Vineyard Partners

As the Chos patiently await their first fruit from the Cho Vineyards estate, we continue to partner with growers across the Willamette Valley & The Rocks District AVA of Milton-Freewater. We value stewardship of the land, our relationships with the farmers who tend the vines, and our commitment to sustainable agriculture. We respect the hard work these small family farmers have put into farming the vines and want to give them mention here:

Cancilla Vineyard, Tualatin Hills AVA (AJ & Katie Trommello), Certified Organic and Salmon Safe. We had already fallen in love with this vineyard when we were on the prowl for Cho Vineyards. AJ & Katie took over this vineyard in 2021 from Ken Cancilla. We initially sourced Pinot Noir clone 777 for our juicy 2022 Pinot Noir Pétillant Naturel from the Trommellos. The Cancilla fruit exudes watermelon jolly rancher in rosé and pet-nat form, but in a red wine like our 2022 Cancilla Vineyard Pinot Noir we get a appealing warmth, beet like earthiness, black cherry and a dash of cola. Check out AJ & Katie's own label Throughline Wines to taste wines made from the same site.

Fern Creek Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA (owned by fellow Oregon State University alums, Alan Jesse and daughter Anna Jesse, managed by Nick Konen of Forest Hills Farms), organic farming practices. Fern Creek is a 3 acre parcel planted in 2019 to Chardonnay Clone 76. The organically farmed site is bordered by non-arable land that was recently restored through a multiyear project with the NRCS and the Tualatin Soil Water Conservation District providing habitat for native species. You'll see Chardonnay from Fern Creek in our Cuvée Brut No. 1 and our Willamette Valley Chardonnay. Through our continued relationship with the Jesse family, we have been introduced to Johnson School Vineyard, Old 47 Pinot Gris, Blooming Vineyard and Moeller Vineyard all owned and managed by Forest Hills Farms.

Laurel Vineyard, Laurelwood District AVA (John, Lynn & Andrew Albin). At Laurel Vineyard positioned at 1000 ft elevation, the grapes are some of the last Pinot Noir to be harvested in the valley due to the cooler climate and later ripening. The Laurelwood soil is a unique soil series of freshwater sedimentary topsoil (windblown loess formed by glaciers during the last ice age) over a fractured basalt subsoil. Dave went to Oregon State University with Andrew Albin who studied fermentation science. We're lucky to have this connection to the Albins who planted these vines in 1981 with the foresight to make sparkling wine forty years later. Our 2017 Brut Rosé and 2018 Blanc de Noirs both earned Enthusiast Top 100 Wines in 2022 and 2024 respectively and were both sourced from Laurel Vineyard.

Luvi Vineyard, Laurelwood District AVA (Razvan & Alina Lupusoru) organic farming practices, dry farming and no tilling. On the Chehalem Mountains, just around the corner from Cho Vineyards, Luvi Vineyard was planted in 2005. The vineyard rests 500 ft elevation on Laurelwood soil, farmed by the Lupusorus. Having been exposed from a young age to Romanian wine culture, Razvan & Alina decided to continue the tradition of growing their own grapes, making their own brandies and jams, while managing their 2 acre farm when they immigrated to the United States - a vineyard, orchard, vegetable and berry garden and chicken coop.

Robinson Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA (Michael Lundeen). Sustainable farming practices, certified Salmon-Safe, Certified Fish Friendly Farming. Primarily cascade series soil.
Sylvia's Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills AVA (Michael Lundeen). Sustainable farming practices, dry farmed. One of the honors of being a small producer is getting to work with exciting vineyards from all over Oregon. Sylvia's Vineyard is situated at 200-250' in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA on Jory soil, planted in 2005.

Hallowed Stones Vineyard, Rocks District AVA of Milton-Freewater (The Brown Family). This coveted fruit from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is nestled entirely on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. This terrain was long viewed as unworkable due to the presence of large cobblestones covering the ground - remnants of the former riverbed that once covered the southern portion of the Walla Walla Valley floor. The first vines were planted in this region by French winemaker Cristopher Baron 25 years ago. Now it is deemed one of the most distinctive AVAs in the US with savory, umami-like characteristics derived from the cobbled soils and specialized farming practices. Hallowed Stones Vineyard's Syrah is own-rooted, planted in 2006 on Freewater Very Wobbly Loam at an elevation of 888 ft.

Idyll-Acres, Turner Oregon (7 heritage clone cider apple varieties for our apple-grape coferment). Yes! The Chos are working with cider apples. When frost hit the Willamette Valley after bud break, winemakers were concerned that yields would be low. Many of our grape growers began holding back fruit, making sure they had enough for their bigger clients. This made it difficult for small producers like us. This is when the idea for an apple-grape Coferment was born - cofermenting cider apples with the remaining skins from a grape press.