Andy discusses his hands-on learning journey, including harvests in New Zealand and Australia, working in Sonoma and Seattle, and spending time in Italy studying archaeology to understand early winemaking practices. He shares that these experiences shaped his perspective and led him to realize he didn’t need a formal degree to succeed in the wine industry.

Later in the interview, Andy talks about starting Goldback in 2016 after moving to Oregon, his work with Wine Collective, and balancing family with his career. He reflects on challenges he faced throughout his career while also emphasizing his passion for winemaking.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Goldback & Iruai Wine Room in Talent, Oregon on March 18, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

After deciding that wasn't her path and returning to the Rogue Valley with a desire to own some land and grow something, her dad's suggestion to try wine grapes launched her into a new career. She talks about her time honing her craft at RoxyAnn Winery under the mentorship of Sarah Powell.

Later, she discusses starting Red Lily, first getting vineyards planted and later starting to make her own wine. She talks about how the wines have evolved and how she values using the tasting room and surrounding space as a community hub. And she talks about the growth in the local wine industry and what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Red Lily Vineyards in Jacksonville on March 17, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Nichole talks about growing up in Florida and starting to work in insurance. After managing a call center, she became an adjuster, following storms across the country to help those affected settle insurance claims in the aftermath. At the suggestion of a colleague, she went to law school and spent a semester studying wine law abroad in Lyon, France.

Nichole discusses moving to Grants Pass with her husband and starting to visit local wineries to get to know the community. In 2012, she worked a harvest internship at Troon, where she met Herb Quady. Shortly after that first internship, she and Herb joined Brian Gruber to start Barrel 42 as a custom crush facility. Together, they took the business from an old pear packing plant to the onsite winery they have today.

Later in the interview, Nichole talks about how she keeps Barrel 42 organized, depending on a capable crew and scheduling everything on a whiteboard in order to maximize resources. She also talks about the effects of climate change and immigration policy on the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Quady North/Barrel 42 in Jacksonville on March 17, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Later, Herb talks about coming to Southern Oregon and working at Troon, and the growth of the Rogue Valley wine industry while he was a part of it. He then talks about the decision to start Quady North with his parents, his wife, and her parents all playing a major role.

He discusses the growth of Quady North, the custom crush operation Barrel 42, and his vineyard installation/management business as well. And he talks about the role he and his businesses have played in the growth of the local wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Quady North in Jacksonville on March 17, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Sara talks about first entering the wine industry from a sales point of view, working at the Harry & David bottle shop in Medford. Though initially she didn’t know much about fine wine, she worked with the wine buyer and her coworkers to learn more. Her career trajectory changed in 2015 when she started her first harvest with Quady North / Barrel 42.

Sara discusses her “happy accident” barrel of Cabernet that would become her first wine under the Circadian Cellars label. While continuing to work at Barrel 42, she slowly started to expand her own label as well, including lesser known varietals as well as more standard Southern Oregon varietals but with less common winemaking processes. After she felt she had a handle on the wine itself, she also started creating her own labels.

Later in the interview, Sara talks about the future of her own label and the wine industry at large. With an ever-changing industry and the people interested in drinking wine, she stresses the importance of being flexible and creating a product that customers really want. For her first wine club release, she will curate a collection “from the vault” for each member based on their individual taste.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Hummingbird Estate in Central Point on March 16, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Next, Dustin talks about a variety of internships he did, including being part of a team at Gallo that was crushing 350,000 tons of grapes in a single harvest. He then discusses coming to Naumes Crush and Fermentation as it was just getting started and the roles he has held while the business has grown. 

He also discusses a brief sojourn back to the Willamette Valley to work for Jackson Family Wines before returning to Naumes, as well as talking about his work as a custom crush winemaker for a large number of clients.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Naumes Crush and Fermentaion in Medford on March 16, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Dionne shares about growing up in Los Angeles county until high school, when her family moved to Brookings. Though she now realizes that she developed a fondness for Oregon at that time, she went back to California after graduation and started her real estate career. She met Doug when he came to her to purchase a house.

Doug talks about growing up on a ranch near Jacksonville and moving to Huntington Beach for high school. He went to college at UC Irvine and stayed in the area after graduation. He also played baseball growing up, and for a short stint in Australia.

Later in the interview, Doug and Dionne discuss moving back to Oregon to raise their daughters. Unbeknownst to them, they had purchased a site that was perfect for growing Burgundian varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After falling in love with wine in Europe, they wanted to begin planting vines in Ashland in 2007.

As they started to produce more wine, they moved winemaking operations to Quady North/Barrel 42, where Brian Gruber was part of the team. After the completion of the tasting room and winery building onsite, they hired Vince Vidrine to oversee winemaking. When he left to pursue wine elsewhere, Brian Gruber came on as their head winemaker once again, but this time in their own facility.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Ashland on March 16, 2026.

He then talks about his growing interest in wine, first as a consumer and then his desire to grow his own grapes and make his own wine. He talks about the decision to move to Oregon and the various places he has worked in the industry, including helping to found Barrel 42 and now making wine at Irvine & Roberts. He speaks about the growth of the industry, his own vineyard in the Rogue Valley, and what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Grants Pass on March 16, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Bryan talks about growing up interested in wine, and finding his way into the industry after attending the University of Oregon. He later talks about his coming-of-age work at Benzinger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, Calif., getting to be part of every process as the Benzinger brand was growing and taking off.

Later, he talks about coming to Oregon and various winemaking roles he held in the Rogue Valley before starting Cuckoo's Nest with his wife. He talks about learning how to make wine and the evolution he's seen in the industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Plaisance Ranch in Williams on March 15, 2026. Thank you to Joe and Suzi Ginet for hosting us and providing an audience for the interview!

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Cal describes his early life, including his time in the military and aerospace before earning a degree in business. He explains how his path eventually led him to working with land, building on property in Healdsburg with 35 acres, and later moving the business to Southern Oregon. Judy shares her background as well, explaining how she studied psychology and spent time in San Diego and Santa Rosa.

Together, they talk about their move to Grants Pass and how they developed their vineyard over time. They planted their first acres of grapes in the early 2000s and produced their first vintage in 2004, followed by their first bottled wine in 2006. As a family—run operation, they emphasize the role their children and grandchildren played in helping build and maintain their vineyard.

Later in the interview, Cal talks about starting new projects and his plans to grow the business through events and distribution. Judy reflects more on what the vineyard has brought to the community, emphasizing their goal of creating quality wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Schmidt Family Vineyards in Grants Pass on March 15, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Josh describes getting his start in wine at Weisinger Family Winery starting in the cellar, and later moving to King Estate where he took on responsibilities in the tasting room, wine club, and compliance. During this time, he also became interested in organic and biodynamic wines, which would later influence his business.

He talks about transitioning into the sales side of the industry, helping with wholesale in Salem and eventually woking distribution, including time in San Francisco and Los Angeles. 

Later in the interview, Josh talks about the personal challenges he faced during this time, including family hardships that led him away from his dream job, taking a break and then eventually leading him back to Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden as a national sales manager prior to the winery being sold a few years later.

Josh talks about founding Kimball’s Artisan Wines in Jacksonville, opening in 2019, and focusing on sourcing organic and biodynamically farmed wines. He emphasizes creating access to unique wines and building a sense of community, while intentionally keeping the business small and personal rather than expanding or moving online.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Kimball’s Artisan Wines in Jacksonville on March 15, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Carole talks about growing up in the Willamette Valley and finding a passion for working in value-added agriculture. She talks about her work at Willakenzie and Domaine Serene and traveling all over to sell Oregon wine.

Rob talks about coming out of the military and being interested in working with his hands and creating something. He speaks about his time at Domaine Serene and asking all the questions in order to make himself a better winemaker.

Later, the pair talk about their work with Folin Wines and now Ryan Rose, and about the types of wines they make as well as their work to sell those wines. They also talk about the Rogue Valley and how the wine industry has grown up.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Ryan Rose Wine tasting room in Central Point on March 14, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

John talks about beginning to enjoy wine in his 20s, noticing that wine could make an ordinary social situation into a more enjoyable and memorable one. Growing up on a farm between Stockton and Lodi, his neighbor grew his own grapes and made his own wine, which inspired John to think about the farming that goes into wine.

John discusses working as a teacher for 40 years and beginning to look for a wine region to retire in. Both he and his wife Sherry had visited southern Oregon, and after viewing property there they purchased what is now known as Celestina Vineyard in 2004. They began building a home on the site in 2006, planted vines in 2007, and had their first harvest in 2009.

Later in the interview, John talks about his short stint in winemaking before deciding that he preferred to just grow the grapes. He discusses what varietals they planted and why, and how they were affected by red blotch disease. He also talks about his work on the Rogue Valley Vintners Association and the Oregon Wine Board, spending time on both organizations’ research committees.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Celestina Vineyard in Medford on March 14, 2026.

Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!

Brian talks about attending Dartmouth College, where he studied religion, and how after graduating he had no clear idea what he wanted to do. He explains how his interest in food eventually led him to wine, as he became curious about what to pair with it, which used him to pursue wine more seriously.

He also discussed his early experiences in the wine industry, including working in tasting rooms, doing wine auctions, and getting hands-on exposure that helped him better understand the culture and business of wine. 

Later in the interview, Brian reflects on building Idiot’s Grace, his philosophy around farming and working with the land, and how he defines success in winemaking—not just through outcomes, but through the process and continual learning each vintage brings. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Idiot’s Grace Wines in Mosier, Oregon on March 11, 2026.

Kris talks about her early interest in environmental law, her work in GIS mapping and vineyard analysis, and how her understanding of climate and landscape shaped her approach to winemaking.

Steven discusses his upbringing in North Carolina, studying cultural geography at Montana State, and hoe travel and hands-on harvest experiences led him to pursue starting a winery.

Later in the interview, Kris talks about their move to New Zealand for harvest work, their eventual return to the U.S., and how they built Analemma from a small farm into a biodynamic vineyard with 13 grape varieties, focused on community, regenerative agriculture, and natural winemaking practices.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Analemma Wines on March 11, 2026.

Later he discusses his burgeoning interest in wine and wine grapes, working with his neighbors at Olsen Family Vineyards and going through the wine program at Chemeketa Community College. He then talks about his own Barakel Vineyard, and about deciding what to plant, how to farm, and where to sell the grapes.

He also discusses the growth he's seen in the Oregon wine industry and his plans for the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on March 5, 2026.

Jon talks about growing up in an Italian family with a long history of winemaking. Living in Ohio, his dad and grandpa would purchase grapes from California to make wine at home. Jon first carried on that tradition while living in Arizona.

Jon discusses moving to Oregon in 2006 when a job opportunity came up for his wife. After visiting earlier that year to purchase a house and go wine tasting, Jon was once again enraptured by the idea of making wine. The second tasting that trip was at Torii Mor Winery, where Jon introduced himself and asked for a job.

Later in the interview, Jon talks about learning commercial winemaking under Jacques Tardy, Torii Mor’s head winemaker. After a very intense first harvest in 2007, Jon quickly made his way up to assistant winemaker. He is very proud of the cohort of people who began their journey at Torii Mor, trained under Jacques and himself, and later went on to become great winemakers elsewhere. He finishes the interview with observations about the state of the wine industry currently and hope for the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on February 24, 2026.

He then talks about his education and internships, followed by his arrival in the United States. He discusses meeting with the owners and team at WillaKenzie Estate in Yamhill for the first time, starting work there as an enologist, and eventually being the head winemaker. He then talks about leaving to start his own brand, Clos Griotte, and how that has gone so far.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Clos Griotte in Amity on March 4, 2026.

Later, he talks about how Rack & Riddle came to be and its growth and accomplishments during his 20 years as co-leader. He speaks to the current state of the wine industry and what the years ahead might hold.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on March 3, 2026.

After that, Tyler discusses coming back to Oregon and working at Les Caves and in distribution before landing his current job with Galaxy. He talks about all the lessons and skills he has learned, about the work he's currently doing, and about what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on March 2, 2026.

Her introduction to Oregon was at the International Pinot Noir Celebration in 2015, and from there she sought to make her own wine label in Oregon. She discussed the steps to making that happen, how she learned about winemaking, and what it has been like to have her own wines to sell.

She also talks about the future for herself and for the Oregon wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on February 24, 2026.

Next, he discusses how his path wasn’t straightforward, describing how a road trip to California and a job at a tasting room introduced him more seriously to wine and led to opportunities like working harvest seasons. 

Dallas explains how his experiences traveling and working harvests in places like New Zealand and Australia helped him build skills and connections, eventually leading I’m to settle in Oregon and join the team at Abbey Road Farm.

