Belle Vallee Cellars

HISTORICAL INFORMATION ABOUT BELLE VALLEE CELLARS
Belle Vallee Cellars is a small, urban winery located in Corvallis, Oregon. Winemaker Joe Wright makes Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from the Northern Willamette Valley. He also makes Cabernet, Merlot, and a great value red blend, all made from Southern Oregon fruit. A sweet, fortified port is also made. The winery produces approximately 6,000 cases per year. The owners are Joe Wright, Steve Allen, and Mike Magee.

Belle Vallee operates an 18,000 square foot winery in downtown Corvallis. An urban winery, it is located in a small office park close to downtown.

Belle Vallee Cellars currently contracts with thirteen vineyards to produce the high quality grapes used in its wines. Winemaker, Joseph Wright, has worked with many of the vineyard managers over the past nine years, and has developed a great familiarity with the fruit we have selectively contracted. This knowledge helps develop the consistency and unique qualities of Belle Vallee Cellars' wines.

Joe's style is to blend the wines by obtaining grapes from a variety of top locations within Oregon. This approach helps build complex wines with depth and character beyond the reach of a single vineyard. Wines are aged in new French oak, using from 60-100% new oak. All of their premium red wines are unfiltered and unfined.

Belle Vallee's Vineyards

From the winery:

The vineyards that Belle Vallee use for fruit are located in the western half of Oregon, in two recognized appellations; Willamette Valley and Rogue Valley. Starting with the 2003 harvest, they relied on the Willamette Valley to provide all of their cool climate fruit, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

Winter's Hill Vineyard

Winter's Hill Vineyard is owned and managed by Peter, Emily and Russel Gladhart. The vineyard was originally planted in 1990. It is located in the West Dundee Hills of Oregon. Winter's Hill Vineyard provided Belle Vallee Cellars with Pinot Noir grapes for our Whole Cluster and Vintage programs in 2002 and 2003 harvests. The entire vineyard is certified by LIVE of Oregon (Low Input Viticulture & Enology) as Sustainable and Salmon Safe.

Temperance Hill Vineyard

Owners Edward and L.S. Koo organically farm their 100 acre vineyard on a variety of slopes in the central eastern Eola Hills, located northeast of Salem Oregon. Dai Crisp manages the unirrigated vineyard established in 1981. Their fruit was used in our Whole Cluster and Reserve in 2002. Belle Vallee Cellars expects Temperance Hill fruit to qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage programs in 2003 and 2004.

Cherry Hill Vineyard

Owned by Mike and Jan Sweeney, this vineyard encircles a small lake in the southwestern Eola Hills, and is located to the northeast of Salem, Oregon. The vineyard was planted in 1999 on five distinct soil types. Cherry Hill vineyard supplied fruit for our Port, Cuvee and Reserve programs in 2002. As part of our 2003 program and upcoming 2004 harvest, Belle Vallee Cellars expects to use Cherry Hill fruit in our Port. It will potentially qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending program.

Freedom Hill Vineyard

Freedom Hill Vineyard is located in the eastern foothills of the Coast Range just south of Dallas, Oregon. It is owned and managed by Dan and Helen Dusschee. The vineyard was planted in 1980. Our Whole Cluster program benefited from this vineyard s grapes in 2002 and 2003. As part of our 2003 and upcoming harvests, Freedom Hill fruit will qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending programs.

Vitae Springs Vineyard

Vitae Springs Vineyard is located in the West Salem Hills in Salem, Oregon and is owned by Earl and Pam Van Volkinburg. Their son, Joel Van Volkinburg, manages the vineyards, first established in 1986. In 2002, Belle Vallee Cellars used Vitae Springs' Dijon Pinot Noir clones in the Cuvee and Reserve wines. As part of our 2003 program and upcoming harvests, Vitae Springs' fruit will qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending programs.

Lemelson Vineyards (Stermer Vineyard)

Lemelson Vineyards (Stermer Vineyard) are owned by Eric Lemelson. The vineyard, originally planted in 1997, is located on the western edge of Yamhill County, near the town of Carlton, Oregon. The Stermer Vineyard was part of our 2003 harvest and provides Belle Vallee Cellars with Pinot Noir grapes that might qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending programs.

Rainbows End Vineyard

Planted in 1993, by owners Al and Arlene Looney, Rainbows End Vineyard is located two miles west of Monroe, Oregon, in the eastern foothills of the coastal range. In 2002, we used their fruit in our Vintage program. As part of our 2003 and upcoming harvests, Rainbows End fruit may qualify for our Reserve and Vintage blending programs.

Alpine Vineyards

Established in 1976, Alpine Vineyard is located in southern Benton County, and includes some of the oldest, best reputed Pinot Noir vines in the region. Owners Dan and Christine Jepsen were pioneers in the early Oregon winemaking industry. As part of our 2003 program and upcoming harvests, Alpine fruit will qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending programs.

Elton Vineyard

Elton Vineyard was planted in 1983 with the Pommard clone of the Pinot Noir grape. It is located on the east side of the Eola Hills above Hopewell, Oregon. Dick and Betty O'Brien own and manage the vineyard. With Elton Vineyard's reputation as one of Oregon's top vineyards, Belle Vallee Cellars is pleased to be adding their grapes in the 2004 harvest for qualification in our Cuvee and Reserve programs.

Hyland Vineyard

Hyland is one of Oregon's oldest vineyards and is definitely a treasure of the Oregon Wine Industry. Owned and farmed by Jack Trenhaile; this 33 year-old vineyard sits high up on a hillside in the McMinnville foothills. New to our harvest lineup in 2004, we expect the Hyland Vineyard grapes to qualify for our Cuvee and Reserve blending programs.

Momtazi Vineyard

Momtazi Vineyard was established in 1998 and includes 190 acres of vines. The vineyard is located west of McMinnville, Oregon in the foothills of the Coast Range mountains. Owner Moe Momtazi co-manages with Jimi Brooks. The Pinot Noir grapes from Momtazi Vineyard will be part of our 2004 harvest and potentially qualify for our Cuvee, Reserve, and Vintage blending program.

Quail Run Vineyard

Owners of Quail Vineyard, Don and Traute Moore, have been part of the Rogue Valley since the early 1990's. They manage and lease about 168 acres of vineyards around the town of Talent, Oregon. In 2002, their Pinot Noir contributed to one-third of our Vintage program. The Merlot in our first vintage was entirely sourced from Quail Run fruit. In addition, their Lakeside vineyard near Jacksonville was the source of our Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc grapes that were used in our 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon release. As part of our 2003 program and upcoming harvests, Quail Run Vineyards provides for our future Merlot and Cabernet releases.

Del Rio Vineyard

Located in Gold Hill, some fifteen miles north of Medford, Del Rio Vineyards is quickly building a solid reputation for the Rogue Valley. Owned by Lee Traynham and owner/managers Rob and Jolee Wallace, the vineyard was planted in 1998. Del Rio Vineyard provided obtained fruit in 2003 for our upcoming Syrah release.