Interview
This interview is with Mike Brunson of Valley View Winery. In this interview, Mike discusses what it is like to be a winemaker and how that passion brought him to Oregon.
Mike talks about his journey into the wine industry and how he had a natural gift for it. Mike has a good sense of smell and strong palate. This paired well with his former boss, Fred Payne, who passed the job down to Mike. Fred had his PHD in food science and Mike had the natural abilities. Mike reminisces about Fred serving as a meaningful mentor.
Mike discusses the working relationship between him and his son who also works at Valley View. While they may argue over what music to play while working, Mike is proud of his children for the people they have become. Even his daughter is in the industry as she runs a separate winery.
Later in the interview, Mike talks about what it is like to be head winemaker and having the wines you make available to consumers. He imagines that seeing people buy your wines is like being a music artist and having people sing your songs.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Valley View Winery on June 11, 2026.
Interview
This interview is with Mike and Mark Wisnovsky of Valley View Winery. In this interview, the brothers discuss the responsibility of continuing the legacy their parents passed onto them.
The brothers talk about how they were almost born into the industry. They started planting at four and eight years old, learning the ins and outs of harvest. When they were made partners after their father passed away, they were forced to make big decisions about the winery earlier than most. After their mother passed away, they took on full responsibility of the winery. Now, Mark’s children work with their father and uncle, a three generational impact on Valley View.
Mark discusses how connected he is to the vineyard even having nightmares about bugs and various other corruption. This isn’t just a business for the family, it is their life. While Mark focuses on the vineyard, Mike is responsible for the sales. They described their partnership as passing the baton to each other throughout the years.
Later in the interview, the duo talks about their strengths. With the responsibility of continuing a 50-year legacy, they discuss how they keep the business afloat. A big strength they talked about is their accessibility. They also discuss the benefits of producing wine in Southern Oregon as it is the place to go to try something different.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Valley View Winery on June 11, 2026.
Interview
This interview is with Mark and Mike Wisnovsky of Valley View Winery and covers topics including the Wisnovskys’ late father, Frank, different marketing strategies, and the necessity of continuous experimentation in the vineyard and winery. The interview offers extensive commentary on the necessity to choose and adapt to the market—in Valley View Winery’s case, making and selling wine for the local consumers. The Wisnovsky brothers provide examples of how they’ve tailored their choices to that strategy, including focusing on local sources, sustainable practices, and choosing to produce fruit-forward wines.
This interview was conducted by Rachael Woody at Valley View Winery on August 1, 2013.
Interview
This interview is with Mike Wisnovsky, owner of Valley View Winery in Jacksonville, Oregon. He talks about how his family got into the wine industry, the land where the winery is located, the region, and experiences from working with wine his whole life.
This interview was conducted by Janis Miglavs on September 28, 2007.