Finally, Dallas talks about his future goals, including becoming more inlaid with vineyard work and containing to grow in the industry, with the long-term aim of becoming a head winemaker.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Abbey Road Farm in Carlton, Oregon on February 23, 2026.

Next, he discusses how his curiosity led him deeper into wine, becoming known as the “wine guy” and containing his studies in Arizona, where his interest in wine began to feel more like a potential career than just a side interest.

Trevor explains how his experiences in restaurants, retail, and distribution helped him build knowledge and connections, eventually leading him into wine education and involvement in the WSET program at Linfield University.

Finally, Trevor talks about his passion for wine as something complex an ever-evolving, as well as his goal to continue advancing in the field and give back through education while pursuing higher certifications like the Master of Wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville on February 19, 2026.

Darcy shares about growing up in Oregon and staying close by in Montana for college. After earning her degree in microbiology to work in healthcare, then later deciding that wasn’t for her, she moved back home and started Chemeketa’s new viticulture program.

Darcy talks about meeting Patrick McElligott there, who hired her at the Amity Vineyards tasting room and thus changed the trajectory of her career. When she met Myron Redford, he realized her potential and encouraged her to start working in the cellar.

Later in the interview, Darcy discusses her promotions from cellar master to assistant winemaker and eventually to winemaker, all at Amity Vineyards. She also started her own label, Tartan, and experimented with bigger bolder reds. Additionally, she spent 10 vintages overseas to continue her learning.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on February 16, 2026.

Next, she discusses her early life, explaining that she was born in the Bay Area but did not know much about wine when she was younger. She became interested in wine and viticulture later and decided to study wine business at Cal Poly. During college, she worked her first harvest in 2014, which helped her realize she wanted to shift toward winemaking rather than just the business side.

Brynn explains some of her early work experiences. Working part-time at August Ridge Cellar where she learned a lot about the industry, as well as completing an internship with Robert Craig, and after finishing school in 2017, traveling to New Zealand to work a harvest before moving to Oregon because of the nature of the state.

Finally, Brynn speaks about being accepted into a masters program. She shares that she wants to learn how to conduct research and continue developing her knowledge as much as she possibly can.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville on February 17, 2026.

Gabriel talks about learning to taste wine while working at Trader Joe’s and a few wine shops in California. By tasting wines from around the world, he was able to learn about each place. He affirms that both drinking wine and learning about wine are social and communal.

Gabriel discusses moving to Oregon to learn about winemaking after feeling burnt out on wine sales. Though he had a rough start in the industry, he finally felt things click working at Illahe Vineyards. During this time he also attended Chemeketa chemistry and winemaking courses.

Later in the interview, Gabriel talks about beginning to make wine at Scenic Valley Farms, which had been a client at Illahe. At Scenic Valley he is granted both the freedom to experiment with the wines and the tools and resources of the farm at large. Since this newest venture he has also joined the board at AHIVOY, which supports vineyard stewards in Oregon.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on February 9, 2026.

Later, he talks about his childhood memories of being in vineyards, and how he slowly started to work with the family business. He speaks of his time at Middlebury College and of the way he slowly learned more and more about winemaking as he wrapped up his education.

Boone also talks about the pride he feels being part of the industry and about how his role has evolved and progressed.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on February 12, 2026.

He then talks about coming to the United States for what he thought would be a short time, only to find himself wanting to stay in the American wine industry. He talks about work in both wine production and wine leadership, culminating in his role as Chief Operations Officers for Crimson Wine Group, which among other brands owns Archery Summit in Oregon.

Nicolas also speaks about the books he has authored, the work that went into his becoming a Master of Wine, and how the wine industry is dealing with recent issues. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Archery Summit in Dayton on February 11, 2026.

Next, he discusses his journey to Newport and Local Ocean Restaurant, starting as a bartender and working his way up to running the beverage program, including developing cocktails and focusing on technique and high-quality ingredients. 

Colt talks about his approach to creativity and collaboration, including working with different companies on branded wines, creating cocktail kits during COVID, and experimenting with new ideas that customers may not have experienced before. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Local Ocean Restaurant in Newport, Oregon on February 2, 2026.

Later he takes us through the places he has worked, including Champagne, England, and as a consulting winemaker in California. He talks about the challenges and successes of his career, and of finding his way back to his home state of Oregon.

He talks about his work with his longtime friend Andrew Riechers on various projects, including Oregon brands Audeant, Sacred Shores, and Archer, and about what he still hopes to accomplish in his winemaking career.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville on January 27, 2026.

Travis talks about being introduced to wine through Riesling while his dad was in the Air Force and his family lived in Germany. They later moved to Weston, OR near Pendleton, and Travis came to Linfield in 1990. The week before classes started, his roommate took him to Nick’s Italian Cafe to help clean up the kitchen. He ended up working there for the next 11 years.

Travis discusses his involvement with IPNC and how he ended up in the background of a very famous picture outside of Nick’s. During a dinner with dozens of influential winemakers sometime in the late 90s, everyone gathered outside the restaurant to take a picture, and Travis stood on a chair on the other side of the window to be included.

Later in the interview, Travis talks about going wine tasting at various local wineries on Thanksgiving and Memorial Day weekends to visit places that sold wine to Nick’s. It was through these tastings that he started working holiday weekends at Archery Summit and WillaKenzie, and for the last 27 years at Belle Pente Winery.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on January 26, 2026.

He then talks about his move to Oregon and his work for Results Partners, Lingua Franca, and a couple organic farms. He describes how much he learned about farming and viticulture, and about the skills he needed to develop quickly.

Later, he talks about joining Abbott Claim in 2025, how the work has gone so far, and what comes next. He also talks about how he evaluates a vineyard, and the work that goes into keep on top of the annual vineyard cycle.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Abbott Claim in Carlton on January 20, 2026.

Leyla talks about growing up familiar with wine and becoming more interested during college. After graduating, she went to Day Wines for a tasting and loved it so much she asked if they were hiring. She now acts as the general manager there, completing a variety of tasks depending on what is needed.

Ian discusses attending the University of Oregon to get a degree in Digital Arts with a minor in Business. He met Leyla while at college and eventually joined her at Day Wines during harvest. In addition to now working at Antica Terra, he works as a freelance graphic designer.

Later in the interview, Ian and Leyla talk about starting their own label together, Horse Devours. Thanks to Day Wines, they have connections to fruit growers and are able to utilize the winemaking facilities onsite. They also talk about the delayed gratification of starting to see their wines available in stores and restaurants.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Day Wines in Dundee on January 17, 2026.

1. Rameses III - For Jose Maria

2. Ben Bondy - 미안해 with Sunny

3. Purelink - Looked Me Right In The Eye

4. Susumu Yokota - Tears of a Poet

5. Woob - Amoeba

6. 吉村弘 - To-Ki-Me-Ki (Heart Beats)

7. Priori - Segue

8. Steve Jansen & Richard Barbieri - Light Years

9. Priori - Like It Shouldn't

10. blu - Dubmarine

11. Mister Water Wet, Memotone, Ben Bondy, AV Moves, Concave  - Hourglass

12. Saint Abdullah and Jason Nazary - Lost In Your Neck

13.  Woob - Pondlife

14. 吉村弘 - Hi-Mi-Tsu (Secret) (Prieto Mix)

15. Ben Bondy feat. Opheliaxz - XO Salt Llif3

——

This interview is with Phaedra Brucato of Optimum Volume Wines.

Phaedra talks about her background growing up in Seattle and Southern Oregon and moving around a lot. She discusses studying at Tufts University, earning her BA and BFA, living abroad in China, and originally wanting to pursue art. Phaedra also shares how living in Boston and working in fine dining led her to develop an interest in wine and wine training.

Phaedra discusses her path deeper into the wine industry, including moving back to the West Coast, working a harvest in 2015, and how hands-on experience helped her understand wine more fully. She talks about moving to Portland in 2016, working in sales and restaurants, relocating to Kansas to work in distribution centers in 2020, and eventually moving back to Seattle in 2022 where she became a wine director at a restaurant before coming back to Portland where she currently lives. 

Later in the interview, Phaedra talks about her work with Optimum Volume Wines, her side career as a DJ, and even shares a fun fact about playing ambient music during the grapes fermentation. She also shares her interest in collaborating with other creatives and getting more involved in art moving forward.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at a maker space in Portland on January 15, 2026.

Emily talks about her first job in hospitality at Pizza Hut in McMinnville. She immediately fell in love with the fast-paced energy of the job and the variety of people she met and worked with.

Emily discusses becoming the wine buyer for El Gaucho in Portland. From this experience she began to focus on food and wine rather than restaurants in general. She spent some time working in London and Seattle before moving back to McMinnville and opening Thistle.

Later in the interview, Emily talks about meeting Kari Shaughnessy of Mac Market, and working together to open Hayward. Originally, Emily worked to design service protocols for the employees, and later she took on wine buying responsibilities as well.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on October 14, 2025.

Taralyn and Cyler talk about their early lives and the paths that led them into wine, including Cyler’s background in agriculture, studying abroad, and working in tasting rooms, as well as Taralyn’s journey as a chemist and longtime teacher before transitioning into the wine industry full time.

Next, they discuss their journey as a couple, moving across different states, starting a family, and balancing work, education and winemaking before eventually settling in Oregon and purchasing their vineyard property.

Taralyn and Cyler talk about building Varnum Vineyards, opening their tasting room, experimenting with non-alcoholic wine, creating family-friendly products, and their goals for the future of the winery.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Varnum Vineyards in Amity on January 12, 2026.

Kevin and Heather talk about their journey into wine, including Kevin’s first time studying and traveling in Italy, Heather’s background in education, and counseling, and how both of them decided to leave their original careers to try something completely new together.

Next, they discuss building HeaVin Vineyard from the ground up, learning viticulture and winemaking along the way, managing harvests, producing their wines, and creating a tasting room experience that feels welcoming and fun for the community.

Kevin and Heather talk about their future plans for the vineyard, including expanding production, building a winery and distillery on their property, marketing their wines beyond just Oregon, and what excites them most about contuining to grow HeaVin.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at HeaVin Vineyard in Aumsville on January 14, 2026.

David talks about his background growing up in the Pacific Northwest, including being born in Eugene, Oregon, growing up in Tacoma, Washington,  before moving to Dundee, Oregon. He discusses his family, including his father being a mountaineer, spending much of his childhood outdoors, and how these experiences shape his connection to land and culture. David also talks about being an Indigenous tribal member and the importance of his cultural identity, traditions, and relationship to land. He discusses his work with his tribe, including working in cultural resource and later becoming a department manager. 

Next, David discusses his education and early career path. He talks about attending Lewis & Clarke College, being a rower, studying abroad in South Africa, and originally wanting to become a firefighter. He explains his time working seasonal fire jobs and how wine began as a side interest rather than a main career goal, also mentioning other experiences such as being a beekeeper. 

David also talks about his journey into winemaking. He explains how a trip to Georgia in 2019 was a turning point for him, inspiring his approach to wine and house wine traditions. David discusses the transition from making wine at hoe to producing wine commercially, using shared vineyard space. He reflects on the Oregon wine community being welcoming and expresses pride in being an Indigenous winemaker, hoping to see more Indigenous representation in the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on January 7, 2026.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on January 22, 2024.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ridgecrest Vineyard in Ribbon Ridge on July 28, 2021.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ridgecrest Vineyard in Ribbon Ridge on July 28, 2021.

Ryan talks about his early life growing up in Detroit, Michigan, where he developed interests in biology, animals, and aquarium science, which later influenced in his interest in wine. 

Next, Ryan discusses his education and career path, including attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, moving to Portland, Oregon and studying wine at Chemeketa Community College, transferring to Oregon State University, and completing the WSET coursework at Linfield University.

Ryan also talks about his first harvest experience in the Willamette Valley, the pandemic and how it caused him to move back to Michigan, interrupting an internship, and eventually moving back to Oregon for a job at Élevée. He now works as an assistant winemaker for Alloro Vineyard and at The Allison as a sommelier for Jory.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Alloro Vineyard in Sherwood, Oregon on January 6, 2026.

Mike shares about first becoming interested in wine through hospitality. While starting up software businesses, he would often go out to restaurants with clients or employers and drink wine.

Mike talks about this interest in wine leading him to start a wine database software to help others more easily find the wines they were looking for. What began as eVineyard.com later became wine.com, and what initially was a database of about 1,500 wines has now swelled to around 40,000 wines.

Later in the interview, Mike discusses becoming the CEO of Willamette Valley Vineyards. Through innovation and adapting to the current state of the industry, he hopes to improve Oregon’s claim over national wine markets both for WVV and for all Oregon brands.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Domaine Willamette in Dayton on December 16, 2025.

