INTERVIEWER
Schmidt, Rich
DURATION
1 hour 7 minutes 34 seconds
DATE
May 19, 2026
INTERVIEW SUMMARY
This interview is with Wayne Oppenheimer of A Great Oregon Wine Tour and WineUp.
Wayne is originally from Seattle, Washington, and was raised in Beaverton, Oregon. He talks about first becoming interested in wine in his early twenties after attending a tasting and realizing how different wines could be from one another. The curiosity led him to dive deeper into what he describes as “liquid geography,” eventually pushing him toward a career centered around wine and hospitality.
Wayne discusses attending Portland State University for economics while always feeling drawn toward the wine industry. After visiting Napa Valley, he began reaching out to wineries directly and eventually landed a position working in public relations and hospitality. He reflects on working as a tour guide, meeting people from around the world, and discovering that wine was as much about storytelling and connection as it was about the product itself.
Wayne talks about various businesses he has created, including starting wine tour companies, wine clubs, retail projects and WineUpTV, which is a show focused on interviewing people throughout the wine world. He talks about businesses alongside his wife, Camille, growing A Great Oregon Wine Tour over the years, and creating spaces that introduce people to wines from across the globe.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Newberg, Oregon on May 19, 2026.
COMMENTS
Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.