This interview is with Dave and Sarah Gregory of Ora et Labora Wine Shop. In this interview, Dave and Sarah talk about beginning to take an interest in wine, taking educational courses, and eventually opening their own space to make wine more approachable for others.

Dave talks about going to school to study theology and education, and earning several degrees while he was there. After his journey to become a Jesuit priest was cut short, he became a high school teacher in California.

Sarah discusses growing up in Oregon and going to school to be a journalist. She also received her Master’s in Public Administration. She and Dave met on OkCupid and dated long distance for a year before he moved to Oregon.

Together, Dave and Sarah opened Ora et Labora (“Prayer and Work”) in December 2022. With people showing up for both a casual glass and Foundations wine classes, they were pleasantly surprised at how quickly the neighborhood embraced their business. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Ora et Labora Wine Shop in Portland on November 19, 2025.

This interview is with Jen Cossey of Brooks Winery. In this interview, Jen talks about her 30-year path in hospitality, beginning with her childhood in Missouri and Kansas City and her early interest in photojournalism. She shares how she shifted from photography art education, eventually discovering wine while working harvest and serving in restaurants. 

Jen talks about building a career through connection—moving from Kansas City to Oregon, working in testing rooms, managing events, and helping develop marketing and community programs. She shares about balancing career and motherhood, returning to Oregon in 2020, and ultimately becoming the general manager at Brooks, where she now oversees the winer’s full wine and spirits business.

Jen also discusses creating environments that bring people together, the importance of clam leadership (especially during COVID), and her work with organizations such as ¡Salud!, Women in Wine, and Wine Atlas Collective.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brooks Winery in Amity on November 12, 2025.

This interview is with Geoff Hall of Argyle Winery. In this interview, Geoff talks about how he got involved in wine - first through botany, then viticulture, and finally through the people he met along the way.

Geoff shares about growing up in Boise and attending the University of Idaho with intentions of becoming a doctor. That changed when he took a course in botany, and his professor encouraged him to find a career path he was more passionate about.

Geoff talks about being introduced to the viticulture industry and beginning a Master’s program, where he studied and published papers about an issue known as “berry shrivel.” Through these studies, he connected with many people in the industry and worked harvests in both Italy and Tasmania.

Geoff shares about being interested in the Oregon wine industry and coming to work at Adelsheim. After working at Chateau St. Michele and Erath, he joined the team at Argyle, first as the vineyard manager and now in operations for the entire winery. He also talks about his involvement in the AHIVOY organization.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Argyle Winery in Newberg on November 18, 2025.

This interview is with Claudia Bowers, a wine sales manager. In this interview, Claudia talks about her childhood in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and her move to San Fransisco as a teenager.

Claudia shares about her years working in the beauty industry, helping her sister in the wine world, and eventually discovering her passion for wine. She discusses taking WSET courses, managing tasting rooms and wine clubs, and creating her “On Tour” tasting experiences.

She also reflects on her family influences, her love for cooking and travel, and her goals of taking wine education to older audiences and expanding internationally. 

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt through Zoom at Linfield University on November 11, 2025.

This interview is with Ben Eyer and Stephanie Bojarski of Finite Cellars. In this interview, Stephanie and Ben talk about how their shared interest in wine began in graduate school. Ben was pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, and Stephanie was an engineering Ph.D. student. 

They share their story of moving from Pennsylvania to Oregon, despite having no prior familiarity with the state—where Ben gained hands-on experience through harvest jobs and Stephane continued her career at Intel, transitioning from research into quantitative computing. 

Stephanie and Ben talk about building Finite Cellars from the ground up, from naming the company to sourcing fruit, designing the label, and imagining a wine brand centered on bringing people closer together. They also discus logistics of starting a wine business while raising their children and balancing demanding careers with their long-term vision.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on November 3, 2025.

This interview is with Lisa Parks of Brut Wine Bar. In this interview, Lisa talks about her journey from working in crisis counseling and concert promotion to owning a wine bar and building community in Astoria, Oregon.