Ken talks about his time in the Air Force working as a mechanic, and about his time as a firefighter. Time in Germany shaped his palate, and he became excited about the potential of working with wine.

Later Ken talks about his winemaking education and his work at Cherry Hill, starting as an intern and ending as the head winemaker. He then talks about his retirement and what he's been up to after wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Zoom on December 17, 2025.

Nick talks about his educational and career journey, including growing up in Beaverton, Oregon, attending Linfield because he wanted a smaller school, playing tennis, studying abroad, and majoring in business and sports management. He explains how an introductory wine class and further coursework at Chemeketa Community College helped spark his interest in viticulture, leading him to earn his WSET Level 2 certification and pursue vineyard management.  

Next, Nick discusses his professional experiences, such as working part time in international programs, teaching English abroad in Spain, learning Spanish, and eventually returning to Oregon to work at Forest Hills Farms in HR and compliance. He also describes learning hands-on vineyard practices, and managing the growth and sale of grapes.

Nick also talks about his current work and interests, including continuing his work at Forest Hills Farms, using drones to scout the vineyard, selling grapes to different wineries, organizing a wine festival, and his excitement about the future of the wine industry.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on December 15, 2025.

Jerry talks about his early life and career, explaining that he originally worked in the sciences before moving to Arizona, where he worked various kitchen jobs. He describes how working wine dinners every few weeks helped spark his interest in wine, eventually leading him to move to Oregon and pursue winemaking as a balance between science and food. 

Next, Jerry discusses his education and early professional experiences. He shares that he is originally from Ohio, attended Ohio University, and was a track and field athlete who initially wanted to become a coach. He talks about attending graduate school and teaching anatomy before moving to New Orleans. 

Jerry also talks about his extensive winemaking journey, including working at Erath winery and traveling internationally for harvests in New Zealand and Germany. He explains working multiple vintages at Panther Creek, taking classes at Chemeketa Community College, and continuing to develop his skills through hands-on winemaking. Jerry now works as the winemaker and owner of project M, where he focuses on small-lot, owner-driven wines and constant experimentation. Jerry highlights how these experiences shaped his winemaking style and perspective.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on December 11, 2025.

Céline talks about being French-born and raised in Toulouse, France, where she studied biology, food science, and wine. She explains how she initially pursued wine analysis but found the work too practical, which led her to want to travel. After moving to London following her food science degree, she became involved in managing a wine exhibition.

Next, Céline discusses her career path after graduating, including traveling and internships before moving to California for work while her sisters lived close by in Oregon. She explains that she visited Oregon on weekends to see them, during which, she became more connected to the wine industry, met her husband, and eventually decided to move to Oregon permanently.

Céline also talks about her current work and future goals, including her involvement with the Oregon Wine Board, Fine Wine Circle PDX, and research connecting wine and artificial intelligence. She explains her interest in combining wine and AI—specifically carbon leap—and discusses both the opportunities and challenges of using the tool. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at  L’Echelle Bistro on December 10, 2025.

Bethany shares about getting her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Los Angeles, and how she go bit by the wine bug while there. While she grew up in Northern California, she traveled often to the Pacific Northwest and really loved the Portland area.

Bethany talks about moving to Portland and joining the wine industry in 2005, working in the tasting room at Domaine Serene. After a few years she decided she wanted to work in distribution, and in 2007 she also began helping with harvest work.

Later in the interview, Bethany discusses coming to Illahe Vineyards in 2009 to help with distribution, bring the tasting room plans into fruition, and take part in the harvest process. She talks about the importance of relationships and community in the industry, and how both help her to succeed.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Illahe Vineyards in Dallas, Oregon on December 9, 2025.

Nathan talks about spending his early 20’s working various jobs, including raft guiding in Colorado, before returning to school, he explains how attending the Chemeketa Community College wine program introduced him to winemaking through hands-on experience, such as working in tasting rooms and participating in harvests. 

Next, Nathan discusses his move to Salem and later Dallas, Oregon, and how his career progressed into a more permanent role in the wine industry. 

He explains becoming the assistant winemaker at the Illahe Vineyards in 2016 and talks about the challenges of producing between 6,000 and 25,000 cases of wine. Nathan shares that he enjoys problem-solving and lots of experimentation with wine. 

Nathan also discusses Illahe Vineyards’ commitment to traditional winemaking methods. He explains that Illahe is known for producing a wine without electricity or horsepower, instead of relying on horses, hand-hauling, and technology created before 1899. He talks about the Rainbow Mug policy, and Illahe’s goal of making high-quality wines that remain accessible at a reasonable price point.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Illahe Vineyards on December 9, 2025.

Ben talks about going to school for design and architecture in Durango, Colorado before moving to Salt Lake City, where he met Piper. They moved to Oregon in 2020 so Ben could go to University of Oregon for their architecture program and Piper could make wine.

Piper speaks about taking over the Privé brand in 2020 with oversight from the original owners. She emphasizes their focus on “old school Oregon winemaking” as the philosophy behind the brand, as well as putting her own influence on it.

Ben and Piper talk about finding the West Wind Vineyard which they purchased in 2021, and from which they started their own brand: Sealionne. They started pouring their wines for the public out of an Airstream trailer - remodeled by Ben - and their labels are designed each year by Ben’s sister. They strive to keep this label, fresh, bright, and acidic.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Privé Vineyard in Newberg on November 20, 2025.

Manuel talks about spending his 20s working in advertising and marketing, working for companies in Florida and later Oregon after moving there with his wife Leslie. They met while studying abroad in Spain, and Leslie was attending Linfield at the time.

Next, in his 30s, Manuel and Leslie lived in Grand Island and owned Veridian Farms. Manuel shared about taking boxes of produce and marketing materials to restaurants in Portland to encourage chefs to buy ingredients directly from their farm.

Manuel also discusses focusing on specialty foods and wine in his 40s. He started by becoming one of the few master carvers of Jamón Ibérico in the United States, and continued on to receive his Level 3 WSET certification and study winemaking at UC Davis. He worked at several different wineries during that time, including Domaine Drouhin, Cristom, Domaine Serene, and Abbott Claim.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on November 20, 2025.

Dave talks about going to school to study theology and education, and earning several degrees while he was there. After his journey to become a Jesuit priest was cut short, he became a high school teacher in California.

Sarah discusses growing up in Oregon and going to school to be a journalist. She also received her Master’s in Public Administration. She and Dave met on OkCupid and dated long distance for a year before he moved to Oregon.

Together, Dave and Sarah opened Ora et Labora (“Prayer and Work”) in December 2022. With people showing up for both a casual glass and Foundations wine classes, they were pleasantly surprised at how quickly the neighborhood embraced their business. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ora et Labora Wine Shop in Portland on November 19, 2025.

Jen talks about building a career through connection—moving from Kansas City to Oregon, working in testing rooms, managing events, and helping develop marketing and community programs. She shares about balancing career and motherhood, returning to Oregon in 2020, and ultimately becoming the general manager at Brooks, where she now oversees the winer’s full wine and spirits business.

Jen also discusses creating environments that bring people together, the importance of clam leadership (especially during COVID), and her work with organizations such as ¡Salud!, Women in Wine, and Wine Atlas Collective.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brooks Winery in Amity on November 12, 2025.

Geoff shares about growing up in Boise and attending the University of Idaho with intentions of becoming a doctor. That changed when he took a course in botany, and his professor encouraged him to find a career path he was more passionate about.

Geoff talks about being introduced to the viticulture industry and beginning a Master’s program, where he studied and published papers about an issue known as “berry shrivel.” Through these studies, he connected with many people in the industry and worked harvests in both Italy and Tasmania.

Geoff shares about being interested in the Oregon wine industry and coming to work at Adelsheim. After working at Chateau St. Michele and Erath, he joined the team at Argyle, first as the vineyard manager and now in operations for the entire winery. He also talks about his involvement in the AHIVOY organization.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Argyle Winery in Newberg on November 18, 2025.

Claudia shares about her years working in the beauty industry, helping her sister in the wine world, and eventually discovering her passion for wine. She discusses taking WSET courses, managing tasting rooms and wine clubs, and creating her “On Tour” tasting experiences.

She also reflects on her family influences, her love for cooking and travel, and her goals of taking wine education to older audiences and expanding internationally. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt through Zoom at Linfield University on November 11, 2025.

They share their story of moving from Pennsylvania to Oregon, despite having no prior familiarity with the state—where Ben gained hands-on experience through harvest jobs and Stephane continued her career at Intel, transitioning from research into quantitative computing. 

Stephanie and Ben talk about building Finite Cellars from the ground up, from naming the company to sourcing fruit, designing the label, and imagining a wine brand centered on bringing people closer together. They also discus logistics of starting a wine business while raising their children and balancing demanding careers with their long-term vision.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on November 3, 2025.

Lisa shares about her time living in Denver and later moving to Oregon — her first time living on the West Coast. After years of working in psychology and event work, she wanted a change and purchased a wine bar in Astoria. Lisa discusses her interest in creating a gathering place where people could connect over wine and conversation.

She also reflects on the learning curve of running a wine bar while recovering from foot surgery, and how travel and exposure to old-world wines deepened her appreciation for different wine styles.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brut Wine Bar in Astoria on October 20, 2025.

Last time we spoke to Thomas he was working at Anne Amie as the winemaker. He was just starting to make sparkling wine and he worked with Radiant to bottle it. 

Thomas talks about making the move to Michigan to make wine with Two Lads Winery to further his sparkling wine knowledge. 

In 2023, Thomas returned to Oregon to join Radiant Sparkling Wine. Bringing his wine journey full circle, he is now the general manager of the company.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Radiant in McMinnville on October 23, 2025.

Tiquette shares about her wine education and becoming a sommelier. In her class, she was most drawn to Oregon wines, and a mentor encouraged her to visit Oregon wine country.

Tiquette talks about coming to the Willamette Valley for the first time and a temporary visit turning into a permanent move. She worked at several different wineries in the valley and learned much from each of her mentors.

Later in the interview, Tiquette discusses starting her own wine label, Henderson Ave Wines. The label is named after the street her mom grew up on, and she hopes her wine encourages connection with a welcoming feel.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 15, 2025.

Jody shares about her family’s history of farming: her grandpa was an early wine pioneer in the Clarksburg region of California. Her parents started Bogle Family Vineyards in 1968, so she jokes that she never knew there was another career option outside of wine.

Jody talks about her family’s history with Linfield, how both her parents attended the school, and she her first time on campus for a basketball camp. She graduated with a degree in English and teaching credentials, and stayed in the Portland area to teach.

Later in the interview, Jody discusses moving back home to California and working with her family at the winery. After her dad passed away, the family came together to ensure the winery continued forward. Now, Jody works as the Vice President of Consumer Relations.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 9, 2025.

Jules shares about growing up in Newberg and working her first hospitality job at Jem 100, a classic diner in town. She loved working with people and “the instant gratification of a tip,” so she knew she wanted to stay in the industry.

Jules talks about moving to Hawaii and working at Kuleana Rum Shack starting in 2019. It was here that she learned to think outside the box when it comes to mixed drinks, like making classic cocktails with rum - or with Pinot Noir.

Jules shares about moving back to Oregon in 2020 and finally deciding to open her own business. This was the beginning of Harvest Moon, which started as a booth at a farmers’ market, turned into a food truck, and now resides in two brick and mortar locations.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 1, 2025.

Patrick was born and raised in Conneticut, where his parents owned a "classic American steakhouse." He was involved in the restaurant world early on, and in 2005 opened his own French restaurant in the Berkshires.

In 2008, he moved to Oregon and was hired at Willamette Valley Vineyards as their Sustainability Coordinator. It was during a trip to Portugal that he became fascinated with cork forests and the families that farmed them.

After starting a cork recycling program in the states, through which he worked with Whole Foods stores across the country, Patrick set his sights on a career focused on cork. He helped to start the nonprofit Cork Forest Alliance and was later hired by the Natural Cork Council out of California, where he still works today.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Libray at Linfield University in McMinnville on September 24, 2025.

Angela shares about growing up in the midwest and working in her family’s fine-dining Italian restaurant. She remembers wine being very special to her family, and her dad asking her opinion about wines brought by merchants. She also speaks to visiting family in Sicily and discovering how important wine was to that culture.

Angela talks about her various careers since high school, including buying wine for Cost Plus World Market, owning a yoga studio, working harvests in Sonoma, and acting as the wine director at Triple Creek Ranch in Montana. After planning to move back to Sonoma in 2020, wildfires caused her to spend some time on in Oregon instead, and she’s been here ever since.

