Willamette Valley Vineyards was founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau. He planted and watered the fledgling vines of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay himself. In 1988, he made history with the nation’s first crowd funding campaign to sell shares of the winery to the community. Today, it’s the third largest Oregon winery by brand and was named “Winery of the Year” in 2011 by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

The Bernau Block is sourced from Jim’s original plantings. Deep garnet colored in the glass, it shows a forward nose of brambly fruit, herbs and minerality. Flavors of field red raspberry and black raspberry fruits are unveiled with airing. A wisp of earth follows into a crisp and vibrant finish that’s a tell-tale of the wine’s long future in the cellar.

By Michael Yang