Podcast
The Oregon Wine History Archive Podcast
Hosted by The Oregon Wine History Archive · EN
The Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield University was created to collect, preserve, share, and continue the narrative of Oregon wine.
The growth of the Oregon wine industry extends from the farmers and winemakers to the marketers, scientists, innovators, and dreamers of the enterprise — all of whom are vital to the industry’s success. It is our aim to link the past, present, and future of the industry in hopes of sharing the story of Oregon wine.
Some oral history interviews are conducted on site and may contain background noise from nature, winery, or tasting room operations.
106episodes
Episodes
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Kevin Pogue: Oral History Interview
May 2001:19:33Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Kevin Pogue, of VinTerra. Kevin is a geologist, educator, and wine industry consultant whose career has taken him from the caves and mountains of Kentucky to studying tectonics in Pakistan, teaching geology for decades, and eventually becoming deeply involved in viticulture and wine regions across the country. Kevin is originally from the Bluegrass region of Lexington, Kentucky and talks about spending much of his early life outdoors; he enjoys caving, climbing, skiing, and exploring the mountains, which sparked his interest in geology. Hediscusses his decades-long career in education, beginning college-level teaching at 22 and spending 35 years teaching different types of geology. He talks about mentoring students, his time at Oregon State and Whitman College, and the fulfillment he found in helping others learn about what he loved so much. The conversation explores how Kevin developed an interest in wine through geology, eventually consulting with grape growers in Walla Walla and helping evaluate terroir — the relationship between soil, climate, and land characteristics in wine production. He explains his involvement with AVA applications across the country and how geology connects directly to agriculture and wine.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt in Portland, Oregon on April 3, 2026.
Transcribe →Tim and Kathy O'Leary: Oral History Interview
May 1501:46:00Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Tim and Kathy O’Leary of Long Walk Vineyard. Tim is originally from Palo Alto, California, and Kathy is from Sacramento, California. Although their careers began far from the wine industry, both eventually found themselves building a life centered around farming, community, and wine.Kathy talks about attending Stanford, where she met her husband, Tim; switching to an engineering major from a math and science major; and spending years traveling internationally for consulting work. She reflects on reaching a point where constant travel no longer fit the life she wanted, leading her toward buying a farm, raising a family with Tim, and eventually helping build Long Walk Vineyard. She also discusses learning through trial and error, managing projects, and planting multiple grape varieties while balancing life remotely.Tim talks about his path from Stanford to law school, working in corporate law and tech-related fields, and his unexpected shift toward wine. He shares how experiences abroad and a growing appreciation for wine influences the decision to leave behind traditional career expectations.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Linfield University’s Nicholson Library on April 2, 2026.
Transcribe →Joe Ferris: Oral History Interview
May 1501:51:33Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Joe Ferris of Lingua Franca in Salem, Oregon. In this interview, Joe shares his background and how he found his way into the world of winemaking through travel, science, and hands-on experience. Joe grew up in Wisconsin and attended UW Madison, where he studied biomedical engineering. His interest in wine first started casually, but after traveling through South America with his wife and visiting wineries along the way, he became fascinated by the culture and science behind winemaking. After moving to Los Angeles and working in the biotech field, Joe realized he wanted to pursue wine more seriously. He later attended UC Davis for viticulture and enology, where he gained hands-on experience and learned more about the industry. During this time, he completed internships and harvest work in Oregon, Germany, and New Zealand, experiences that helped shape his understanding of winemaking and wine culture around the world. Joe especially valued the way wine brought people together and became integrated into everyday life in places like Europe. After hearing about an opening at Lingua Franca, Joe joined the team as a harvest intern and steadily worked his way up through the cellar. After several years as an assistant, he became the estate winemaker and continues to focus on producing thoughtful wines that reflect Oregon’s Willamette Valley.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Lingua Franca in Salem, Oregon on April 1, 2026.
Transcribe →Scott Kelley: Oral History Interview
May 701:37:40Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Scott Kelley of Paul O’Brien Winery. In this interview, Scott talks about starting to work in the wine industry as a teenager, his experience with big, corporate wineries, and starting his own project in Oregon. Scott shares about beginning to work in the industry at 17 years old cleaning mobile grape presses. When his boss learned about his affinity for chemistry, he started taking grape samples in the vineyard to help determine pick dates. During this time, he met a winemaker who encouraged him to go to UC Davis. Scott talks about working at a brewery in Monterey, where he enjoyed the fermentation science but not the repetition and consistency of beer making. Without any cellar experience, he had to wait for someone in the wine industry to give him a chance, and that opportunity finally came through Golden State Vintners. Later in the interview, Scott discusses working for Robert Mondavi’s La Famiglia label and learning to balance attention to detail with the large volume of wine he was producing there. While working for Estancia, he took their production up to 1.6 million cases yearly. In 2013, he started his own project with partner Dyson DeMara, which came to be known as Paul O’Brien Winery. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Paul O’Brien Winery in Roseburg on March 19, 2026. Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Charlie Becker: Oral History Interview
May 600:41:33Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Charlie Becker of Becker Vineyard in Roseburg. In this interview, Charlie shares his background and how he got started in winemaking.Charlie grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and made his first wine at just 10 years old out of store bought grape juice and yeast. He later studied biology in college and eventually moved to Seattle, where he worked as a painter for many years. After some time, he move to southern Oregon and bought property in Drain, where he began pursuing winemaking more seriously.He started making wine around 2000 and produced his first batches in 2003. Over time, he planted about 13 acres of grapes and focused on growing a few different varietals. Much of what he learned about winemaking came from self-education, including researching in public libraries. In the early years, he and his wife, Peggy, did much of the work themselves, including bottling wine by hand.Charlie built most of his winery and tasting room on his own. His wines have gone on to win awards, and he takes pride in the quality of his work. He also values his lifestyle that comes with winemaking, having grown up around wine culture and enjoying the independence it brings. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Becker Vineyard in Roseburg, Oregon on March 20, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Rob Ikola: Oral History Interview