Angela shares about beginning to work in marketing for wineries, and that leading her to open her own marketing agency, Fresh Take Creative. She speaks to the current challenges she sees in the wine industry as well as her hopes for the future, and she encourages wineries to pinpoint a unique point in their story that sets them apart from other labels.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Angela’s home in Amity on September 11, 2025.

Jack shares about growing up on a farm in northeast Nebraska, attending a one-room schoolhouse until high school, and then leaving home to join the Air Force. In 1968, Jack and his wife moved so he could attend the University of Hawaii, where he worked for a bookstore and started a hobby farm in their backyard.

Jack talks about moving back to Oregon in 1973, purchasing a farm in McMinnville, and hearing about “the vineyard up the hill.” After meeting the four owners of Hyland Orchard, as it was known originally, Jack became the vineyard manager on January 3, 1976.

Jack shares the early days of the Oregon wine industry, including working with other pioneers to prune and trellis the vineyard, attending monthly meetings at the Tigard Fire Hall, and digging up one of the first vines known to be infected with phylloxera. Jack was president of the company at the time of the sale in 2007.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Jack’s home in Newberg on September 10, 2025.

Michael shares about growing up in Detroit before moving to the west coast as an adult. He worked many years as a CPA and later with mergers and acquisitions, both in Portland and San Francisco. It was in SF that he joined a wine tasting group and his interest was sparked.

Michael talks about starting to work for another importer and beginning to travel to Europe to meet producers. When he felt like it was time to start his own business, Vin de Garde (“cellar-worthy”) was born. He speaks to the differences between US and European producers and the importance of knowing who you’re working with.

Later in the interview, Michael shares what he sees for the future of the wine industry, both locally and internationally. He sees that many people now purchase wine online rather than in bottle shops and how that shift is changing the game for importers.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Michael's home in Portland on August 26, 2025.

Mike, Mary Ann, and Meara McNally share about moving to Oregon in 2005 in search of a new project. Mary Ann had studied wine at Grayson College in Texas, and she had visited Oregon several times to see family and taste wine.

The family talks about the process of bringing the vineyard online, building their family home, and later starting to make wine from their estate fruit. In 2016, they opened their new tasting room and welcomed the public. Their brand, Fairsing, means “bountiful” or “wide vista” in the Irish language.

Later in the interview, Mike, Mary Ann, and Meara talk about their various hobbies including gardening, beekeeping, and Irish dancing. They also talk about their work with various sustainability projects and Mike’s work with the Willamette Valley Wine Foundation.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Fairsing Vineyard in Yamhill on August 25, 2025.

Anna shares about her first career in photo journalism and videography, in which she took pictures and videos of events in her hometown. She was also a concert promoter, taking that media and using it to spread the word about which bands were coming to town.

After her friend opened a wine bar, she started working there and even  managed it for several years, allowing her to taste wine from all over the world. She was hooked, and in 2019 she moved to New Zealand to work at a winery called Huia.

Later in the interview, Anna talks about moving back to the States right before NZ shut down in 2020 and coming to Oregon shortly thereafter to work at Johan Vineyards. She also worked at Sequitur before finally landing at Granville. She speaks to the various learning experiences she has had at each vineyard, and the importance of sharing that winery’s story.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Granville Wine Co. in Dundee on August 20, 2025.

Eric shares about his introduction to the wine industry when a friend asked him to join the harvest crew at Keeler in 2017. After this, he worked another harvest at Duke’s and at Andante. Around that time, Eric was also attending Oregon State to study earth science and oceanography.

Later in the interview, Eric discusses his more recent cellar job at Left Coast and what it was like to work in the cellar full-time rather than just during harvest. He also talks about his passion for the rehabilitation of the oak savannah ecosystem, which Left Coast devotes a portion of their land to.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Erratic Rock State Park in McMinnville on August 19, 2025.

Before wine, L.J. worked in the fitness industry in operations and marketing, and Blair worked as a security fraud lawyer. They started becoming interested in wine as an alternative to other alcohols, and soon began traveling internationally to taste and learn more.

After starting a backyard vineyard in San Diego, Blair and L.J. came to IPNC to experience the Willamette Valley. They quickly fell in love with the area and decided to invest in a vineyard.

Later in the interview, Blair and L.J. talk about the process of taking over what is now the LucidWild Estate, what went into designing the new tasting room and all its unique spaces, and what they hope guests take away from their experience.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at LucidWild in Dundee on August 19, 2025.

Nick and Dana met in high school, went to college together, and then moved from office life into the wine industry. Dana had joined an amateur winemaking club with the desire to make a physical product that she could share with people. Her parents already owned a vineyard, which she managed in exchange for the fruit. After going back to school through Chemeketa to learn more about winemaking, she and her husband started their winemaking operation in her parents’ garage.

Nick grew up in wine country, living across the street from the Ponzis. When Dana started to develop an interest in winemaking, he also expressed a desire to join the industry. He talks about discovering a love for the Carménère varietal and helping to source fruit from Eastern Washington. He also designed their tasting room and production space that now sits on Dana’s family vineyard.

Later in the interview, Nick and Dana talk about their newest project, Blizzard Ridge, and the planning that goes into planting a vineyard. They also share about the future of their sparkling wine program.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Blizzard Wines in Hillsboro on August 18, 2025.

Megan speaks about her life growing up and her college experience in Montreal. She then describes how she came to Oregon and how the idea for Daughter's began to take shape.

Later, she talks about the space, the events, and the wines/people she is working with. She speaks about the unique challenges of Gearhart and about what the future might hold for her and her shop.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 13, 2025 at Daughter's Wine Shop in Gearhart.

Nicholas shares about growing up in Kirkland, Washington, where his family owned an Italian restaurant. When he started working at the restaurant in the early 2000s, wine was starting to boom in the Pacific Northwest, and he had to know about wine in order to better serve guests.

While originally he was more interested in beer, Nicholas and his mom took a course with the Court of Master Sommeliers to understand more about wine. Many of his friends in the area worked in wine, so he joined a harvest at Betz Family Winery in 2015. After that, he worked harvests in New Zealand, California, Chile, and finally Burgundy before coming back to Washington.

Later in the interview, Nicholas talks about moving to Oregon as the wine scene seemed more “punk rock.” While working at Limited Addition, he started his own wine experiments that would later set the stage for his label. In 2024, he released his first vintage of Secus (which means “to the contrary”) Wines which included a Riesling and a Syrah.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on August 15, 2025.

Rob shares about working for a semiconductor company both in the states and later in Australia. He first moved to Sydney in 1990 and would take weekend trips to the Hunter Valley wine region. After studying wine marketing at the University of Adelaide, he returned stateside to find a job in wine.

While working with a distributor to adapt their computer programs to automate warehouse functions, Rob met many people from Oregon who were excited about wine. He traveled to Oregon in 1999 for IPNC and quickly fell in love with the wine region.

Later in the interview, Rob talks about moving to Oregon and starting his first job at Domaine Serene in 2001. He left in 2005 to start his own business, a wine brokerage called Northwest Core Collective, and held a few other positions in the industry before starting at Adelsheim in May 2020.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Adelsheim Vineyard in Newberg on August 14, 2025.

Lydia shares about growing up in Tumalo, Oregon, and starting a career in accounting. After an initial interest in wine, she took a WSET class with Linfield in 2020 in order to learn more. This expanded her palette and encouraged her to try many new wines.

Later in the interview, Lydia talks about her excitement to both learn about wine and help educate others on what she was learning. After quitting her accounting job, she started working in a wine shop in Redmond before opening her own storefront.

Lydia opened Beyond the Vine in November 2023, where she focused on making wine fun and approachable. She has a limited inventory so that she can change her menu regularly and continually introduce even regulars to plenty of new and interesting wines.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Beyond the Vine in Redmond on August 11, 2025.

Luisa shares about what it was like to grow up in the early Oregon wine industry, making friends with other kids in wine families and others not really understanding what her family did. Though she originally went to school for biology to enter the medical field, she graduated with a degree in English Literature.

In 1991, Luisa returned to her family’s winery to help with harvest, and this put her directly back onto the wine industry path. After studying wine in France - and discovering a lot of sexism towards women working in wine - she returned to her family’s estate to take over winemaking duties from her father.

Later in the interview, Luisa talks about selling the Ponzi brand and starting her own label. She and her husband, Eric Hamacher, started a project called Winery Lane Collective, which is a shared winemaking and tasting room space. She speaks to her family’s focus on quality over everything else, and her pride in how her family has grown over the years.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Winery Lane Collective in Beaverton on August 8, 2025.

He then talks about the Oregon part of his career, after 40 years working for the Jadot family in Burgundy. He speaks on how Jadot found and acquired Résonance and how the project has gone so far. And he talks about the potential of the wines from the site and from Oregon.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 31, 2025 at Résonance in Carlton.

Bailey shares about growing up in Colorado and attending the University of Colorado in Boulder to get a degree in finance and accounting. Shortly after, he moved to Philadelphia and worked in bank regulatory compliance for 20 years. It was in Philadelphia that he met his husband, Jerry, after joining a swim league.

Bailey was introduced to wine by a sommelier friend, and he and Jerry focused many of their vacations around which wine regions they wanted to visit and learn about. Though they both worked office jobs in Philadelphia, they dreamed of moving to Oregon and joining the wine industry.

Later in the interview, Bailey talks about finally moving to Oregon after his husband passed away. While he wasn’t looking for a vineyard property, his real estate agent showed him the Proteus Wines property, and he fell in love. He got straight to work developing a 4-year plan to expand and boost the brand. He also created a wine to honor his late husband and donates the proceeds from that wine to epilepsy research.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Proteus Wines in Newberg on August 7, 2025.

Michael shares about growing up in Montana on his family’s 6,000 acre farm. In 1998 he moved to the west coast, where he spent 11 years working at a San Francisco restaurant called The Cove. When the owners opened another restaurant, this one a fine-dining establishment, he found himself learning to take wine more seriously.

After learning about restaurants from the service and management side, Michael opened his own restaurant in Portland called Il Terrazzo. He speaks to developing a wine list that balances what customers want with which wines he was interested in at the time, as well as making adjustments during the pandemic.

Later in the interview, Michael talks about the importance of community, especially in the wine industry. He shares stories of connecting with people who share similar backgrounds and passions. He also speaks about his involvement in Oregon’s Queer Wine Fest and the most recent Oregon Pinot Camp.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bethany’s Table in Portland on August 5, 2025.

Mike shares about growing up in Chicago while his dad worked as a biomedical engineer. This led to an interest in biotech engineering, which was his focus in college. After helping to develop a program to detect cancer cells, he started his own custom programming and database company before joining the team at Amazon in the early 2000s.

Later in the interview, Mike talks about starting a wine company with his daughter after purchasing a vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. Before starting an official winery, he had been making experimental wine in his garage. He was fascinated by the process of grape growing and wine making and all the factors that can influence the final product.

In both the tech and wine worlds, Mike speaks to the importance of building relationships in business. While he loves his work and the intricacies of wine, he speaks about being most proud of his kids and the relationships he has developed with the people around him.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on August 1, 2025.

Lauren shares about growing up in central California in an agricultural region, and how it was always part of her life. She moved to Oregon to attend Oregon State University, get out of California, and get away from agricultural work. Instead, she started in the food science program.

While she was initially interested in beer, she later became fascinated by wine and its intricacies, working with Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino in the science labs. In the fall of 2018, Lauren completed her first commercial harvest with Willamette Valley Vineyards, and she was hooked.

Later in the interview, Lauren talks about her transition to Bergström Wines after being hired as their enologist. Here, she took the jump into learning more about cellar work. She also talks about the unique aspect of community and collaboration in the Oregon wine industry, and how she values having friends both in and out of the industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bergström Wines in Dundee on July 31, 2025.

Terry speaks about the many places he's worked and wines he has produced, and the multitude of wines and vineyards he gets to interact with now. He talks about the challenges of making good wine at scale and about how the Oregon wine industry has evolved. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner on July 30, 2025.

Jean-Michel shares about growing up in the Loire Valley in France and how wine has always been a constant in his life. He then goes on to share how he did not intend to become a winemaker, until he fell in love with the process and product.

Later in the interview, Jean-Michel talks about his wine education and travels. He then goes on to share some of his views and practices when it comes to making sparkling wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at The Dundee Hotel in Dundee on July 25, 2025.

Jenna shares about her childhood and the many impactful people and milestones that led her to where she is today. She dives into her journey with hospitality and how that has always been a throughline in her career.

Later in the interview, Jenna talks about how she found herself getting involved with wine. She then goes on to share about her return to Oregon. Jenna also talks about her new business endeavors and what she is excited for in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at The Dundee Hotel in Dundee on July 25, 2025.

