Demeter Certified Biodynamic® Farming The word terroir is used commonly in the wine world, so much so that it can feel like it has lost its true meaning, "a taste of the earth," or a sense of place.  Montinore's 230 acres are planted on one continuous estate (something you can't help but notice when you visit here), and all of Montinore's wine comes from grapes grown here.  Because of this you can't help but taste this special place – or terrior – in each of our wines. Beyond that, nothing helps the vineyards express our little corner of the Willamette Valley better than Biodynamic farming. "Biodynamic®  agriculture is a philosophy and methodology that views a farm as a self-sustaining ecosystem entirely responsible for creating and maintaining its individual health and vitality without any external and unnatural additions. The standards for a Demeter Certified Biodynamic farm are quite rigorous, including the organic certification prohibitions against the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and going much further to include a biodiversity set aside of 10% of total land, on-farm fertility and pest control, rigorous processing standards that emphasize minimal product manipulation, and most importantly whole farm certification (versus a particular crop or area allowed in organic certification). It is one of the most sustainable forms of agriculture, creating healthier food for healthier people and a healthier planet."  Demeter USA. Montinore Estate received its Biodynamic certification from Demeter USA (the only Biodynamic certifying agency in the USA) the summer of 2008.  We are committed to producing finely crafted wines that express the unique conditions of the northern Willamette Valley and farm using the strict standards of Biodynamic farming.

We can’t talk about winemaking without telling you about the people who care for our vineyard. We believe that winemaking begins in the vineyard with caring for the vines and helping them to produce the best grapes possible. Vineyard manager Efren Rosales, vineyard foreman Alfredo Santiago and their crew have been working this vineyard for an average of 18 years. They know each block, each row, every dip and hill on the farm.  They know the weak spots and the areas that give us exceptional grapes year after year. Without their efforts there would be no wine.

Once the vineyard crew delivers the ripened grapes to the winery, our winemaking team takes over. Alfredo, Manuel Cabrera and Sergio Reyes change hats from vineyard workers to the “crush pad team.” For years now, they have overseen the transformation of grapes to grape juice and pressed the Pinot Noir after fermentation. 

Stephen Webber has been an integral part of our winemaking team since he joined us in 2006. Stephen spent three years as Assistant Winemaker before taking the promotion of Winemaker in 2009, alongside Ben Thomas. Stephen now focuses on our white wine program with his diligent and artful work, as well as working closely with Ben on the Pinots and our "pet projects." Stephen came to us from DiStefano winery in Seattle, and had previously spent extensive time working and travelling in Australia, where he gathered much of his larger-scale winemaking experience. A vintage in Alsace, France, sealed Stephen's love of cool climate white varietals, and this sits well with our Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Müller-Thurgau and Riesling. As our resident Brit, affectionately known as "Lord Webber," without him we would not be nearly as civilized as we are (ha!). It has taken us over three years to understand what he's talking about, but we finally seem to be making progress! When not making wine, he enjoys beer, English fish ‘n chips, the wonderful Oregon coast, and many sports, especially football (the proper version), rugby and cricket.

Ben Thomas is a man of many talents and was the sleeper of the winemaking team (but all his secrets are out now – we think). In 2008 he was hired to work harvest and we were immediately impressed by his insights, hard works and, of course, his good nature. Then came the coup de grâce: he also had writing, marketing and graphic design in his background. So for a wonderful six months, Ben collaborated with me in the marketing department while lording over the barreled Pinots as Cellar Master. Sadly for the marketing department – but luckily for the wine – Ben returned to the winemaking team full time and accepted position as Winemaker in 2009 (with Stephen), focusing on our Pinot Noir and working closely with Stephen to keep the wine flowing. One of our favorite things about Ben is that he is 100% invested in his work yet still manages to run away to the circus every summer – no, really. Ben – who previously made his living in crab fishing, bartending, journalism, cooking, forestry work, carpentry and book editing – finally realized that winemaking was his true passion following stints at other wineries, including his own mother's in Washington state. He says he's found his home with Montinore.

Will Cannon is our cellar helper – or Caviste, as we prefer to call him – and somehow manages to exude the warmth and fun of the sun every day wherever he works. His passion and dedication to making the best wine our grapes can make motivates everyone around him. Will came to us for the 2009 harvest directly from nine months in New Zealand. Although we know we will soon be losing Will when he follows his girl to New Mexico for school, we are lobbying everyday for him to stay just one more harvest. Let's hope we are successful!

Rudy Marchesi after 35+ years of growing grapes and making wine is still our "fearless leader" and proprietor of Montinore, sharing an office and working closely with Ben, Stephen and Will, as well as overseeing all the day-to-day operations at the winery. He spends many of his mornings walking the vineyards and working with Vineyard Manager Efren Rosales to keep our 230 acres of grapes well maintained and healthy. Although it may not sound like he would have time for anything else, he spends his limited free time growing his own veggies, taking care of his one-acre home vineyard, curing meats, making cheeses and amusing himself playing Jazz piano and guitar – all the while raising two teenagers with his wife Susan.

The vineyard’s west-facing slopes enjoy the shelter of the Coastal Mountain Range and are given to luxuriously long, cool growing seasons. Our loamy clay soil, elevation and mild climate make Montinore‘s vineyards a great site for sensitive, cool climate varietals such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewürtztraminer, Riesling and Müller-Thurgau. More than half of our vineyards is devoted to the Pinot Noir grape. Subtle variations in soil, light and elevation are expressed in distinctive blocks of both Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

Montinore Vineyards Limited
3663 SW DIlley Road • Forest Grove, OR  97116
(503) 359-5012  or  (888) 359-5012 phone • (503) 357-4313 fax