his way through, including his formal wine education and how he came to work with Isabelle Meunier at Lavinea.

He also talks about his other career in the music industry, the evolution of his music and his band. Balancing two all-encompassing passions like wine and music are a challenge, and he talks about finding the sweet spot. He also talks about what comes next and the evolution of Oregon wine since he's been part of the industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Nicholson Library at Linfield University on August 22, 2022.

This interview is with Mark Bosko of Alexana Estate Vineyard and Winery. In this interview, Mark speaks about his path in the Oregon Wine Industry and why he went into the business side of wine. He talks about his first jobs in the industry and what skills he picked up through his education and training. Later, he goes over his role as general manager at Alexana and what a typical day looks like at his job. He discusses how he learned to buy wine and what his philosophy is concerning his work. He also talks about how he converses with clients, what sales and distribution is like, and what he sees happening in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Alexana Winery in Dundee on May 6, 2021.

This interview is with Mark Royer of Royer Vineyards. In this interview, Mark speaks about his journey in the wine industry, which includes his time spent as a wine banker, part-owner of a wine merchant business, and most recently a vineyard owner. He talks about Royer Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills and what it was like finding and purchasing the land. He goes on to describe his grape growing philosophy, why he planted Chardonnay and Riesling, and why he eventually ended up making wine. He also discusses earning the WSET, originally looking for land in Italy, and what he was originally looking for when buying a vineyard.

Later, Mark talks about his learning process concerning the wine and vineyard industry. He speaks about his vineyard management style, which involves inclusive habitats, minimal interference, and doing what’s best for the vineyard. He also discusses building his team and community, sharing stories of the people he has worked with in the industry. At the end, Mark talks about the future for himself and Royer Vineyards, as well as what effect COVID-19 and the 2020 fires may have on his work.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Royer Vineyards in Salem on July 13, 2021.

This interview is with Meg Rulli of Flipturn Cellars. In this interview, Meg speaks about her business background, and how she got her foot in the door of the Oregon wine industry, as well as her new brand Flipturn and what she hopes for the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at her home in Portland on December 8, 2021.

This interview is with Megan Markel of Well-Played Wines. Megan talks about her careers in politics, nonprofits and various parts of the wine industry, including time as a national sales manager and her new role at Willamette Valley Wineries Association. She also talks about launching her new label and what has gone into that.

Megan's unique perspective on the industry is also explored, as she talks about the changes she's seen and the impact of 2020.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg on April 5, 2022.