Willamette Valley - South | Organic Overview

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Location

• Sources solely from its two organic estate vineyards in Dallas (in Polk County), southwest of the Eola-Amity Hills 

• The winery, built in 2018, and tasting room (scheduled to open in the summer of 2019) are on a farm and orchard site in Salem, across the river from the Croft's vineyards the structure is an historic former dance hall (with classic 1940's hand hewn log siding)  where visitors can picnic and enjoy the orchard and riverfront.

Best known for

• Top tier grower making small lots of wines from its estate vines, including an award-winning Pinot Noir

• Makes 5 wines from certified vines ($14-42) 

• Its vineyards include the 45 acre Croft Vineyard and the 14 acre Croft-Williamson Vineyard; it grows Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon

• Founders Chancy (a lawyer) and Toni Croft from Anchorage, bought their first site (the Croft-Williamson Vineyard), in 1983; Chancy, an organic gardener, thought organic "was just the right thing to do" and farmed the vineyards organically from the start

• Today Lee and Terri Croft, the second generation, oversee the operation, moving from Alaska to Salem six years ago to develop the new winery; their daughter Kym coordinates grape distribution to wineries across Oregon

• The family sells about 80 percent of its grapes to Oregon’s finest wineries who put "Croft Vineyards" on the labels; this list includes Arbor Brook, Andrew Rich, Bergstrom, Evesham Wood, Fullerton, Haden Fig and King Estate

• In recent years, the Croft's own wine label has expanded production and gained statewide distribution; they have also added an online store to sell wines directly to consumers

• Estaban Ramos and his son Miguel Ramos oversee the vines; Ray Walsh is the white wine and rosé winemaker and Chris Heider makes the red wines

• The family purchased a new site in Salem that's home to orchards, growing apples, cherries, peaches, pears and figs (currently in the three year transition to official organic certification) that they plan to sell commercially; they've named it Stomp

• The winery has two labels: its top tier, Croft Vineyards, and a second, entry level label, Backcountry Wines (Ridge Roamer and River Runner); they also made a third label called Savoir-Vivre (later rebranded as Backcountry Wines)

• John Croft (third generation) works full time in Oregon in the family business; his brother James, an Alaskan river raft guide, works harvest

• In 2017, the Crofts and other area growers petitioned the federal government to create a new appellation, the Mount Pisgah-Polk County AVA, in order to recognize the uniqueness of their region and its Siletz River volcanics and sedimentary, clay soils

• Croft's wines have a reputation for exceptional quality and value—two Croft wines made Portland magazine’s recent list of Oregon’s 50 Best Wines, including Croft’s Pinot Noir 

Organic vineyard case production

1,200-1,500  (out of 1,200-1,500)

Certified

Croft Vineyard, organic, 2005, Oregon Tilth

Croft/Williamson Vineyard, organic, 2008, Oregon Tilth

Location

• Sources from its 13 acre, certified organic vineyard, Le Puits Sec, as well as from select, local Willamette Valley growers in Oregon, including one with organic vines

• The winery and tasting room are in Salem, Oregon

Best known for

• Classic Oregon producer with an Old World approach and a devoted following; it makes small lots of highly sought after Pinot Noirs

• Makes 7 wines from dry farmed, certified vines ($16-46, 90-92 pts.)

• The vineyard sits at 300-400 feet of elevation on shallow volcanic basalt soils

• Founders Mary and Russ Raney founded the winery in 1986, taking their inspiration from Burgundy masters-Henri Jayer (Vosne-Romanée), and Michel Niellon (Chassagne-Montrachet) 

• In 2010, the Raneys retired, selling the winery to Erin and Jordan Nuncio; the younger couple, spent three years working at the winery under the Raneys' tutelage during the transition and continue the winery's traditional approach

• The winery is one of only a handful in Oregon with a certified organic winery, bottle labeling its organically farmed wines "Made with Organic Grapes"

• In addition, Erin Nuncio continues to make wines under his own Haden Fig brand, as well (which he started before buying Evesham Wood); he buys grapes for the Haden Fig brand, making several single vineyard designates sourced solely from organic grapes

• The winery is a member of the French group Renaissance des Appellations (which roughly translates to Wines of Terroir), an organization committed to organic and Biodynamic practices and terroir driven wines

• Its Pinot Noir Cuvee J (its reserve wine) "deserves cult status," says Northwest Wine, a popular Portland wine shop, while Food & Wine magazine wrote recently that the winery is making "some of the most delicious, compelling Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley"

Organic case production

1,400 (out of 5,500 total)

Certified

Estate vineyard and winery, organic, 2000, Oregon Tilth

$10

Tastings (walk in)

$20

Vineyard tour and tasting (by appt.)

$25

Picnic food

Evesham Wood & Haden Fig

3795 Wallace Road Northwest

Salem, OR, 97304

503.371.8478

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Location

• Sources its wines solely from organic grapes from three vineyards: its own 15 acre Wren Vineyard estate and two vineyards Lumos proprietor Dai Crisp farms for clients - Logdson and acclaimed 100 acre Temperance Hill vineyard, one of Oregon's crown jewels

• The wines are made in McMinnville, in the heart of Oregon wine country

• The tasting room - in a barn - is on the estate's 100 acre farm on the Wren Vineyards site in Philomath

Best known for

• A rising star winery founded and run by one of Oregon's acclaimed vineyard managers, Dai Crisp, a meticulous farmer dedicated to organic viticulture for nearly 3 decades

• Makes 8 wines from certified vines ($19-48, 90-94 pts.); most of its production is two wines-its Logsdon Pinot Gris and its 5 Blocks Pinot Noir ($25, 94 pts.)

• Crisp's day job is overseeing one of Oregon's prized vineyards - the 100 acre Temperance Hill Vineyard; 10+ of Oregon's most prestigious wineries make single vineyard designate wines from its grapes, including Lumos

• The winemaker is Julia Cattrall (whose family runs one of Oregon's oldest organic vineyards, Cattrall Brothers Vineyard)

• In 2014, Wine & Spirits magazine named Dai Crisp the Grower of the Year for his work at Temperance Hill; in 2015 Oregon State University's College of Agricultural Sciences inducted him into its Hall of Fame

• The tiny winery's hitting its stride, with two of its top Pinot Noirs - the Five Blocks ($25) and the Temperance Hill ($45) - getting blockbuster scores (94 pts.)

• In 2016, Wine & Spirits awarded Lumos with the prestigious honor of being designated a Top 100 Winery

Organic vineyard case production

3,000 (out of 3,000 total)

Certified

Logsdon Ridge Vineyard, 2012, Oregon Tilth

Temperance Hill Vineyard, 2012, Oregon State Dept. of Agriculture

Wren Vineyard, 2012, Oregon Tilth

Video

$10

Tasting

Lumos Wine Co.

24000 Cardwell Hill Dr.

Philomath, OR 9737

541.929.3519

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