Interview

This interview is with Spencer Spetnagel of Durant Vineyards. In this interview, Spencer speaks about his childhood in Tennessee, his college education in Atlanta, Georgia, and his eventual career in wine. He tells us that, while completing his undergrad, he waited tables in fine dining and quickly realized the impact wine has on consumers and the environment. He talks about his time working in Sonoma, California where he learned the ins and outs of winemaking. From there, Spencer shares that he traveled to New Zealand to pursue an organic chemistry education. Later, he also discusses his move to Oregon and his current role as Winemaker for Durant Vineyards.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Durant Vineyards in Dayton on July 12, 2022.

Interview

This interview is with Paul Durant of Durant Vineyards. In this interview, Paul discusses his love for farming and how that has informed his career in wine after being a mechanical engineer. He talks about the learning curve when coming back— learning how to create a sustainable business, having the right team in place, and his vision for a diverse, multi-ethnic customer base. He then goes on to discuss his role in the olive oil business and speaks about how wine and oil compliment each other. Towards the end of the interview, Paul discusses why he doesn’t blend wines, his business model of wanting people to have a real connection to the land and farm, the future for his business, as well as the future of the Oregon Wine Industry itself.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Durant Vineyards on June 4, 2019.

Interview

This interview is with Ken and Penny Durant of Durant Vineyards. In this interview, the couple discuss how they started as home winemakers just for fun, then decided to transition fully into the wine industry. They speak of the challenges and successes that came with their business, as well as how they uniquely decided to make and sell olive oil alongside their grapes and wines. Towards the end of the interview, the couple acknowledge how fortunate they are to have built something that has lasted and that can survive, as well as what they see for the future of the Oregon Wine Industry.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on June 4, 2019.

Interview photos

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