After producing his first barrel of wine in his garage in California, Dick Erath moved to Dundee, Oregon with his family in 1968. In 1969, on just four acres of land, he planted 23 varieties of grapes. Pinot noir was the most successful variety among them. In continuing his trailblazing work with wine in the Dundee Hills, Erath produced 216 cases of commercial wine, the first of the area, in 1972. Over the years, Dick Erath designed and constructed the Erath Winery, received the Best American Pinot Noir award, and slowly expanded both nationally and, in 1994, internationally. In 2003, the Erath Winery transitioned from Erath as the principal winemaker to Gary Horner as the principal winemaker, and in 2006 Ste. Michelle Wine Estates bought the Erath Winery. Since this transition, Erath Winery has continued to rank among the most successful wineries in the industry and has continued to represent the strength of Oregon wines in the international wine world.
Collection Description
Some items in this collection were initially digitized as part of the Oregon Wine History Project™, a collaborative research venture from the Linfield Center for the Northwest. For additional historical background and collection inventory, please see the Guide to the Erath Winery Collection 1963-2011.
Interview
After producing his first barrel of wine in his garage in California, Dick Erath moved to Dundee, Oregon with his family in 1968. In 1969, he planted 4 acres of grapes, finding Pinot Noir to be the most successful. Over the years, Dick Erath designed and constructed the Erath Winery, received the Best American Pinot Noir award, and slowly expanded both nationally and internationally. In 2003, the Erath Winery transitioned from Erath as the principal winemaker to Gary Horner as the principal winemaker, and in 2006 Ste. Michelle Wine Estates bought the Erath Winery. Since this transition, Erath Winery has continued to rank among the most successful wineries in the industry and has continued to represent the strength of Oregon wines in the international wine world.
In this interview, Dick Erath discusses how his career in electronics turned into pioneering the Oregon Wine Industry. He shares some of the struggles he and others faced in establishing themselves in the early days such as water misconceptions and activism in legislature.
Photos
Wine Labels
Documents
