Interview
This interview is with Joe Neuman, grandson of Hugo Neuman, an early figure in Oregon’s wine history. In this interview, Joe talks about his childhood, his career as an electrician, his family, and his experiences growing up in Oregon.
Joe was born in Eugene, Oregon, in 1943 and grew up in a large family with four brothers and three sisters. His father worked in logging and farming, and when his father became sick, Joe took over the family’s farming work. He was working in orchards when he was 12 years old, was a part of 4-H and FFA, where he raised and sold pigs. Joe was usually found outside, working on something. Joe eventually pursued a career as an electrician, completing a four-year apprenticeship and working in the electrical industry before retiring in 2003.
Joe also reflects on his family’s connection to Oregon wine through his grandfather, Hugo Neuman, who founded Willamette Valley Winery after Prohibition ended in 1933. Located outside of Philomath, the winery became Oregon’s third bonded winery. Joe remembers enjoying his grandfather’s wine as a child and visiting the winery property during family reunions. Hugo made wines from fruits including pear, blackcap raspberry, cherry, and table grapes. Joe later collected wine labels, blueprints, and other materials from the winery, which he donated to the Oregon Wine History Archive to help preserve his family’s legacy.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Portland, Oregon on October 21, 2026.