Lisa shares about her time living in Denver and later moving to Oregon — her first time living on the West Coast. After years of working in psychology and event work, she wanted a change and purchased a wine bar in Astoria. Lisa discusses her interest in creating a gathering place where people could connect over wine and conversation.

She also reflects on the learning curve of running a wine bar while recovering from foot surgery, and how travel and exposure to old-world wines deepened her appreciation for different wine styles.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Brut Wine Bar in Astoria on October 20, 2025.

This interview is with Thomas Houseman of Radiant Sparkling Wine Company. In this follow-up interview, Thomas talks about what he has been up to since we last spoke in 2018.

Last time we spoke to Thomas he was working at Anne Amie as the winemaker. He was just starting to make sparkling wine and he worked with Radiant to bottle it. 

Thomas talks about making the move to Michigan to make wine with Two Lads Winery to further his sparkling wine knowledge. 

In 2023, Thomas returned to Oregon to join Radiant Sparkling Wine. Bringing his wine journey full circle, he is now the general manager of the company.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Radiant in McMinnville on October 23, 2025.

This interview is with Tiquette Bramlett of Henderson Ave Wines. In this follow-up interview, Tiquette talks about what she has been up to since we last spoke in 2021 and her new wine label.

Tiquette shares about her wine education and becoming a sommelier. In her class, she was most drawn to Oregon wines, and a mentor encouraged her to visit Oregon wine country.

Tiquette talks about coming to the Willamette Valley for the first time and a temporary visit turning into a permanent move. She worked at several different wineries in the valley and learned much from each of her mentors.

Later in the interview, Tiquette discusses starting her own wine label, Henderson Ave Wines. The label is named after the street her mom grew up on, and she hopes her wine encourages connection with a welcoming feel.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 15, 2025.

This interview is with Jody Bogle of Bogle Family Vineyards. In this interview, Jody talks about her family’s wine business and her time at Linfield.

Jody shares about her family’s history of farming: her grandpa was an early wine pioneer in the Clarksburg region of California. Her parents started Bogle Family Vineyards in 1968, so she jokes that she never knew there was another career option outside of wine.

Jody talks about her family’s history with Linfield, how both her parents attended the school, and she her first time on campus for a basketball camp. She graduated with a degree in English and teaching credentials, and stayed in the Portland area to teach.

Later in the interview, Jody discusses moving back home to California and working with her family at the winery. After her dad passed away, the family came together to ensure the winery continued forward. Now, Jody works as the Vice President of Consumer Relations.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 9, 2025.

This interview is with Jules Moseley of Harvest Moon Sangria Bar. In this interview, Jules talks about her work in the hospitality industry and how it led her to sangria.

Jules shares about growing up in Newberg and working her first hospitality job at Jem 100, a classic diner in town. She loved working with people and “the instant gratification of a tip,” so she knew she wanted to stay in the industry.

Jules talks about moving to Hawaii and working at Kuleana Rum Shack starting in 2019. It was here that she learned to think outside the box when it comes to mixed drinks, like making classic cocktails with rum - or with Pinot Noir.

Jules shares about moving back to Oregon in 2020 and finally deciding to open her own business. This was the beginning of Harvest Moon, which started as a booth at a farmers’ market, turned into a food truck, and now resides in two brick and mortar locations.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library in McMinnville on October 1, 2025.

This interview is with Patrick Spencer of the Natural Cork Council. In this interview, Patrick shares his journey from restaurants to wine to cork.

Patrick was born and raised in Conneticut, where his parents owned a "classic American steakhouse." He was involved in the restaurant world early on, and in 2005 opened his own French restaurant in the Berkshires.

In 2008, he moved to Oregon and was hired at Willamette Valley Vineyards as their Sustainability Coordinator. It was during a trip to Portugal that he became fascinated with cork forests and the families that farmed them.

