Evesham Wood Pinot Noir

Founded by Russ Raney in 1986, Evesham Wood is based on the idea that small is beautiful. To maintain a high level of quality, we rely on two basic principles: obtaining optimally ripe low-yield fruit from the best possible sites in the Willamette Valley and using minimal intervention in the winemaking process. That approach is alive and well today and is evident in every bottle we produce.

Evesham Wood was founded by Russ and Mary Raney in 1986. After a comprehensive search throughout the Willamette Valley, they chose a site for the estate vineyard, “Le Puits Sec” (French for “the dry well” which we have in the vineyard). There they planted eight acres, three of Pinot Noir (Pommard clone), two each of Chardonnay (108 clone) and Pinot Gris (Colmar clones), and one of Gewurztraminer. Since then, four and one-half acres have gradually been added (1.5 ac. of 3 Dijon clones of Pinot Noir, 1 ac. of 3 Dijon clones of Chardonnay, and one ac. Pinot Gris, as well as small plantings of the German variety, Rieslaner and the Austrian variety, Gruener Veltliner). In addition, the original two acres of Chardonnay were grafted over to Pinot Noir in 1999.

It was also in 1986 that Evesham Wood first produced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, using grapes purchased primarily from Temperance Hill & Seven Springs vineyards, two fine Eola Hills sites very near (and with similar soil composition) to our own. We continue to purchase fruit from Temperance Hill, as well as from four other quality sites: Mahonia, located in the South Salem Hills, and Illahe, a warm site in the foothills of the coast range. We currently purchase Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for about half of our annual production, with the remainder of wine production from these varieties coming from our estate vineyard. Additionally, our Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are produced exclusively from estate-grown fruit.

After twenty plus years, Russ and Mary began working closely with Erin Nuccio, who is the owner of Haden Fig. Not only did the founders see an opportunity to retire early, but also someone who would continue the Evesham Wood legacy and make wine using the same philosophies. In August 2010, Erin and his wife, Jordan, became the owners of Evesham Wood Winery & Le Puits Sec Vineyard.