Estate Vineyard

Nestled within the coastal range of the Southern Willamette Valley

  Explore our Willamette Valley vineyard

Our 870 acre estate features a 43 acre vineyard with 10.5 acres of Pinot gris vines, 3 acres of Chardonnay vines, and 26.5 acres of Pinot noir vines.  3 acres are in development which will increase our Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production.  All vines are grafted on phylloxera resistant rootstock. We have a number of different clone and rootstock combinations. Most are vinified separately then blended based on characteristics. Our most common rootstocks are 101-14, 3309C, 44-53, SO4 . The vineyard is Dry Farmed, and the vines are only irrigated in their first 2-3 years for establishment. The winter rainfall and soils that hold moisture well allow this.
We have a VSP (Vertically Shoot Positioned) trellis system.  Bud Break occurs the third week of April on average, with bloom usually starting the third or fourth week of June.  Most years, veraison will commence the third or fourth week of August, with harvest beginning in September and ending in October.

 

Soil types

  • Predominantly Bellpine, also Jory and Dupee (in Pinot Gris)
  • The Jory series consists of very deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from sedimentary and basic igneous bedrock.
  • The Bellpine series consists of moderately deep, well drained soils that formed in colluvium and residuum derived from sedimentary rocks.
  • These two are very similar in composition except the Jory soils are deeper.  Both have a reddish tint from the weathered iron compounds they contain.
  • Colluvium refers to material that accumulates at the bottom of a slope.
  • Residuum refers to material that is left behind as a deposit.  In our case deposited by the Missoula Floods when the entire region was covered in water.
  • The Dupee series consists of deep and very deep, somewhat poorly drained and moderately well drained soils that formed in clayey colluvium and residuum derived from sedimentary bedrock. These soils are in depressions and drainage ways on hills.

Sustainable farming practices

  • Extensive use of cover crops to build soil health and fertility.
  • Fungicide inputs carefully considered based on current efficacy date from OSU. Rotation between products to prevent resistance. Sprayer well maintained and calibrated for accuracy in application.
  • Alternate row mowing in order to always have blooming plants in the vineyard for beneficial insect and pollinator habitat.
  • Fertilizer inputs based on soil and plant tissue testing.
  • Ecological compensation areas between fields and on vineyard perimeter. Unmowed and unmaintained areas to provide habitat to beneficial insects, pollinators, ground nesting birds.
  • Canopy management to reduce disease pressure– hedging (trimming excessive shoot growth), leaf removal on East side of fruit zone, shoot positioning within the trellis. Light and airflow help prevent disease and improve fruit quality.