Randall talks about growing up in Detroit and how he found his first opportunity with wine with the help of his grandmother. He goes on to discuss his wine related travels to Norway and eventually California.

Later in the interview, Randall reflects on his entry into the industry and what he wants to build for those who wish to follow a similar path. He also talks about his future plans and hopes regarding his own wine label. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Laurelhurst Park in Portland on July 24 and August 5, 2025.

William shares about growing up in Boston and his travels during college. He delves into discovering a passion for wine through its connection to hospitality and the French language. He then goes on to talk about his time spent in France and the many impacts and memories he took away from his time there.

Later in the interview, William shares about his move to Oregon. He goes on to share about his hopes for the valley and himself.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Lingua Franca in Hopewell on July 23, 2025.

Vincent shares about his childhood and the different influences his family and heritage had on both his passions and career choices. He dives into his entry into the Oregon wine industry and the many mentors and memories he has regarding his harvests. 

Later in the interview, Vincent talks about how he came to find himself at Durant. He then shares about his current role and what he aspires to do in the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Durant Vineyards in Dayton on July 22, 2025.

Krista discusses her upbringing and how her parents' passion for wine influenced her. She goes on to share about attaining her undergrad from Willamette University and then her decision to move to Colorado for a graduate program. 

Later in the interview, Krista shares about her journey back to Oregon and finding a place at Bryn Mawr. Krista then dives into the many projects she is working on and is excited to roll out. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bryn Mawr Vineyards in Salem on July 21, 2025.

David shares about growing up in San Diego and his first impressions of Oregon wine when his parents bought Bryn Mawr Vineyards. He goes on to talk about working his first harvest at Bryn Mawr and how he truly found a passion for the vines and cellar work. 

Later in the interview, David talks about being part of his family’s business. He then dives into what his current role is and what his hopes for both Oregon and himself are for the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Bryn Mawr Vineyards in Salem on July 21, 2025.

Junichi shares about growing up and his first career that was not in wine. He then goes on to talk about attending UC Davis and how the people he met and education he received shaped his wine journey. 

Later in the interview, Junichi talks about the different harvests he worked and how he was inspired by the concept of using his own hands to tend to a vineyard. Junichi then shares about his process in finding and planting his own vineyard. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Junichi’s home in McMinnville on July 15, 2025.

Lucia shares about growing up around her father’s company, Lemma Wine Company. She then dives into the many lessons she learned from her parents and siblings. She goes on to talk about her own journey through the Oregon wine industry. 

Later in the interview, Lucia shares about her different roles in the Oregon wine industry and how she came to find her current position. Lucia also leaves us with some of her hopes for both the industry and her own future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Lucia’s home in Gaston on July 17, 2025.

Joe dives into his journey with wine and how his passion was solidified with a harvest spent in Germany. He goes on to talk about his early wine career in Oregon and how his entrepreneurial spirit led him to create different businesses and brands.

Later in the interview, Joe reflects on the forty years he has spent in the Oregon wine industry. He talks about things he learned and his hopes for the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Orchard House Estate in Salem on July 14, 2025.

During school, Jared spent a semester abroad at Lincoln University, where he saw a more complete “grape to bottle” experience of winemaking. His first wine job after college was at 12th & Maple in Dundee, after which he returned to Australia for a harvest in the southern hemisphere.

After an additional harvest in California, he set his sights on New Zealand. Here, he worked at two different wineries, extending his working visa to stay for several years, and meeting his future wife in the process. Once again, he added more hands-on experience to his rapidly increasing wine knowledge.

In 2019, Jared and his wife moved back to the States to work in Oregon wineries and start a family. During this time, he worked for Willamette Cross Flow, Jackson Family Wines, Failla Oregon, and Yamhill Valley Vineyards before eventually finding a position at Résonance, where he currently works.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Résonance in Carlton on July 10, 2025.

Later, he speaks about opening Mt. Tabor Fine Wines in Portland as his second career, and about building a wine inventory and customer base. He speaks about Oregon wine and its growth and talks about some of his favorite memories from working in the industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 10, 2025 at the Nicholson Library at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Peter was first introduced to wine while studying abroad in Scotland, where colleagues invited him to a wine and cheese club. It was there that the curiosity and passion for wine started. After working as a house painter and a high school English teacher, he took the leap and moved from his home in Vermont to California to work harvest.

After a couple more harvest experiences, Peter studied at Lincoln University in New Zealand to better understand the farming behind vineyard work. Here, he learned how to make the most of the land, workforce, technology, capital, and “know-how.” Working in a vineyard shortly after helped to fill in that knowledge with practical experience.

With exposure to harvest in both the northern and southern hemispheres, Peter found his way back to Oregon wine country, where he appreciated that he could work in both the vineyard and the cellar. He speaks to his various wine jobs once settling in Oregon, how he as a team leader can affect work culture, and how the camaraderie of farmers benefits everyone.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in the Nicholson Library on July 8, 2025.

Later, Alex speaks about the injury that took him out of the industry, what he's been working on since, and his thoughts on getting back into wine. He also dives into his music career and what might be next for that as well.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 9, 2025 at Alex's home in Rhodedendron.

Chris talks about his extensive winemaking experience and eventually coming to southern Oregon as a winemaker and instructor. Afton and Andrew talk about how they met and began their wine endeavor, and Afton tells of taking classes with Chris and eventually inviting him to join the team as the winemaker.

The trio also talk about the vineyard and the wines made so far, about the nearly completed winery/tasting room, and about what the future holds.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 2, 2025 at Apona Vineyards in Veneta.

After initially releasing their wines into the world, they focused on building a wine club starting with family and friends. They also showcased their wines at Winter's Hill, which doubles as their production space, and focused on educating guests about the importance of sparkling wine in the Willamette Valley.

The biggest change since our first interview was the purchase of the new vineyard site in Amity, recommended to them by Jessica Cortell. Originally a logging site, they bought it in 2022 and started prepping it for planting. They speak about the need for both a vineyard and a tasting room on the property, as well as the permaculture and sustainability initiatives they have been working towards.

Looking ahead to the end of July, they speak about their work in helping to start Method Oregon, an event focusing on Willamette Valley traditional method sparkling wines. They collaborated with Andy Lytle to create the event and Jim Bernau to host the event. They stress the significance of having both an educational component as well as the more traditional grand tasting, showcasing 22 producers and helping participants to view the Willamette Valley as a premier destination for sparkling wines.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Corollary Wines in Amity on July 7, 2025.

Later they talk about coming to Oregon and starting their brand. Debbie also speaks about her acting career, and the pair discuss selling wine and what the future looks like.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 1, 2025 at the Marr's home in Sherwood.

Lukas dives into his childhood and how he decided to pursue wine while at University in Australia. He shares about his family’s connection to having a vineyard and how this connection and the memories associated with family, vineyards, and wine likely influenced him. 

Later in the interview he talks about the different places he has worked and traveled to. He then dives into how he found himself working a harvest in the Willamette Valley and what made him decide to stay. He then goes on to talk about the current project he is working on with Marco Prete. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Wines of Kings in Portland on June 27, 2025.

Kevin got into wine through food while living in Madison, Wisc., and once he was hooked pursued it passionately. Once he came to Portland, he found his way to Liner & Elsen in the early 2000s. Sam first worked in wine at the Portland Airport before starting at L&E in the 2010s. And Rae worked first in distribution before she and Sam were married.

When the shop was available for purchase in 2022, the group worked together to figure out how to buy it, and then how to keep the important legacy while also helping it evolve to meet a new generation of wine drinkers. They talk about all of this, as well as what the future holds.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Liner & Elsen in Portland on June 30, 2025.

Marco dives into growing up with wine at the table for meals and how a bottle was always shared amongst family alongside delicious food. He shares how this sparked his fascination and his early travels through Italy meeting different iconic wine makers. 

Later in the interview, Marco talks about moving to the United States and eventually finding Oregon. He then dives into his current projects related to botrytis, Riesling, and a whole new type of alcohol fusion that he is playing with. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Wines of Kings in Portland on June 27, 2025.

John shares about growing up in California and his early curiosity regarding winemaking. He then dives into an impactful experience he had during his senior year at Berkley that solidified his passion for wine. He goes on to talk about working his first harvest after graduating college. 

Later in the interview, John shares about working in the California wine industry until his sabbatical in 2022. He then shares how he found himself in Oregon making wine and how he is excited for the coming vintages.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Seven Springs Vineyard in Salem on June 26, 2025.

Jess shares about growing up in rural Washington and how his upbringing influenced his career path. He then dives into how he found himself going to law school after he discovered that he enjoyed helping people, especially those in agriculture, solve problems.

Later in the interview, Jess talks about how he found himself becoming involved in the Oregon wine industry. He also shares about some of the important deals, mergers, and laws he has been a part of. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Portland on June 25, 2025.

Julia shares about growing up in Hong Kong and how she was first introduced to wine while at a food and wine festival in Hong Kong. She dives into her immediate passion regarding Ice Wine and how her passion led her to taste around Oregon when she came to the States for college. 

Later in the interview, Julia talks about transitioning from working at Oregon State University to working at Corazón and Cho Wines. She also shares her hopes of continuing to learn about wine and working towards becoming a certified sommelier.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 25, 2025 at Cho Wines in Hillsboro.

Colin talks about growing up and not discovering the path of wine until he was in college talking with a friend. He goes on to share about his studies and adventures abroad in Australia and how he falled further in love with wine while there. 

Later in the interview, Colin talks about coming to Oregon and eventually landing at Sequitur. He then shares about the many different hats and jobs he carries at Sequitur. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Sequitur in Newberg on June 24, 2025.

Later in the interview, Ashley walks provides the perfect recipe for a great hospitality experience, with the throughline being a strong commitment to quality. Ashley speaks of the many mentors and colleagues that have aided in her ability to not only foster, but also work within a successful work culture that strives to inspire and empower one another with the goal of providing a memorable experience that forges connections with guests. 

 This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University Library in McMinnville on June 23, 2025.

Mike talks about growing up in the suburbs of Chicago and how his childhood was reminiscent of the film “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.” He goes on to share how he balanced his dream of becoming part of a rock-pop band with earning money and building a career in wine. 

Later in the interview, Mike speaks on how he fell in love with all things wine, education, and Oregon. He dives into the different opportunities and jobs he has held and what he is looking forward to in his future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Adelsheim Vineyards in Newberg on June 18, 2025.

Later in the interview, Michael recalls the great lineage of mentors that have helped him explore all that the hospitality and wine industry have to offer. An accumulation of job titles and life experiences has allowed Michael to understand how a meaningful career can be used to provide a better quality of life for others working around him. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Adelsheim Vineyard in Newberg on June 18, 2025.

Lawrence talks about growing up in London and how his interest was spurred while he was in Spain. He dives into the different challenges his first couple of wine interviews in Spain posed and how he learned and overcame those minor difficulties.  

Later in the interview Lawrence speaks about his interest in Oregon wine and what his different trips to the United States and Oregon have entailed. Before he leaves, Lawrence shares his hopes for the Oregon wine industry and his own hopes of writing a novel. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University Library in McMinnville on June 17, 2025.

Later in the interview, Brenna discusses her journey into the world of wine, as she reflects on the various crash courses that have allowed her to expand and refine her pallet. She also reflects on the true beauty of Oregon wine country, and the wonderful community that has grown alongside it, all with the common goal of applying sustainability to its daily practices. 

When building a wine list, Brenna is eager to expand her knowledge by getting onto vineyard sites more frequently and diving deeper into wine practices. Her goal being to continue providing a platform for diverse and underrepresented backgrounds within the wine community. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University Library in McMinnville on June 17, 2025.

Growing up in Texas, Randy wasn’t exposed to a lot of wines, but after visiting Oregon and working at a vineyard in France, he knew that he wanted to be more involved with wine. Maintaining the vineyard at Vitae Springs has allowed Randy to create a space that focuses on regenerative agriculture and doing things by hand. 

Randy also touches on his new wine brand, Cynic, where he aims to create natural wines. He also discusses the future of Oregon wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt  at Vitae Springs in Salem on June 16, 2025.

Danny talks about growing up in Perth, Australia, before moving to Russia, then Portland in the United States. Here, he found a love for the restaurant industry, food, and wine. Danny’s career started at Higgins, before working at places like Le Pigeon and Paley’s Place.  

Then, Danny got involved with Flor Wines, a place that has evolved into a space for community and wine. He talks about his work at Flor Wines, along with his work at Maurice and Ringside Steakhouse. 
 
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Flor Wines in Portland on June 13, 2025.

