Franchère Wine Company

Winemaker Mike Hinds is the great-great-great grandson of French Canadian author and explorer Gabriel Franchère who traveled to Fort Astoria on the Oregon coast in 1811 as part of the Astor expedition. His descendents settled in Astoria a century later, and one of his descendents now makes wine from grapes grown in the Willamette Valley

Hinds was born and raised in Oregon and worked in the music business in Portland, Oregon, until 2002, when he pursued a career as a web developer in Chicago. After working four years in wine shops, the love of wine brought him back to Oregon where he crafts Pinot Noir, Syrah and Grüner Veltliner from sustainably farmed vineyards. He was a cellar rat at Illahe Vineyards and that is where he currently makes his wines.

The wines are fermented with native yeasts with no additives and are aged in used barrels and used tanks.

Look to Storyteller Wine Company in Portland to acquire the small production wines.