May 600:58:59Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Rob Ikola of Whitetail Ridge. In this interview, Rob shares his background, career path, and how he became involved in the wine industry.Rob was born in Portland and grew up moving all around Oregon, including time in Bend and Roseburg. He attended Umpqua Community College, where he earned a business degree. Before entering the wine industry, he spent many years working in hands-on trades, including running a horse trailer company for about 20 years and operating a machine shop through a long-term business partnership. In 2012, Rob transitioned into the wine industry by starting a mobile bottling business. His company travels to different wineries to bottle wine efficiently, with the ability to process hundreds of cases per day. Around the same time, Rob planted his own vineyard in 2010, growing around 11 grape varietals. He developed a strong interest in winemaking and the vineyard lifestyle, combining his business experiences with agriculture. Rob emphasizes his love for farm life, including raising animals such as pigs, goats, and chickens. He values the independence and creativity that come with owning a vineyard and winery, as well as the ability to build something of his own. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Whitetail Ridge in Roseburg, Oregon on March 20, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Bryan and Pam Freed: Oral History Interview
May 600:52:04Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Bryan and Pam Freed of Freed Estate. In this interview, Pam talks about growing up in Honolulu and working as a flight attendant. She talks about meeting her husband Mike and his desire to be a farmer.Later, she talks about finding land in Roseburg and starting Freed Estate. Bryan talks about growing up watching his father Mike farm, and eventually deciding he wanted to follow in his footsteps.They talk about Bryan's time at Oregon State learning enology and viticulture, and starting to take over more of the business. They talk about Mike passing away and the wines they made to honor him. And they talk about their favorite parts about being in the wine industry and being a space for their friends and neighbors.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Freed Estate in Roseburg on March 19, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Andrew Wenzl: Oral History Interview
May 501:36:06Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Andrew Wenzl of Abacela Winery. In this interview, Andrew talks about his journey from biology and chemistry for veterinary school to applying those principles to winemaking.Andrew shares about his family’s history in present-day Austria growing lesser known varietals, making wine, and running bed and breakfast-type inns. With that history of winemaking and hospitality, it made sense for Andrew to take his scientific education and start working at King Estate performing “bucket chemistry.”Andrew talks about enjoying cellar work first at King Estate and then at Silvan Ridge Hinman Vineyard before applying to work at Abacela Winery. He joined the team there in 2002, and he has been there ever since. When he first started working there, he acted as assistant winemaker, and in 2008 he was promoted to head winemaker. Though he grew up in the Willamette Valley and enjoyed the wines made there, he now loves working with varietals like Grenache and Tempranillo.Later in the interview, Andrew discusses the growth of Abacela during his time there, including a new and expanded tasting room, new programs like port and sparkling, and using 25 years’ worth vineyard & cellar data to continue improving the wines. He also talks about how becoming a dad helped him to be more empathetic and supportive during the winemaking process.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Abacela Winery in Roseburg on March 19, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Denise and Bryan White: Oral History Interview
May 501:26:41Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Denise and Bryan White of Troon Vineyards in Grants Pass. In this interview they share their journey into winemaking, their professional backgrounds, and how they built their vineyard and business together.Both Denise and Bryan originally came from medical backgrounds. Bryan worked in internal medicine and is board certified in hospice and palliative care, while Denise attended medical school and worked in a clinic, including time in neurology. Before entering the wine industry, they were involved in starting medical nonprofits in California and in Texas.In 2017, they purchased Troon Vineyards and began transitioning it to organic and biodynamic practices. Inspired by ecological approaches to farming, they focused less on industrial methods and more on soil health and microbiology. Over several years, they replanted much of the vineyard and expanded beyond just wine production to include apple cider, gardens, and livestock.They emphasize the importance of building a strong, knowledgable team to support all aspects of the vineyard, from soil science to vineyard management. They even conducted extensive soil testing, digging large soil pits and consulting experts to better understand the land. Overall, Denise and Bryan highlight intentionality in both their farming and business practices, aiming to create high-quality wine while improving the land and contributing positively to their community.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Troon Vineyards in Grants Pass on March 18, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →Andy Myer: Oral History Interview
Apr 3001:33:30Tap to summarizeThis interview is with Andy Myer of Goldback & Trivia Wine Room. In this interview, Andy talks about his path into winemaking, starting with studying philosophy in Pennsylvania before transferring to Willamette University to study environmental science. He shares how a summer job at Cristom sparked his interest, describing his first experience in a vineyard as a “lightning catalyst” that got him hooked.Andy discusses his hands-on learning journey, including harvests in New Zealand and Australia, working in Sonoma and Seattle, and spending time in Italy studying archaeology to understand early winemaking practices. He shares that these experiences shaped his perspective and led him to realize he didn’t need a formal degree to succeed in the wine industry.Later in the interview, Andy talks about starting Goldback in 2016 after moving to Oregon, his work with Wine Collective, and balancing family with his career. He reflects on challenges he faced throughout his career while also emphasizing his passion for winemaking.This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Goldback & Iruai Wine Room in Talent, Oregon on March 18, 2026.Thank you to the Oregon Wine Board for generously supporting this interview as part of our Southern Oregon 2026 tour!
Transcribe →