Jessica shares about growing up and the impact her mother had on her work ethic. Jessica dives into sharing about working in restaurants and how she found herself building a resume before she even graduated high school. 

Later in the interview, Jessica talks about making her journey to Oregon and how she eventually found herself working at the Northwest Wine Company. She also shares about her many passions regarding wine, education, and storytelling. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 10, 2025 in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University.

Tyson talks about growing up in Oregon and starting to make wines with his dad, who took copious notes about the process. He discusses his background as an artist and graphic designer, creating feature-length films and comics. 

Then, Tyson talks about taking the leap to making wines and the experience of releasing his first vintage. He also talks about the differences between his artistic and winemaking practices and the future of Copious Cellars. 
 
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ricochet Wines in McMinnville on June 12, 2025.

Later, she talks about resurrecting the Tior brand name, which has been in her family since the late 1970s. She talks about the importance of selling wine on a retail level and looks ahead to how she hopes the brand will grow.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 11, 2025 in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University.

Caryn shares about the many hats that she has worn over her career and how valuable these roles have been in allowing her to better understand all facets of the industry from producer, consumer, and distributor. 

Later in the interview, Caryn shares the tactics she uses to keep consumers curious and the ways that she continues to educate her audience about wine. She also shares prospective avenues of experience from working closer with individual wineries and working harvest. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University on June 5, 2025.

Eric shares about his childhood and growing up in Tigard. He goes on to talk about his path to both finding and learning wine as a young adult. 

Later in the interview, Eric dives into his journey in creating Sec Wines and the different challenges he faced. He also shares some of his fondest memories and what he hopes for regarding both his brand and Oregon wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Eric’s home in Portland on June 9, 2025.

Beatrice shares about her time growing up on a farm in Northern California and the impact this experience had on her. She goes on to share about cornerstone events that influenced her journey and views regarding wine. 

Later in the interview, Beatrice dives into her move to Portland and how she found herself working a harvest. She also shares some of her hopes and plans for the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Hip Chicks do WIne in Portland on June 6, 2025.

Reuben shares about his childhood and growing up in Minnesota with three moms. He dives into funny memories of him cooking in the kitchen and the influential moments that led him to where he is today. Reuben then speaks about going to college at Lewis and Clark and his journey to become a chef.

Later in the interview, Reuben talks about why he shifted from the kitchen to the vineyard. He then shares about different harvests and their influence on his current project Amiti. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Dave Wards’ Vineyard in Canby on June 4, 2025.

Michael talks about growing up in California and his college experience, which nurtured his love for the restaurant and wine industry. He talks about his affinity for wine and the people and places that drew him to Portland. 

Then, Michael talks about acquiring a wine shop, which was eventually renamed to Taborly Wines. He discusses the Oregon spirit, what he likes to put on the shelf, and the beauty of small communities. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Taborly Wines in Portland on May 29, 2025.

Alex shares about his childhood and growing up in Maine. He dives into growing up around his parents’ bar and how these memories still influence him today. He then goes on to talk about going to college and his subsequent travels. 

Later in the interview, Alex talks about catching the wine bug and goes on to share some of his first memories and impressions of Portland. He then talks about his journey to finding his current roles at PDX Wines 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Tulip Shop Tavern in Portland on June 3, 2025.

Anne shares about her childhood in California and how she fell in love with sailing early in her life. She dives into her time spent at a maritime academy and her different jobs associated with sailing.

Later in the interview, Anne talks about her connection to Oregon and how she found a property through the Oregonian. She then shares about her path in learning about wine and the short period where she made some. Finally, Anne leaves us with some of her hopes for both the industry and herself. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Hess Creek Vineyard in Dundee on May 22, 2025.

Clive discusses his upbringing and the pursuit of a degree in philosophy, which led him to a career in higher education. He then delves into his 18-year career in higher education, highlighting some of his proudest moments.

Later in the interview, Clive shares about his relationship with wine and his evolving passion for wine blogging. He goes on to talk about how this blogging eventually turned into an opportunity at Decanter and what his current role looks like. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on May 14, 2025.

Rose dives into her time growing up in Napa Valley, California, and all the happy accidents that led her to wine. She goes on to share her college experience at UC Davis and the different memories she has from her college days.

Later in the interview, Rose goes on to talk about coming to Oregon and how she found a family in the Oregon wine industry. Rose also shares her excitement regarding her new position with the Revavana portfolio. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Alexana Estate in Newberg on May 5, 2025.

After moving to the east coast pursuing a music career, Jordan found himself working on the White House advance team, supporting events for a variety of politicians beginning with First Lady Laura Bush. He describes the adrenaline rush and excitement of working on events like these and shares stories from this part of his life.

Seeking a change in career, he talks about enrolling at Walla Walla Community College and studying enology, followed by working at a variety of wineries in the Walla Walla area. Finally, he talks about the idea of starting Open Soul - the ethos, logistics, and planning of a new wine brand, as well as how it has gone so far.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Boundary Social Club in Portland on April 23, 2025.

Layne dives into his early life in Los Angeles, California and how he eventually found himself serving in the U.S. Navy. He then talks about going to college and finding wine. Layne goes on to share about living in Oregon and his time and memories associated with selling the wines of the early wine pioneers of Oregon.

Later in the interview, Layne goes on to talk about moving to Virginia and selling Oregon wine on the East Coast. He then shares about writing his own book, Wine Maniacs, and the passions he has found with retirement.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Zoom on April 16, 2025.

Gisela dives into growing up on a family winery in Germany. She shares how this time shaped her view of wine and food. She goes on to talk about her studies abroad and how she eventually found herself in North America teaching. 

Later in the interview, Gisela shares about her endeavors in writing books related to spirituality and wine consumption. She then talks about her newest project with Randy Frazee and her future hopes of publishing a children’s book. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Zoom on April 16, 2025.

Simon talks about growing up in a small town in the country and how he found his way to London. He shares about falling in love with wine while working in a wine shop and how his interest transpired into an opportunity with the Fine and Rare Wines company. He then shares about his career transition from Fine and Rare Wines to A&B Vintners. 

Simon goes on to share about his first impressions of the Oregon wine industry and his views regarding the future of the wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Zoom on April 9, 2025.

Ken talks about his early life and growing up in Oregon. He shares about joining the Navy for 5 years and then his time spent at Oregon State University. He goes on to talk about his different jobs and how he stumbled into helping the early icons of the Oregon wine industry. 

Ken goes on to share about his involvement regarding Phylloxera and fruit set. He also dives into his travels to New Zealand where he shared some Oregon wine. Later in the interview, Ken talks about his family and what he is proudest of.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on March 31, 2025 at the Chemeketa Community College Eola Campus in west Salem.

Savannah dives into growing up in the south and her early travels to Oregon to visit family. She shares about her decision to attend college in Colorado and how she found a corporate job after she obtained her degree. She then goes on to talk about how she decided to shift her life to wine and work her first harvest at Brick House in 2013. 

Savannah goes on to talk about her journey in working at Brick House and the different roles she has held. She then dives into what it has been like to be an assistant winemaker to her uncle and then be promoted to the winemaker. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brickhouse in Newberg on March 26, 2025.

Steve dives into his early childhood and his parents' escapades with garage fruit winemaking. He goes on to talk about his parents' journey in creating Oak Knoll Winery and how this journey affected him. 

Later in the interview Steve shares about his involvement in helping to market some of the early iconic Oregon wines, like those of Erath. He then talks about his transition from wine to saké and how he faced the uphill battle with educating the early sake consumers.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on March 24, 2025 at the SakéOne office in Beaverton.

Cara dives into growing up in Oregon and how she eventually found herself attending college at Linfield University. She goes on to talk about her jobs after graduating in 2000 and how she soon found herself in the wine industry after working in catering.

Later in the interview, Cara shares some of her many adventures and memories from being in the Oregon wine industry. She then dives into the time she spent consulting before she pursued a career in the technology industry. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on March 12, 2025.

After finding himself in Hood River, he talks about purchasing a vineyard and starting to learn about growing grapes and making wine. And he talks about the philosophy behind his wines and hospitality model, while also speaking about the growth he's seen in Oregon wine, specifically the Columbia Gorge.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on January 31, 2025 at Cathedral Ridge Winery in Hood River.

He dives into growing up in Lake Oswego and finding his way to Linfield. He then shares about meeting Myron Redford and his many memories associated with his time spent helping Myron in his "double-wide" tasting room. He then talks about his life after Linfield and how he found his life still circling wine.

Later in the interview, Mark talks about IPNC and his memories associated with the event. He goes on to share his current views related to the Oregon wine industry and where he hopes it will go in the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on March 10, 2025 at the Troon Vineyard tasting room in McMinnville.

Felicity dives into her path in becoming a journalist and how she eventually found wine. She shares about her time as a freelance writer and how she found herself writing about wine business in Australia. 

Later in the interview, Felicity talks about how she found her own passion for wine and the industry. She goes on to talk about her current media venture, Drinks Insider, which is an interview style podcast with different entrepreneurs in the beverage industry. Finally, she shares her aspiration to write another non-fiction book in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on March 6, 2025.

Sébastien dives into his childhood and how he found himself making his first wine at 16. He goes on to talk about his early career in France. He also shares how he found himself organizing wine sales for the French army for a time. 

Later in the interview, Sébastien shares about his journey to America and his first memories and thoughts. He talks about his time in places like California and Virginia before he eventually came to Oregon in 2018. He then shares about starting his own label and what he hopes for in the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on March 4, 2025.

Charles shares about growing up and spending time on his great grandparents’ farm outside of Dallas, Texas. He goes on to talk about the farm’s wild blackberry bushes and how wine really started to click when he connected the aromas of his great grandma’s fermented blackberry juice to wine. 

Charles goes on to talk about his experience in fine dining and how he got immersed in Italian wine. Later, he shares about transitioning out of the restaurant industry and into wine. He goes on to talk about finding Oregon and working at places like Dobbes, Alexana, and now Arborbrook.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Arborbrook Vineyards in Newberg on February 27, 2025.

Simon dives into growing up in France and how his parents' practice of enjoying a nice wine with a good meal shaped him. He shares about attending college in France and how his passion for wine was truly spurred through an informal tasting group he formed with his friends. 

Later in the interview, Simon talks about moving to Portland and his journey in getting involved with wine buying and distribution. He also shares some of his aspirations to have and farm and produce some small scale boutique wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Petit Monde in Portland on February 24, 2025.

Alexis talks about growing up surrounded by those in the hospitality industry and how both these people and their experiences influenced her. She goes on to share about attending culinary school, becoming a bartender, and then working a harvest at Brooks as an intern.

Later in the interview, Alexis shares about her different harvests, traveling, and her transition to becoming a full-time winemaker. She goes on to talk about working with her partner at Vitae Springs and also her own label Amica Luna. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on February 12, 2025.

Katie talks about her early life and the memories associated with wine, her family, and her childhood. She goes on to share about her time in college and how she eventually found herself pursuing different wine certifications. 

Later in the interview, Katie shares a special saved label that represents her “a-ha” moment. She then reflects on her past and shares some thoughts regarding her future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on February 6, 2025.

Kristy shares about her passion regarding stories and how her love for storytelling translates to her wine career. She goes on to share how she became hooked with wine early in life, but never sought out a career in the industry until later in her life. She then talks about how a trip to the Fingerlakes region of New York changed her life and shifted her thoughts regarding wine and her career. 

Later in the interview Kristy dives into working her first harvests and how she eventually found her way to Oregon. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on January 30, 2025.

Victoria dives into growing up in Texas and her first career path related to chemical engineering. She goes on to talk about how she found the UC Davis wine masters program and how that was just the beginning of her wine journey. David shares about growing up in Wisconsin and how he had limited exposure to wine growing up. He goes on to talk about traveling to Spain in his early twenties and finding a wine masters program abroad. 

Later in the interview, the couple dives into meeting each other, moving to Oregon, and starting their own label, Spearhunter Wines. David and Victoria also share some things they are looking forward to in the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Fullerton Wines tasting room in Corvallis on January 28, 2025.

Rebecca talks about growing up and always being interested in plants. She shares about managing a blueberry farm fresh out of college and how she later found her first vineyard management job. She then dives into her involvement with the Oregon wine industry and her time with LIVE. 

Later in the interview, Rebecca shares about her passion for cover crops and her journey to create her own business, Buzz Cover Crop Seeds. She goes on to talk about some of her proudest accomplishments and what she hopes for in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on January 27, 2025.

From there, Mark discusses his work selling wine with Henny-Hinsdale, as well as his work in organic farming and compost. He speaks of the people he's worked with and the growth he has seen in Oregon wine, specifically in viticulture and organic farming. And he reflects on some of his favorite memories surrounding his time in Oregon wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on Zoom on November 13, 2024.

