Interview
This interview is with Denis Burger and Elaine McCall, owners of Yamhill Valley Vineyards. In this interview, Denis and Elaine discuss how they came into the wine industry and the various challenges they faced in being one of the earlier wineries in the McMinnville AVA. The couple discusses the future for Oregon wine, and ends with the advice that as long as one perseveres stays committed to the end game, he/she will be successful in the wine industry.
Interview
Ariel Eberle is the winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville Oregon. In this interview she discusses how she got interested in wine and the life lessons she learned under the late Stephen Cary. She also discusses a bit about her experience as a young woman in the Oregon wine industry.
This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 21, 2018.
Interview
Stephen Cary is the winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Oregon. Cary has left many impressive marks on the wine industry during his time thus far, including the founding of the Steamboat Conference and organizing the Burgundy Challenge. He knew early on that a normal 9-5 job was not the right path for him and has since been involved in the industry as a wine seller, buyer and maker. Cary makes his wine with the philosophy that the grapes tell him how to deal with them. To Cary, a significant aspect that differs Oregon wines from other parts of the world is the terroir.
In this interview, Cary shares his experiences in the wine industry with people and place where he has been involved. Cary discusses the significance of soil types and the differences in the regions of the Willamette Valley AVA. As a final thought, Cary recalls the important roles that Yamhill Valley Vineyards has played, not only on his career, but for the industry as a whole.
Interview
Stephen Cary is the winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Oregon. Cary has left many impressive marks on the wine industry during his time thus far, including the founding of the Steamboat Conference and organizing the Burgundy Challenge. He knew early on that a normal 9-5 job was not the right path for him and has since been involved in the industry as a wine seller, buyer and maker. Cary makes his wine with the philosophy that the grapes tell him how to deal with them. To Cary, a significant aspect that differs Oregon wines from other parts of the world is the terroir.
In this interview, Cary goes into depth on the Steamboat Conference. He tells of the origin of the famous event, what it entails and how it has remained a symbol of the efforts of collaboration in the Oregon Wine Industry for over 30 years.
Interview
Stephen Cary is the winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Oregon. Cary has left many impressive marks on the wine industry during his time thus far, including the founding of the Steamboat Conference and organizing the Burgundy Challenge. He knew early on that a normal 9-5 job was not the right path for him and has since been involved in the industry as a wine seller, buyer and maker. Cary makes his wine with the philosophy that the grapes tell him how to deal with them. To Cary, a significant aspect that differs Oregon wines from other parts of the world is the terroir.
In this interview, Cary talks about what the wine industry was like in the beginning and how things have since changed. He discusses many of his experiences and relationships with other wine people over the years and more.
This interview was conducted by Janis Miglavs on January 8, 2008.
Interview
Stephen Cary is the winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Oregon. Cary has left many impressive marks on the wine industry during his time thus far, including the founding of the Steamboat Conference and organizing the Burgundy Challenge. He knew early on that a normal 9-5 job was not the right path for him and has since been involved in the industry as a wine seller, buyer, and winemaker. Cary makes his wine with the philosophy that the grapes tell him how to deal with them. To Cary, a significant aspect that distinguishes Oregon wines from other parts of the world is the terroir.
In 1974, Myron Redford and his partner Janis Checchia purchased an existing vineyard in Amity, Oregon. Redford built the winery himself in 1976, and while the winery was still under construction, he and Checchia produced the first commercial wine from Amity Vineyards.
In this interview, Cary and Redford discuss some of the early challenges of marketing Oregon wine and how the industry overcame those challenges. Specific events such as the International Pinot Noir Celebration, Steamboat, the Burgundy Challenge, and others were key in establishing Oregon as a serious producer of quality wine.
This interview was conducted in 2004.
Interview Photos
The top row of photos are courtesy of Frank Miller of FMILLERPHOTOGRAPHY.
Documents
This collection showcases two documents written by Stephen Cary, winemaker at Yamhill Valley Vineyards in McMinnville, Oregon. One document is about the Steamboat Conference, an event held annually for winemakers to discuss Pinot Noir and share ideas about winemaking. The second document is about the Burgundy Challenge, an event which was held in New York City in 1985 and altered the course of Oregon’s then-struggling Pinot Noir market.
Oregon Wine History Archive 