The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is with Tom Elliot of Northwest Wines Ltd. Tom speaks about how he entered the Oregon wine industry after starting in San Francisco and Napa Valley. He shares the many successes and some failures that led him to where he is today and the critical relationships he built along the way.

Later in the interview, he shares his thoughts on the various changes Oregon wines have gone through and the growing competitive nature of the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University's Nicholson Library on March 11, 2022.

This interview is with Judy Nedry, an Oregon wine writer and co-founder of Chehalem Winery. In this interview, Judy speaks on how she began writing about early Oregon Wine. She talks about how the industry has changed since she began writing about the industry and how that has affected her work. She describes what it’s like working on a story and goes over some of her past projects.

She discusses some of the most compelling people she’s met in the Oregon Wine Industry. Judy also tells some fun stories from her time spent in the industry. Later, Judy offers advice for those interested in working in the industry or writing about it. She details her approach and what has worked for her. She also talks about upcoming projects and what she is looking forward to in Oregon Wine’s future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Judy's home in Lake Oswego on April 19, 2021.

This interview is with Anne Sery of Westmount and NW Wine Company. In this interview, Anne speaks about growing up in France where wine was a standard and necessary part of the culture she was a part of. She explains that the way she grew up made her future role as a winemaker almost inevitable. She describes what it was like working her first job on a vineyard and how she eventually became a winemaker. She describes the nature of her work and her style of winemaking. She also goes over what it was like to move to Oregon, what she struggled and triumphed with in the new environment, and what her first impressions of Oregon Wine were. She compares the Oregon and French viticulture and wine cultures, noting the key role that the Oregon Wine community plays in fostering the industry.

Later, Anne talks about the how COVID-19 and the Oregon wildfires affected her work and how her team adapted to the new challenges. She shares some of her predictions for the future of Oregon Wine, which includes the possibility of more people coming from outside Oregon to join the industry. She ends by sharing her take on what wine’s role in society is.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Hyland Tasting Room in Dundee on April 15, 2021.

This interview is with Terry Sherwood of Crush2Cellar. In this interview, Terry speaks about how he got into the wine industry and what it was like starting a business for the winemaking community. He talks about what it was like seeing the Oregon Wine Industry grow and how he has had to change or adapt his business overtime. He goes over some of the challenges he and the industry faced and how they were able to overcome them. He also discusses what it’s like working with clients, various projects he’s been a part of, and what he’s done to make his business stand out. Later, he addresses 2020, the wildfires, and COVID-19 and what it was like to respond quickly to client’s needs.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in McMinnville on April 13, 2021.

This interview is with Kathy Joseph of Fiddlehead Cellars. In this interview, Kathy talks about what it’s like to be constantly learning, whether it is in the world of science, business, or wine. She speaks about her introduction to the wine industry in California, and what it was like to eventually make her own wine and have her own vineyard. She describes creating a sustainable business plan and how she thinks her business will continue to grow and operate in the future. Of course, she discusses what it's like working with Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and recently Grüner Veltliner.

She goes on to compare what she sees in the Oregon and California Wine Industry, including environmental, varietal, and community differences. She discusses branding and effective marketing, saying that you not only have to learn the language of the wine world, but also when to use it.

Later she goes over some of the memorable and exciting events she’s been a part of. She speaks about some of the relationships she’s made and why camaraderie is so important. Kathy also remarks about COVID-19 and how this may affect the wine industry on a small and large scale.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt over Zoom on April 8, 2021.

This interview is with Brian Irvine, winemaker at NW Wine Company. During his interview he shared what brought him to Oregon, and a bit about his first years working harvest around the Willamette Valley. Brian discussed how he ended up at NW Wine Company, his interest in Hyland Vineyard, and his connection to the team.

Later he shared the differences among some of the wineries at which he has worked. He also shared what he is proudest of, and how much enjoys teaching and building relationships with harvest interns. Brian concluded the interview with the changes he has seen in Oregon since he started working in the industry, and some words of wisdom

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on April 8, 2021 at Hyland Estates.

his interview is with Erica Miller of Stoller Family Estate. In this interview, Erica speaks about growing up surrounded by farming and agriculture, going to Oregon State University, and eventually making her way into the Oregon Wine Industry.

She talks about her style of growing grapes and how she manages a vineyard. She describes her role at Stoller, what it was like getting to know the property, and why it's important to understand every nook and cranny. She goes on to discuss Stoller’s terroir and how she tries to let the vineyard show itself by listening to the vines and maintaining them in a sustainable way.

Later, she talks about being a woman in the industry, the research project on Trunk Disease she is working on, and what she sees for herself in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Stoller in Dayton on April 6, 2021.

This interview is with Luke Pedotti of Results Partners. In this interview, Luke speaks about how his family was was involved in agriculture and what it was like growing up in that environment. He talks about his introduction into viticulture and what it has been like working for Results Partners. He describes his role as Director of Development and goes over what he looks for in a site, how he manages resources, and how he interacts with clients. Later, he discusses the impact 2020 had on Results Partners and what possible long and short term effects it may have had.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Luke’s home in Carlton April 6, 2021.

This oral history interview is with Gabi Vignes. During her interview, she discussed her education in Chile and France studying Viticulture and Enology. Gabi described her travels working harvests in New Zealand, Napa Valley, and Australia. From these harvests, she discovered a love for Pinot Noir and cool climate varieties, which naturally led her to come to Oregon. She applied in 2016 to work as a harvest intern and later came on full time at Anne Amie Vineyards. Gabi described how she came into her role this year during harvest, and what it is like taking over as a new winemaker.

Gabi concluded the interview with her opinion of Oregon wine, and the surrounding industry, and gave her advice for joining the industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on April 1, 2021 at Anne Amie Vineyards.

This oral history interview is with Sheryl WuDunn, Caroline Kristof, and Nick Kristof of Kristof Farms.

In this interview the family shared about the long history of Kristof Farms, and why they chose to plant grapes and cider apples on their property. Sheryl and Nick began with describing how they met, their work with the New York Times, and memorable projects they have worked on. They shared about their previous books, and specifically about their newest project which focuses on the working class in the U.S..

Later in the interview Caroline described graduating during a pandemic, and how she chose to return to her family farm to run their wine and cider business. She spoke about the steep learning curve, and her excitement for their first cider harvest.

The Kristof family finished the interview with their ideas for the future of the farm, and the future of Oregon.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on April 1, 2021 at Kristof Farms in Yamhill.