INTERVIEWER
Schmidt, Rich
DURATION
1 hour 7 seconds
DATE
February 24, 2026
INTERVIEW SUMMARY
This interview is with Olive Hamilton Russell. In this interview, Olive talks about growing up in South Africa and her family’s background in farming. She discusses moving to London and become enamored with wine, which led to her working in the South African wine industry and selling wine in the United States.
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.
COMMENTS
Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.