After starting a cork recycling program in the states, through which he worked with Whole Foods stores across the country, Patrick set his sights on a career focused on cork. He helped to start the nonprofit Cork Forest Alliance and was later hired by the Natural Cork Council out of California, where he still works today.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in the Nicholson Libray at Linfield University in McMinnville on September 24, 2025.

This interview is with Angela Gargano of Fresh Take Creative. In this interview, Angela talks about her journey to start her boutique marketing agency and some of the careers and hobbies she’s explored along the way.

Angela shares about growing up in the midwest and working in her family’s fine-dining Italian restaurant. She remembers wine being very special to her family, and her dad asking her opinion about wines brought by merchants. She also speaks to visiting family in Sicily and discovering how important wine was to that culture.

Angela talks about her various careers since high school, including buying wine for Cost Plus World Market, owning a yoga studio, working harvests in Sonoma, and acting as the wine director at Triple Creek Ranch in Montana. After planning to move back to Sonoma in 2020, wildfires caused her to spend some time on in Oregon instead, and she’s been here ever since.

Angela shares about beginning to work in marketing for wineries, and that leading her to open her own marketing agency, Fresh Take Creative. She speaks to the current challenges she sees in the wine industry as well as her hopes for the future, and she encourages wineries to pinpoint a unique point in their story that sets them apart from other labels.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Angela’s home in Amity on September 11, 2025.

This interview is with Jack Trenhaile of Hyland Estates. In this interview, Jack talks about becoming the vineyard manager at Hyland in McMinnville and his work over those 31 years.

Jack shares about growing up on a farm in northeast Nebraska, attending a one-room schoolhouse until high school, and then leaving home to join the Air Force. In 1968, Jack and his wife moved so he could attend the University of Hawaii, where he worked for a bookstore and started a hobby farm in their backyard.

Jack talks about moving back to Oregon in 1973, purchasing a farm in McMinnville, and hearing about “the vineyard up the hill.” After meeting the four owners of Hyland Orchard, as it was known originally, Jack became the vineyard manager on January 3, 1976.

Jack shares the early days of the Oregon wine industry, including working with other pioneers to prune and trellis the vineyard, attending monthly meetings at the Tigard Fire Hall, and digging up one of the first vines known to be infected with phylloxera. Jack was president of the company at the time of the sale in 2007.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Jack’s home in Newberg on September 10, 2025.

This interview is with Michael Bathurst of Vin de Garde. In this interview, Michael talks about starting his own wine importing business and his travels through France to meet producers.

Michael shares about growing up in Detroit before moving to the west coast as an adult. He worked many years as a CPA and later with mergers and acquisitions, both in Portland and San Francisco. It was in SF that he joined a wine tasting group and his interest was sparked.

Michael talks about starting to work for another importer and beginning to travel to Europe to meet producers. When he felt like it was time to start his own business, Vin de Garde (“cellar-worthy”) was born. He speaks to the differences between US and European producers and the importance of knowing who you’re working with.

Later in the interview, Michael shares what he sees for the future of the wine industry, both locally and internationally. He sees that many people now purchase wine online rather than in bottle shops and how that shift is changing the game for importers.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Michael's home in Portland on August 26, 2025.

This interview is with Mike, Mary Ann, and Meara McNally of Fairsing Vineyard. In this interview, the McNally family talks about their move from Texas to Oregon, and the shift from grape growers to wine producers.

Mike, Mary Ann, and Meara McNally share about moving to Oregon in 2005 in search of a new project. Mary Ann had studied wine at Grayson College in Texas, and she had visited Oregon several times to see family and taste wine.

The family talks about the process of bringing the vineyard online, building their family home, and later starting to make wine from their estate fruit. In 2016, they opened their new tasting room and welcomed the public. Their brand, Fairsing, means “bountiful” or “wide vista” in the Irish language.

Later in the interview, Mike, Mary Ann, and Meara talk about their various hobbies including gardening, beekeeping, and Irish dancing. They also talk about their work with various sustainability projects and Mike’s work with the Willamette Valley Wine Foundation.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Fairsing Vineyard in Yamhill on August 25, 2025.