Vince dives into growing up around wine and how the vines in his backyard shaped him. He shares about his time in college and the different experiences in the wine industry he has had. Shea also dives into her childhood and how she grew up making house sparkling wine with her dad. She goes on to talk about her own journey in the wine industry and how she found herself at Furioso. 

The couple also shares about their jam-packed 2024, where they got married, bought property, and really started to dive into their label Maypop Wines. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Abbott Claim Winery in Carlton on January 25, 2025.

From there, Jennifer talks about the wild process of starting her own small wine brand and the successes and challenges so far. She also looks ahead to the future for herself and the Oregon wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on January 23, 2025.

Mike talks about working in various avenues of wine, including production, sales, retail, and distribution. He then talks about traveling the world to do wine production, before coming to Oregon and meeting his now-wife while interning at Bergstrom Wines. And he talks about how he came to work at White Rose, how it's gone so far, and what's next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at White Rose Estate in Dayton on January 22, 2025.

The couple shares how they fell in love with wine and dive into how they found themselves in Oregon owning a vineyard. They talk about entering the wine scene once they moved to San Jose, California and how they were hooked from there.

Later in the interview, the couple talks about their time in the Half Moon Bay Pinot Mafia. They share how this tasting group influenced them and their decisions regarding Oregon and their vineyard. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Pearlstad Vineyard in Rickreall on October 17, 2024.

Brian talks about falling in love early with wine. He shares about how he found his decision to pursue a career in wine easy and made before he could even drink. He then dives into his academic journey regarding wine and his path to making wine.

Later in the interview, Brian talks about his time in California, where he pursued a Master’s Degree at UC Davis. He then goes on to talk about his later involvement in starting Argyle and becoming involved with the Oregon wine industry. He also speaks about the connections he forged throughout his career and life.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on October 15, 2024 via Zoom.

The Knudsens share about their dad’s passion for all things Burgandy, France. They go on to talk about how this passion inspired the planting of Knudsen Vineyards. They then go on to talk about the different business partnerships that the Knudsen label has had over the years and the resulting growth opportunities.

Later in the interview, the Knudsen children talk about their own journeys and how they got to where they are now. They also share what they find most enriching about the Knudsen brand. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on September 20, 2024 at Knudsen Vineyards in Dundee.

Miguel talks about growing up in Mexico and how his family and personal experiences shaped his professional life. He shares his passion for using wine and alcohol to spur critical thinking. He then dives into how his passions converged into an opportunity at República in Portland.  

Later in the interview, Miguel talks about his different roles from being an educator in AHIVOY to dreaming up the best food and beverage pairings at República. He also shares some of his hopes for his future and the future of Oregon wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on September 19, 2024 at República in Portland.

Elle shares about growing up in Cleveland, Ohio and her dream of going wine tasting. She dives into how this dream paved her path and eventually came true during her college years. She goes on to talk about her career shift from business, to restaurants, to wine.

Later in the interview, Elle talks about her passion for learning all things wine. She goes on to share about finding Oregon and her journey with the production side of wine. Elle leaves us with some of her hopes for her own label, L Wine Co. and where she sees the industry going as a whole.  

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on September 3, 2024 at Björnson in Salem.

Dick talks about getting into wine in college and how his passion for wine spurred from his passion for music. He then goes on to talk about being drafted and the impact it had on him and his journey. 

Later in the interview, Dick dives into finding Oregon. He goes on to talk about his career in Oregon wine sales and his memories regarding the early Oregon wine pioneers. Dick then goes on to share about his retirement. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on September 6, 2024 at Dick’s home in Salem.

Carl talks about growing up on a ranch on the border between Oklahoma and New Mexico. He shares about his agricultural passions and how he began his college journey pursuing this passion. He then goes on to talk about how his professional dreams shifted to focus on private equity. 

Later in the interview, Carl shares about his entry into the wine industry and his journey to Oregon. He speaks about starting out in California and how he and his wife, Marilynn, eventually came to find Van Duzer Vineyards in Oregon. Finally, Carl talks about his passion for philanthropy and how he and Marilynn strive to always give back. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 20, 2024 at Van Duzer Vineyards in Dallas. 

Andrew and Cassie share each of their journeys to finding wine and touch on some of the great people and memories their time in the industry has brought. They then dive into their college days and how they met. 

Later in the interview, the couple talks about their careers and how they began Andrew Minor Wines. They then go on to talk about some of their proudest accomplishments and what they are looking forward to in the future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 12, 2024 at the Oregon Wine Reserve in Lake Oswego. 

Later she talks about her experiences in New Zealand during 2020, and finding Oregon later that year while working a harvest at Antica Terra. From there she talks about the places in Oregon where she worked in production as well as her pivot into working in wine accounting. She also talks about making her first wine and what might come next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 23, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

She speaks about her time at Henny-Hinsdale Wholesaler, selling wines from Oregon and California as well as those from Europe. And she talks about many of the people she met and worked with, and watching the industry grow.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 16, 2024 at The Cellar Door in Portland.

From there, he talks about the long process of getting grapes in the ground, eventually making his own wine, and finding his place in the industry. He talks about the growth of the Ribbon Ridge AVA and about the inspiration behind some of his wines and labels. And he talks about what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 12, 2024 at Ribbon Ridge Vineyard in Newberg.

Tim and Pierre talk about their parents starting Paradis Vineyards and what their childhood looked like. They then go on to share how they found their way back to the vines. The brothers also talk about their experience in learning to make and sell wine. 

Later in the interview, Tim and Pierre talk about building their tasting room and their future plans. The brothers also share what it is like working together day-in and day-out. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 7, 2024 at Paradis Vineyards in Silverton.

John and Kathy share stories of the trials and tribulations of making and selling their small label, as well as some of the people they worked with and became friends with. And they discuss how they saw the Oregon wine industry grow and evolve, as well as what led them to sell their vineyard in 2020.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 6, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Laura shares about growing up in Virginia and some of her early memories surrounding wine. She dives into her passion for scent and how wine entwines with this passion. She goes on to talk about her travels abroad and how she found herself working in the wine industry. 

Later in the interview, Laura talks about getting her own vineyard and starting her two labels. She then dives into her farming and wine philosophies. Laura leaves us with her proudest accomplishment and some words of wisdom. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 5, 2024 at Laura’s home in the Columbia Gorge.

Patrick talks about growing up around agriculture and farming. He then shares how he found a love for learning while in college and how he soon discovered there is always something to learn with wine. 

Later in the interview he shares about his time working for Myron Redford and some of his favorite memories and adventures. He also talks about his connections to Chemeketa and some of the wine programs he has been a part of. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 2, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Adam talks about the milestones so far with Revino, including all the conversations with the industry and research to make sure Revino was working alongside the industry to make a product that would be useful and used. He then talks about what comes next, and what his boldest ambitions are for Revino.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 31, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Adam talks about the milestones so far with Revino, including all the conversations with the industry and research to make sure Revino was working alongside the industry to make a product that would be useful and used. He then talks about what comes next, and what his boldest ambitions are for Revino.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 31, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Keenan shares about growing up and how he split his time between Oregon and the Netherlands. He goes on to discuss how his time in the Netherlands influenced his environmental beliefs about bottle reusing. Before Keenan dives into all things Revino, he talks about his time at college and the different jobs he had before Revino. 

Later in the interview, Keenan shares about some of the challenges Revino and reusable wine bottles have faced since coming to the United States. He then goes on to talk about what the Revino name is meant to symbolize and some of his hopes for the company.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 31, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Along the way, though, he had started Brentwood Wine Auctions and then Benchmark Wine Group, specializing in finding and brokering rare and collectible wines. He talks about growing that business, finding wines and customers, and some of the ways in which his business operates. He also talks about how the business is changing and what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 30, 2024 in Vancouver, Wash.

Carl talks about growing up in California surrounded by vines. He shares about growing up around wine, but not viewing it as a career until later in life. Carl goes on to talk about his college days in California and studying to pursue a career in the medical field. 

Later in the interview, Carl shares how he found a passion for wine. He talks about initial harvests and how he became hooked on the wine industry and people involved in it. Carl then goes on to share how he found himself in Oregon making wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 29, 2024 at Domaine Serene Winery in Dayton.

He then talks about embarking on his 25-year plan of buying property, installing a vineyard, building a tasting room, and starting a brand. He speaks about meeting winemakers and grapegrowers and becoming part of the wine community in the Dundee Hills.

Finally, he speaks about selling his vineyard in 2021 and starting Bella Vida 360 in Yamhill. He talks about the appeal of the space and his plans for tasting experiences and events at the top of the hill.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 29, 2024 at Bella Vida 360 in Yamhill.

Erin talks about growing up in North Carolina and her first memory of accidently trying her mom’s white wine as a kid. She shares about her early passion for all things writing and how this passion pushed her to attend college in New Mexico. She goes on to talk about working in nice restaurants throughout college and how it was through this upscale dining scene that she was introduced to wine. 

Later in the interview, Erin shares about finding her current position at The Wine Advocate. She also talks about some of the changes she hopes to see in the industry and what she is looking ahead to personally. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 25, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Her epiphany came when she realized wine wasn't designed for her to be part of the industry, and she immediately strove to change that. She talks about her work as a wine writer, a mentor, and a connector. She also speaks about her work with American Airlines and about her desire to make wine and wine pairings fun and approachable for everyone as a way to excite and entice new drinkers. Lastly, she talks about her connection to Oregon and her beliefs about the future of the Oregon wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 28, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Steven talks about growing up in Green Bay and how he didn’t find wine until later in life. He shares about finding his passion for wine and how it spurred him to become part of the industry. He then discusses attending a three year wine program.

Later in the interview, Steven shares about finding The Wine Shack on Craig’s List. He also talks about taking over the Puffin Wines label. Before he leaves, Steven shares some of his hope for both his shop and label. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 24, 2024 at The Wine Shack in Cannon Beach.

From there, he talks about taking a chance on himself and coming to Oregon to work a harvest. That helped launch his brand, and he talks about the growth and challenges since then.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 22 in Portland.

Meghan talks about growing up in Alabama and running wild in the forest. She goes on to share how this young love for the outdoors shaped her career path. She then talks about how she met her husband and how they both got invested in wine because it combined their different passions.

Later in the interview, Meghan talks about her journey in starting St. Merry Vineyard. She then shares about her regenerative farming practices and philosophies. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 23, 2024 at St. Merry Vineyard in Dallas.

Tim and Kari talk about being raised as Seattle kids and how they ended up together in college. They then share about their time spent on the East Coast, as Tim worked on Wall Street. Tim and Kari share about finding  passion for wine while on the East Coast through their themed dinners with friends. 

Later in the interview, the couple discusses how they came to be in Oregon. They dive into finding, buying, and cultivating Zenith Vineyard. They then talk about their hopes for themselves, Oregon wine, and their business. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Zenith Vineyard in Salem, Oregon on July 17, 2024.

From there, she discusses moving to Portland and starting a wine shop before later starting Arden. She talks about Arden’s growth and evolution, surviving the pandemic, and the role wine plays in the restaurant. And she talks about Raise a Glass, her wine education side project designed to make wine accessible to everyone.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 18, 2024 at Arden in Portland.

Alice shares about her time growing up in South Sudan and how she found herself, her sister, and her uncle coming to the United States. She goes on to talk about attending college and her first introduction to wine. Alice then discusses her time studying abroad in Italy.

Later in the interview, Alice talks about her previous careers in the wine industry and how she found herself in Oregon. She also shares her passion for bringing positive change to the wine industry and making it approachable for everyone.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 15, 2024 at Cramoisi Vineyard in Dundee.

In the second part of the interview, Mark takes us to the Pamar Vineyard where he has planted Gouais Blanc. He discusses the history of the now-rare grape, why/how he planted it, and what the plans are for it.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 16, 2024 at Bjornson Vineyard in Salem and Pamar Vineyard in Perrydale.

He then talks about coming to Oregon and using his herds to start viticulture programs while also working in the vineyards himself. From there, he talks about starting Naked Grazing, and how it has grown and will continue to evolve.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 12, 2024 at Laughlin Ranch in Yamhill.

Mike and Patty talk about meeting and getting married before Mike had to serve. They also share about their first careers before they became involved with the wine industry. Later in the interview, the couple dives into finding the perfect farmland and starting Deux Vert Vineyard. 

Mike and Patty talk about all things vineyard, from varietals to challenges. They also share what they are looking ahead to as they are now retired and simply enjoying life. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Green’s home inNewberg, Oregon on July 10, 2024.

