Oak Knoll Winery
Encyclopedia
Oak Knoll Winery is a privately held winery
located in the Tualatin Valley
near Hillsboro, Oregon
, United States
. Established in 1970, it is the largest winery in Washington County
and produces pinot noir
, pinot gris
, and chardonnay
.
Its prolific variety of wines owes to its rather unusual lack of its own vineyard
. It obtains grapes from area producers instead.
was established by Marjorie and Ron Vuylsteke south of Hillsboro on what was then a dairy farm. Oak Knoll became the first winery in Washington County. Used Coca-Cola
drums were utilized for storing the wine during the fermentation
process in the early years. The first batch consisted of 4,000 gallons of fruit wine
(blackberry), with the first Pinot Noir
coming in 1973. Later wines include introduced include Chardonnay and Riesling in 1975, and Pinot Gris in 1990.
Oak Knoll also became the first winery in Washington County to open a tasting room
. By 1986 the winery was the second largest by volume sold in Oregon, but slipped to third by 1988. Also in 1986, the Washington Post named the winery’s pinot noir some of the best pinot noir from the United States. Overtime the winery has produced other unique wines such as won using loganberries. In 1998, their Oak Knoll Frambrosia made with raspberries was referred to as one of the world’s best dessert wines. Founders Ron and Marjorie sold part of the winery in 2005 to their sons Tom and John Vuylsteke. In 2006, the winery was the largest in Washington County with 30,000 cases produced each year.
Oak Knoll uses grapes from within the Willamette Valley AVA
to produce its wines. The winery is a family run enterprise with Greg Lint serving as president. It has annual revenues of $7.5 million selling varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Niagara, and Pinot Gris among others, under its own label and the Twilight Blush, Eruption, and Frambrosia labels. They are the official wine sponsor of the Portland Rose Festival
.
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
located in the Tualatin Valley
Tualatin Valley
The Tualatin Valley is a farming and suburban region southwest of Portland, Oregon in the United States. The valley is formed by the meandering Tualatin River, a tributary of the Willamette River at the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley, east of the Northern Oregon Coast Range...
near Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Established in 1970, it is the largest winery in Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
and produces pinot noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
, pinot gris
Pinot gris
Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance...
, and chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
.
Its prolific variety of wines owes to its rather unusual lack of its own vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
. It obtains grapes from area producers instead.
History
In 1970, the wineryWinery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
was established by Marjorie and Ron Vuylsteke south of Hillsboro on what was then a dairy farm. Oak Knoll became the first winery in Washington County. Used Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
drums were utilized for storing the wine during the fermentation
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...
process in the early years. The first batch consisted of 4,000 gallons of fruit wine
Fruit wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients ; they may also have additional flavours taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer...
(blackberry), with the first Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
coming in 1973. Later wines include introduced include Chardonnay and Riesling in 1975, and Pinot Gris in 1990.
Oak Knoll also became the first winery in Washington County to open a tasting room
Wine tasting
Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards...
. By 1986 the winery was the second largest by volume sold in Oregon, but slipped to third by 1988. Also in 1986, the Washington Post named the winery’s pinot noir some of the best pinot noir from the United States. Overtime the winery has produced other unique wines such as won using loganberries. In 1998, their Oak Knoll Frambrosia made with raspberries was referred to as one of the world’s best dessert wines. Founders Ron and Marjorie sold part of the winery in 2005 to their sons Tom and John Vuylsteke. In 2006, the winery was the largest in Washington County with 30,000 cases produced each year.
Accolades
- Oak Knoll’s wine has been served at the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
- 1989 Oregon State FairOregon State Fair-National Register of Historic Places:The state fairground is the site of two historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Oregon State Fair Stadium and Poultry Building Ensemble. The 1919 horse stadium and the 1921 poultry building were added to the register in 2002...
: Two gold medals and four bronze medals - 1990 Pacific Northwest Wine & Food Festival: Silver medal for their 1988 Chardonnay
- 1991 San Diego National Wine Competition: Gold medal for their 1988 pinot noir
- 1998 Oregon State Fair: One silver and two bronze medals
- 2003 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition: Ninth place for their 2001 Pinot Gris
- 2006 The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition: Two bronze medals
- 2007 Pacific Rim Wine Competition: White wine category, winner for its sweet Niagara grape wine
Business
Willamette Valley AVA
The Willamette Valley AVA , is an American Viticultural Area which lies in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The AVA is the wine growing region which encompasses the drainage basin of the Willamette River...
to produce its wines. The winery is a family run enterprise with Greg Lint serving as president. It has annual revenues of $7.5 million selling varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Niagara, and Pinot Gris among others, under its own label and the Twilight Blush, Eruption, and Frambrosia labels. They are the official wine sponsor of the Portland Rose Festival
Portland Rose Festival
The Portland Rose Festival is an annual civic festival held during the month of June in Portland, Oregon. It is organized by the volunteer non-profit Portland Rose Festival Association with the purpose of promoting the Portland region...
.