Other Willamette Valley Vineyards Planted in the 1970s
There are many vineyards planted in the 1970s for which little information is available. I know of no Old Vine
Pinot Noir bottlings sourced from original plantings at these vineyards.
Catalyst Vineyard Planted in 1978 with 1 acre of Pinot Noir, 1.5 acres of Riesling and 0.5 acres of
Chardonnay. Owned by Varnum Vintners.
Champoeg Vineyard The Mathiot family, French immigrants, planted grapevines here in 1958 using plants
obtained from California after claiming 139 acres of land encompassing a portion of “La Butte” located in
Butteville, OR (Marion County). By 1980, the farm census referred to Butteville and the neighboring community
as the wine capital of Oregon territory. Champoeg Wine Cellars was established in 1990 and opened to the
public in 1992.
Chateau Benoit Vineyard This property, now known as Anne Amie Vineyards since 2004, was planted in
1979 by Fred and Mary Benoit who bought 60 acres in Carlton, OR in 1979. Anne Amie produces an Old Vine
Estate Müller Thurgau from grapes planted in 1979 but no Pinot Noir is crafted from the 1979 plantings of Pinot
Noir.
Ellendale Vineyards Robert and Ella Mae Hudson planted a 15-acre vineyard in 1976 named after the town
of Ellendale located 12 miles west of Salem. Reportedly, 27 varieties of wine grapes and berries were
established. Wine was produced and sold until the early 1980s when Ken and Becky Jacroux became owners
and managers of the property. The 16-acre vineyard contained own-rooted Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling,
Gewürztraminer, and Niagara. The property is now named Breckenridge Vineyard.
Holley Blue Vineyard No record of who planted the vineyard originally in 1972. Located in the southern
Willamette Valley near Corvallis, OR. At one time, the vineyard was owned by Jack Brandis, Owen Bentley, and
Lee Tyler. 10 acres of Pinot Noir, 3 acres of Riesling and a small amount of Gewürztraminer. The vineyard’s
current status is unknown. Hollie Blue Vineyard Wines, including Pinot Noir and a sparkling Rosé, were made
at various times by Secret House, LaVelle, and King Estate.
Holstein Vineyard Alan Holstein was the manager for Weber Vineyard and was given a 10-acre portion of the
vineyard. The entire vineyard was replanted due to phylloxera. Alan’s son, Jackson, now manages the Holstein
Vineyard and has produced wine under the Granville label since 2014.
Mulhausen Vineyards Zane and Pat Mulhausen planted a 30-acre vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains
beginning in 1973. The plantings were Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay and Sylvaner. The Chehalem Mountain
Winery was bonded in 1979 and the name later changed to Mulhausen Vineyards. In the early 1980s, a Pinot
Noir was released. The vineyard and winery were sold in the late 1980s to Ponzi Vineyards. Zane Mulhausen
was a plant engineer at Tektronix where Dick Erath also worked back in the day.
Strangeland Estate Vineyard Larry and Ruth Miller planted this vineyard in 1978 in Salem, OR. The original
plantings included Wädenswil Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pinot Gris was added in 1988. The Strangeland
Vineyards & Winery was established in 1991. The winery’s Reserve Pinot Noir is sourced from a mix of
vineyards with no Old Vine bottling.
Wichmann Vineyard Gary Fuqua’s father, Russell, planted a vineyard with 4 acres of Pinot Noir in 1975 along
with Gary Fuqua located adjacent to Fuqua Vineyard. Gary bought the vineyard property from his father in 1998.
In 2010, the Wichmanns purchased the vineyard and renamed it Wichmann Vineyard. (see Fuqua Vineyard)
More:Feitz Vineyard (1973), Hidden Springs (1979), Jonicolle Vineyards (1975), Nehalem Bay Vineyard
(1973).