This interview is with Anna Hanson of Granville Wine Co. In this interview, Anna talks about first getting into the wine scene in northwest Indiana and her eventual move to Oregon wine country.

Anna shares about her first career in photo journalism and videography, in which she took pictures and videos of events in her hometown. She was also a concert promoter, taking that media and using it to spread the word about which bands were coming to town.

After her friend opened a wine bar, she started working there and even  managed it for several years, allowing her to taste wine from all over the world. She was hooked, and in 2019 she moved to New Zealand to work at a winery called Huia.

Later in the interview, Anna talks about moving back to the States right before NZ shut down in 2020 and coming to Oregon shortly thereafter to work at Johan Vineyards. She also worked at Sequitur before finally landing at Granville. She speaks to the various learning experiences she has had at each vineyard, and the importance of sharing that winery’s story.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Granville Wine Co. on August 20, 2025.

This interview is with Eric Foster. In this interview, Eric talks about his experience working with several different wineries, including Keeler, Duke’s, Andante, and Left Coast.

Eric shares about his introduction to the wine industry when a friend asked him to join the harvest crew at Keeler in 2017. After this, he worked another harvest at Duke’s and at Andante. Around that time, Eric was also attending Oregon State to study earth science and oceanography.

Later in the interview, Eric discusses his more recent cellar job at Left Coast and what it was like to work in the cellar full-time rather than just during harvest. He also talks about his passion for the rehabilitation of the oak savannah ecosystem, which Left Coast devotes a portion of their land to.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Erratic Rock State Park in McMinnville on August 19, 2025.

This interview is with Blair and L.J. Nicholas of LucidWild Estate. In this interview, Blair and L.J. talk about their life in California before wine and how they ended up owning a vineyard in Dundee.

Before wine, L.J. worked in the fitness industry in operations and marketing, and Blair worked as a security fraud lawyer. They started becoming interested in wine as an alternative to other alcohols, and soon began traveling internationally to taste and learn more.

After starting a backyard vineyard in San Diego, Blair and L.J. came to IPNC to experience the Willamette Valley. They quickly fell in love with the area and decided to invest in a vineyard.

Later in the interview, Blair and L.J. talk about the process of taking over what is now the LucidWild Estate, what went into designing the new tasting room and all its unique spaces, and what they hope guests take away from their experience.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at LucidWild in Dundee on August 19, 2025.

This interview is with Nick and Dana Blizzard of Blizzard Wines. In this interview, Nick and Dana talk about their entry into the wine industry after working office jobs in the city and their next steps planting their vineyard.

Nick and Dana met in high school, went to college together, and then moved from office life into the wine industry. Dana had joined an amateur winemaking club with the desire to make a physical product that she could share with people. Her parents already owned a vineyard, which she managed in exchange for the fruit. After going back to school through Chemeketa to learn more about winemaking, she and her husband started their winemaking operation in her parents’ garage.

Nick grew up in wine country, living across the street from the Ponzis. When Dana started to develop an interest in winemaking, he also expressed a desire to join the industry. He talks about discovering a love for the Carménère varietal and helping to source fruit from Eastern Washington. He also designed their tasting room and production space that now sits on Dana’s family vineyard.

Later in the interview, Nick and Dana talk about their newest project, Blizzard Ridge, and the planning that goes into planting a vineyard. They also share about the future of their sparkling wine program.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Blizzard Wines in Hillsboro on August 18, 2025.

This interview is with Megan Masterson of Daughter's Wine Shop. In this interview, Megan speaks about her early interest in wine, food, and hospitality and how she and her mother had always hoped to open a hospitality space together.

Megan speaks about her life growing up and her college experience in Montreal. She then describes how she came to Oregon and how the idea for Daughter's began to take shape.

Later, she talks about the space, the events, and the wines/people she is working with. She speaks about the unique challenges of Gearhart and about what the future might hold for her and her shop.

This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt on August 13, 2025 at Daughter's Wine Shop in Gearhart.