Willamette Valley Vineyards

Willamette Valley Vineyards is an American winery located in Turner, Oregon. Named after Oregon's Willamette Valley, the winery is the leading producer of Willamette Valley-appellated Pinot noir in Oregon,[1] and also produces Chardonnay and Pinot gris.[2] In 2016, the winery was the largest producer of Riesling wine in the Willamette Valley.[3]

Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Patio and Courtyard in the Salem Hills
Entrance of the Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate in Turner, Oregon.
Willamette Valley Vineyards, inc.
TypeWinery / Public
Nasdaq: WVVI
IndustryWine
Founded1983
FounderJim Bernau and Don Voorhies
HeadquartersTurner, Oregon United States
Websitewww.wvv.com

In 2021, the winery hosted the season 18 finale of Bravo's Top Chef: Portland. [4]

History
View of the Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Tasting Room at sunset.

Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded by Jim Bernau and Don Voorhies.[5] In 1997 Willamette Valley Vineyards merged with Tualatin Estate Vineyards, which was established by Bill Fuller in 1973.

Jim Bernau conducted the first crowdfunding in the U.S. to establish his winery, which was performed in 1988 after permission was obtained to do so from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The winery has expanded and is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol WVVI.[6] In 2015, the company launched a successful campaign to fund new vineyard sites in the Walla Walla Valley and produce a boutique wine label called Elton. Shares of preferred stock were sold by the winery and were listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol WVVIP.[7]

Oregon Estate Vineyards

The Oregon Estate Vineyards division was founded in 2015 by Jim Bernau and Winery Director Christine Clair. The Elton winery is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA at Elton Vineyard and the Pambrun label is made in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. The wines at Elton Vineyards will focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.[8] Pambrun Vineyard is named for Bernau's fifth great grandfather, Pierre Pambrun,[9] a Walla Walla pioneer. The site was scheduled to be planted to Cabernet Sauvignon along with other Bordeaux varieties in spring 2016.[8][9]

Accolades

Wine Enthusiast Magazine recently included Willamette Valley Vineyards' Whole Cluster Pinot Noir as one of America's Best Value Pinot Noirs.[10]

The Wall Street Journal included Willamette Valley Vineyards' Pinot Gris in the article, "Why Wine Remains a Great Connector."[11]


References
  1. Jenkins, T: "Top 25 Oregon Wineries", page 20. Portland Business Journal, August 11, 2006
  2. McCarthy, E.; Ewing-Mulligan, M. (2011). Wine For Dummies. Wiley. p. 254. ISBN 978-1-118-05071-2.
  3. Haeger, J.W. (2016). Riesling Rediscovered: Bold, Bright, and Dry. University of California Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-520-96216-3.
  4. Harans, Julie (2021). "Willamette Valley Vineyards Hosts 'Top Chef' Finale". Wine Spectator 2021. Wine Spectator.
  5. Danehower, C.; Johnson, A. (2010). Essential Wines and Wineries of the Pacific Northwest: A Guide to the Wine Countries of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Idaho. Timber Press. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-88192-966-9. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  6. Publishing, DK (2004). Eyewitness Companions: Wines of the World: Your Essential Handbook. EYEWITNESS COMPANION GUIDES. DK Publishing. p. 520. ISBN 978-0-7566-8927-8. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  7. Panichkul, Victor (2015). "New Elton Winery a lasting legacy for couple". Statesman Journal.
  8. "Focused on Oregon's Great Wine Terroirs". Wine Spectator. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  9. "Willamette Valley Vineyards Plans New Elton Winery Led by Isabelle Meunier". Wine Business. May 26, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  10. Gregutt, Paul (November 2015). "Wine Enthusiast".
  11. Teague, Lettie (April 2, 2020). "The Wall Street Journal".

Further reading
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