He speaks about deciding he wanted his own restaurant and how he found Augustine's, and all about the wine and food and community served there. He also talks about his work at a number of other Oregon restaurants before finishing his career working for Reser's Fine Foods. Along the way, he talks about his excitement about working with the growing Oregon wine industry and the wine community he got to know and support.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University in McMinnville on July 11, 2024.

Evan shares about his childhood and growing up in Ohio. He dives into how he stumbled upon wine at the ripe young age of fifteen and has never looked back. He goes on to talk about his first wine job as a kid and how his wine passion was ignited.

Later in the interview, Evan shares about some of his mentors and most memorable moments related to his path in wine. He also talks about finding Stoller and his recent promotion.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 9, 2024 at Stoller Family Estate in Dayton.

A desire to come back to Oregon brought him first to Archery Summit and then to Stoller. He speaks about learning the sites, and his role as a viticulturist.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 9, 2024 at Stoller in Dayton.

From there she talks about working at various places in California and New Zealand, including work in a research winery. She discusses how she had desired to come back to Oregon, and how she found her way to Stoller in 2023. In addition, she talks about her love of Chardonnay and about what comes next for her and for Oregon.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 9, 2024 at Stoller in Dayton.

David, a Linfield Alumni, talks about his early life and his memories of finding wine. He then goes on to share about his career in web design. Angela talks about her time as a business student and her early career related to escrow. She then goes on to share about her passions about fighting for fairness and building teams.

Later in the interview, the couple discusses their journey to open Syndicate. They also talk about their approach to making wine accessible and enjoyable. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Syndicate Wine Bar in Beaverton, Oregon on July 8, 2024.

From there, he talks about planting his vines and starting the brand, including finding a winemaker and developing different products. And he talks about how things have grown and what the future might hold.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 8, 2024 at Shumaker Vineyards in North Plains.

Jesse talks about finding his own passion for wine and how it first centered around agriculture and the vines. He shares about his time attending OSU and a sister university in New Zealand. He then goes on to talk about working for Lange and how both he and the brand have grown. 

Later in the interview, Jesse discusses his different roles in the Oregon wine industry. He also shares some of his outlooks and hopes for both himself and the industry. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 2, 2024 at the Lange Estate in Dundee.

Ursula shares how she got into wine through restaurants and talks about the burgeoning Portland wine and restaurant scene of the seventies. Ursula also dives into the adaptation of these industries and their consumers over the years. She then goes on to talk about her wine-sales philosophies and what she loves about the Oregon wine industry. 

Later in the interview, Ursula talks about her retirement and her current role in the wine industry. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 2, 2024 at Ursula’s home in Portland.

He discusses his evolving winemaking philosophy and his efforts in organic and biodynamic farming, as well as developing leadership skills. Then he speaks about how he came to Antiquum Farm and how his time there has gone, plus what he's looking ahead to.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on July 1, 2024 at Antiquum Farm in Junction City.

Cassandra talks about growing up in Washington, and how she found her way to the East Coast during her first career. She shares about being a nurse for about twelve years and how she found a passion for wine when she was taking some time to herself. Cassandra then goes on to talk about how she learned about all things wine and how she was hooked after her first harvest.

Later in the interview, Cassandra shares about her path in creating her own label, Corcilla Cellars, and the tasting space she now has. She also talks about how she wants to highlight and support women through one of her blend projects. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 28, 2024 at Corcilla Cellars tasting room in Oregon City.

He then discusses how he came to Oregon and looked for vineyard land, finding a space he liked in the Eola Amity Hills, then planting his vineyard and starting his wine label. He talks about making and selling wine, and what he's been up to in retirement.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 27, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

Pilar shares about being raised around wine. She talks about how her parents were involved in the industry and how that influenced her career path. She goes on to talk about her upward movement within Lemma Wines, as she started in sales and worked her way up. 

Later in the interview, Pilar talks about the closing of Lemma Wines and her transition out of the wine industry. Before Pilar leaves, she shares about her current job and the hopes she still has for the Oregon wine industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 21, 2024 at Linfield University in McMinnville.

From there, she talks about her move to Oregon and her decision to dive into viticulture and vineyard management. From courses at Chemeketa Community College to internships to full-time work, she talks about the learning and camaraderie she enjoyed, before finding her role at Adelsheim. She also speaks about what she's worked on at Adelsheim so far, and what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 26, 2024 at Adelsheim Vineyard in Newberg.

From there she talks about the creation and growth of InnoVint, which she launched to help winemakers chart their wine through the production process and wineries to monitor inventory and determine costs. She also talks about her move to Oregon, which allowed her to start working with wineries in the Northwest.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Lake Oswego on June 25, 2024.

Shardul shares about growing up in Canada and how he fell in love with flavors and scents through his father’s involvement with the mint industry. He goes on to talk about how this passion paved his path into the wine industry.

Shardul then talks about his journey in finding Left Coast Estate. He dives into meeting Taylor Pfaff and how they bonded over a shared passion for wine. Before he leaves, he shares what he is excited for both professionally and personally.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Left Coast Estate in Rickreall on June 19, 2024.

From there, he talks about working more in wine, from creating and running wine programs to fixing ones that were broken. He speaks about coming to Portland and all the restaurants he helped open, and the many colleagues he built teams with. He also talks about his relationship with the Oregon wine industry and how he's seen the industry grow.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Dave's home in Gearhart on June 20, 2024.

Andria shares about being born and raised in Portland by her parents who were part of the show-business industry. She dives into being a Jazz singer in Japan and eventually a Madonna impersonator. She then goes on to talk about how she came to find wine.

Later in the interview, Andria talks about her path in wine. She shares about going back to school for wine and the many things she learned simply by volunteering and doing. Andria leaves us with some of her personal hopes alongside some of her hopes for the future of Oregon wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 17, 2024 at Portland Wine Storage in Portland.

From there, Hari and Paru talk about finding the Willamette Valley and searching for their home and vineyard there, as well as getting the vineyard planted and starting to make wine. And they talk about starting their wine-selling platform Artisan Vino and their plans for the future. Hari also speaks about his filmmaking career and his upcoming projects.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 14, 2024 at Smera Vineyard in McMinnville.

Jeffrey shares about his first interactions with wine, which centered around dinner and tasting everything on the table. He goes on to talk about how his passion for wine grew and shaped some of his early careers. He then dives into his different passions, which eventually led him to Oregon and the wine industry. 

Later in the interview, Jeffrey talks about creating and opening his own wine shop. He talks about his defining the place's identity and how his iconic and original tasting menus came to be.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 17, 2024 at Pairings Portland Wine Shop & Bar in Portland.

From there, she also talks about her parallel career as a successful author - first writing a trilogy with her mother and sister, and later solo. She discusses her writing process and favorite parts of creating stories.

Then she talks about her pivot into the marketing side of the industry, and how she came to work at Stoller. She talks about what she's done so far and what the future may hold.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 14, 2024 at Stoller Vineyard in Dayton.

From there, Laurent talks about traveling to work in wine, meeting his wife Erin, and eventually coming to Oregon. He talks about his vineyard philosophy, starting a small brand with Erin, and what comes next.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Andante Vineyard in Dallas, Oregon on June 13, 2024.

She talks about traveling around the world to work on harvests, and eventually meeting her husband Laurent. After working at Iris Vineyards outside Eugene, they came to work at Andante Vineyard. And they also started their own brand, which she talks about as well.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Andante Vineyard in Dallas, Oregon on June 13, 2024.

After returning to Oregon, Dustin touches on working on hotels and restaurants in Dundee and Newberg and all the great people he got to work with, before the opportunity to open his own place in Carlton. He describes the food/wine/ice cream program designed to be "Carlton's living room" and about the tight connection he has built with the people and town.

Dustin also talks about his future projects and the future for the wine and hospitality industries in Oregon.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 12, 2024 at Park & Main in Carlton.

Later, Andy talks about how he came to Portland, and became involved with Le Pigeon Restaurant and later Little Bird, Canard, and Flor. He describes all the personal and professional growth he had, and the effects of the pandemic on his various businesses. And he discusses learning about wine, building wine lists and selling wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 11, 2024 at Flor Wines in Portland.

Mark shares about his early life and growing up in the suburbs of California. He goes on to talk about how he discovered his passion and love for wine. He dives into how it was not one moment where he fell in love with wine, rather it was through wine's consistent re-entry into his life. 

After talking about why he fell in love with wine, Mark goes on to share his favorite wine pairing for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” He then talks about his poetry career and relates his passion for this style of writing to wine. Before he leaves, Mark shares some of the things he is looking forward to.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt outside of Heavenly Creatures in Portland on June 5, 2024.

Jillian dives into her early life and growing up in New York. She shares about her early desires to live in a city and how those desires eventually shifted. Jillian goes on to talk about how she ended up in Oregon thanks to her now husband. She then talks about finding and learning about Oregon wine during her job at The Painted Lady. 

Later in the interview, Jillian shares about her current position as VP of Sales and Marketing at Beaux Frères. She dives into how her role at Beaux Frères has shifted over the years and what she is excited for in the coming future. She also shares with us some of her personal and professional goals. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on the Troll Trail at Beaux Frères on June 11, 2024.

The couple talks about the trials and triumphs of starting a small wine business, including all the things they didn't know and how they've found their niche. They also talk about the wines they feature and what they hope the customer experience is like. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 4, 2024 at Amphora Wine Merchants.

Adam dives into life growing up and all his career passions that eventually led him to find wine. Adam originally wanted to pursue a career that would lead him away from agriculture and into a city. However, after a time spent juggling three restaurant jobs and getting introduced to wine, he found a passion not only for wine but viticulture and harvest too. 

Later in the interview, Adam talks about all things viticulture and beginning his vineyard. He shares about everything from proving his site’s climate to becoming a make-shift electrical engineer. Before he leaves, Adam shares some of his hopes and plans for his vineyard in the coming future. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Adam’s home in Portland on June 3, 2024.

From there, Aaron talks about his work at Adelsheim, then Beaux Freres, and now Compris. He discusses his evolution as a winemaker and the lessons he picked up along the way. He also talks about Folly of Man, the new brand he and his wife Tracy started, as well as their new estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 3, 2024 at Compris Vineyard in Newberg.

Jon talks about life growing up as a Casteel. He shares how wine has always been a huge constant in his life, but his passion has always been with equipment rather than winemaking. He then goes on to talk about how being a self-proclaimed “gear-head” has shaped his path. 

Later in the interview, Jon dives into the creation of his company, Casteel Custom Bottling. He shares how it started with a handshake, deal, and one truck and has now grown to be two trucks and a physical location. Jon also talks about both his hopes for his own future and the future of Oregon wine. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Casteel Custom Bottling Company in McMinnville on May 31, 2024.

Chris talks about growing up in the restaurant industry and shares some of his core memories. He goes on to talk about backpacking around Europe in his twenties and how he then found himself part of the Army. He then shares how he landed in Oregon after being a cook in the Army. 

Later in the interview, Chris talks about taking over his parent’s restaurant. He shares about the Joel Palmer house history and dives into all the changes he has made. He then goes on to share about his experience with Nicolas Cage and the Pig movie. Finally, before he leaves, Chris shares his hopes and plans for his restaurant in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at the Joel Palmer House Restaurant in Dayton on May 30, 2024.

Sebastian shares about his growing up in Chile. He talks about his time spent at a university in Chile learning about agriculture. Sebastian then goes on to share about his time in France. He talks about wanting to learn French and how he got involved with grapes while there. Sebastian then goes on to share how he found himself part of the California vine nursery scene. 

Later in the interview, Sebastian shares how he found himself in Oregon. He also dives into some of his views and beliefs regarding vine adaptation and climate change in relation to wine.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Library at Linfield University on May 28, 2024.

Early in the interview, the Bowers dive into their time before Ghost Hill Cellars. Cameron shares about his time spent in the Air Force as well as his days as an engineer. Bernadette talks about growing up on her family’s farm in Oregon and her time as a teacher. The couple also shares their meet-cute story, which features rugby and Guam. 

Later in the interview, the couple talks about their hopes and plans for their winery and label in the coming years. They also share about some of their accomplishments in both wine and life. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ghost Hill Cellars in Carlton on May 28, 2024.

Peter shares about his early life and regales us with tales about his European travels and how wine was entwined with these trips. He dives into his discovery of Burgundy and how this region and wine style shaped his core values of wine. 

Later in the interview, Peter shares about the different jobs he took in the wine industry. He then talks about how he found himself moving about from the west coast, to the east coast, and finally ending up in France. Peter then shares about some of his wine writing accomplishments and what he is looking forward to in the future.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on April 25, 2024.