The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast

This interview is with Brenna O’Malley from Humble Spirit. In this interview, Brenna talks about her affinity for the culinary arts, and the ways that these early passions paved the way for her career in the restaurant industry. She distinguishes service from hospitality as she describes the ways that she has learned to be intuitive and anticipatory with guests, to ensure that they have an experience they'll never forget. 

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...

This interview is with Brenna O’Malley from Humble Spirit. In this interview, Brenna talks about her affinity for the culinary arts, and the ways that these early passions paved the way for her career in the restaurant industry. She distinguishes service from hospitality as she describes the ways that she has learned to be intuitive and anticipatory with guests, to ensure that they have an experience they'll never forget. 

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...

This interview is with Randy Freund of Vitae Springs. In this interview, Randy talks about his vineyard philosophy and passions for stewardship and viticulture. 

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 bran...

This interview is with Danny McGeough of Flor Wines. In this interview, Danny discusses his journey into wine and curating wine lists for people to enjoy at various restaurants.

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 ta...

This interview is with Jessica Endsworth of Northwest Wine Co. In this interview, Jessica talks about growing up in a small town and her journey to finding Oregon and wine. 

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 he...

This interview is with Tyson Smith of Copious Cellars. In this interview, Tyson talks about his path to becoming a winemaker.  

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. 
 
T...

This interview is with Chelsea Hinman Miller of Tior Wines. In this interview, Chelsea speaks about growing up in the wine industry with her dad's business, Hinman Cellars in Eugene. She talks about her early work with King Estate and then getting into national wine sales.

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...

This interview is with Caryn Benke of Galaxy Wine Company. In this interview, Caryn talks about her array of experiences within the restaurant and wine industry and how her involvement has granted her the ability to contextualize her academic learning of history, religion, and art. 

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 an...

This interview is with Eric Pottmeyer of Sec Wines. In this interview, Eric talks about finding wine and his shift from studying psychology to learning wine. 

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. 

Thi...

This interview is with Beatrice Barrar of RAM Cellars. In this interview, Beatrice talks about falling in love with the mystic and magic of fermentation and all things wine. 

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 th...

This interview is with Rueben Lange of Amiti. In this interview, Reuben talks about growing up and falling in love with his first passions of music and food, which are what eventually led him to wine.

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...

This interview is with Michael Kanbergs of Taborly Wines. In this interview, Michael discusses his journey to owning his own wine shop. 

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. 

T...

This interview is with Alex Davis of PDX Wines. In this interview, Alex talks about his love for all things food, travel, and wine. 

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 jour...

This interview is with Anne McIntyre of Hess Creek Vineyard. In this interview Anne talks about her journey from being a ship pilot to growing grapes in Oregon.

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...

This interview is with Clive Pursehouse of Decanter. In this interview, Clive dives into his career and journey from higher education to wine journalism. 

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 a...

This interview is with Rose Ballantine of Alexana Estate. In this interview, Rose talks about her path in finding wine and pursuing it as a career.

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...

This interview is with Jordan Hostetter of Open Soul Wines. In this interview, Jordan speaks about discovering a love of hospitality at a young age and spending a career trying to curate good experiences for guests and customers.

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...

This interview is with Layne Witherell. In this interview, Layne shares his journey from growing up in Los Angeles during the 60s to retiring in Portland, Maine as a foodie. He talks about his education, jobs, hobbies, and everything in between.

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...

This interview is with Gisela Kreglinger. In this interview, Gisela talks about her relationship with wine and her studies regarding spirituality and wine.

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 f...

This interview is with Simon Davies of A&B Vintners. In this interview, Simon shares about his journey in getting involved with the wine industry in London and how he eventually became involved with buying and distributing Oregon wine in the UK.

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...

This interview is with Ken Brown. In this interview, Ken shares about his career as an extension agent of Oregon State University and how he eventually found himself helping the winemakers of Oregon.

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 f...

This interview is with Savannah Mills, of Brick House Vineyards. In this interview, Savannah talks about how she ended up in the Oregon wine industry after growing up in the south and having a corporate career.

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...

This interview is with Steve Vuylsteke of SakéOne. In this interview, Steve talks about growing up in the early Oregon wine industry and his transition to the saké industry.

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 win...

This interview is with Cara Pepper Day, of Andavi Solutions. In this interview, Cara talks about her journey in finding wine, and how she now finds herself in a job that combines alcohol and software. 

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 O...

This interview is with Robb Bell of Cathedral Ridge Winery. In this interview, Robb speaks about his career in marketing and how that led him into wine through connections with many of the early winemakers in California.

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...

This interview is with Mark Kronquist. In this interview, Mark talks about growing up in Oregon and his journey in the Oregon wine industry.

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...

This interview is with Felicity Carter of Drinks Insider. In this interview, Felicity shares about growing up around Europe and finding her way to Sydney, Australia. She goes on to talk about her life and journey in both media and wine. 

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 go...

This interview is with Sébastien Marquet of Sébastien Marquet Wines. In this interview, Sébastien talks about growing up in Burgundy, France and his journey to Oregon. 

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...

This interview is with Charles Hesson of Arborbrook Vineyards. In this interview, Charles talks about his path into the wine industry and finding Oregon. 

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 share...

This interview is with Simon Lowry of Petit Monde Wine Merchants. In this interview, Simon talks about growing up around wine, how he found himself in the wine distribution industry, and where he hopes to see himself in the future. 

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 ab...

This interview is with Alexis Harrington of Amica Luna and Vitae Springs. In this interview, Alexis shares her winding path to becoming a winemaker and all she is looking forward to in the future with her different projects.  

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 t...

This interview is with Katie Sombat of Fancy Baby. In this interview, Katie shares about her journey in service, hospitality, management, and wine. She also dives into the many famous Portland restaurants she had the opportunity to work at and the many thoughts, feelings, and memories regarding both the places and the people she worked with. 

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 th...

This interview is with Kristy Wenz. In this interview, Kristy speaks about her path to finding wine and her journey once she entered the industry. 

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. 

This interview is with David DeLaitsch and Victoria Chavez of Spearhunter Wines. In this interview, David and Victoria talk about pursuing wine as their later career and finding their way to Oregon. 

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 t...

This interview is with Rebecca Sweet of Buzz Cover Crop Seeds. In this interview, Rebecca shares about her path in creating her own cover crop business and becoming entwined with the Oregon wine industry. 

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 he...

This interview is with Mark Sturges. In this interview, Mark talks about his early life and introduction to wine, followed by a life-altering trip he took through Europe and Asia. 

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 o...

This interview is with Shea Guevara and Vince Kelsey of Maypop Wines. In this interview, Shea and Vince speak about their journey with wine and how they found themselves creating their own label, Maypop Wines. 

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 t...

This interview is with Jennifer Warner of Dagger Daisy Wines. In this interview, Jennifer speaks about her career working in law, including owning her own law-adjacent business. She talks about how her life brought her to Oregon, where she discovered and developed an enthusiasm for the wine industry.

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...

This interview is with Mike Pasquarelli of White Rose Estate. In this interview, Mike speaks about becoming interested in wine while in college at Sonoma State, and starting to work in the industry after a stint in the Peace Corps.

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...

This interview is with Ken & Dana Pearlman of Pearlstad Vineyard. In this interview, Ken & Dana dive into their careers and journey with wine. 

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 O...