A Final Toast to Oregon’s Living History

This month, we release the final bottling from our Homestead Block, marking the end of an era for one of our most distinctive vineyard sites. After 39 years of producing exceptional Pinot Noir, these historic vines have reached the end of their journey. As you open a bottle of this 2022 vintage, you’re not just tasting wine—you’re experiencing a piece of Oregon’s viticultural heritage that can never be replicated.

The Homestead Block has always possessed a special character that sets it apart from other vineyard sites. Nestled away from the valley’s main roads and naturally protected from strong winds, this 10-acre parcel benefits from multiple soil types that work together to ripen the fruit evenly. According to vineyard manager Bruce Sonnen, this unique combination created “different layers of complexity” that made Homestead fruit immediately recognizable in the cellar, vintage after vintage.

The Magic of Own-Rooted Vines

But what made these vines truly extraordinary went beyond their location. These were ‘own-rooted’ vines — planted directly into Oregon soil without the protective rootstock that has become standard in modern viticulture. Winemaker Eric Misiewicz has spent years learning to speak the subtle language of own-rooted fruit. “Own-rooted vines have a lighter character in terms of tannin, and more delicate aromatics than grafted vines,” he explains, choosing his words carefully. “There’s a more subtle character to own-rooted Pommard. Some people describe the wines as more ethereal, and I think that’s exactly right.”

This ethereal quality became Homestead’s calling card, a whisper of elegance in an increasingly bold wine world. The block’s naturally sheltered position allowed Misiewicz to incorporate whole clusters into his winemaking, adding gentle spice notes and additional texture that enhanced rather than masked the fruit’s inherent delicacy. The resulting wines possessed a grace and subtlety that spoke to Oregon’s original promise—that this cool, marginal climate could produce Pinot Noir of exceptional finesse.

The Phylloxera Challenge

The story of Homestead’s decline begins with phylloxera, a tiny root-feeding insect that has shaped the course of global viticulture. Bruce Sonnen describes its effect with stark simplicity: “death by thousands of cuts.” These aphid-like pests, native to America, evolved alongside native American vines, which developed natural resistance over millennia. European vines, however, never faced this threat until the late 1800s, and remain defenseless against it. When planted on their own roots, they slowly succumb to the relentless feeding of these microscopic predators.

Our Homestead Block survived far longer than most own-rooted vineyards, partly due to its isolation from the busy traffic that can spread phylloxera from site to site. But time and biology are patient adversaries, and after decades of glorious production, even these hardy vines began to fail. The decision to replant wasn’t made lightly—it meant saying goodbye to irreplaceable vines that had defined this site for generations.

“The own-rooted fruit is something we cannot have again,” Misiewicz reflects thoughtfully. “It’s like a window into the past of the greater Oregon wine industry that is closing forever.” His words carry the weight of experience that comes from years of working with these special vines.

Oregon’s Wine Heritage

When Oregon’s wine pioneers first planted in the 1960s and 70s, they brought cuttings of Pommard, Wadenswil, and Coury clones – sometimes referred to as ‘suitcase clones’ and often planting them on their own roots as had been done in Europe. Many of these early vineyards produced wines with a distinctive lightness and elegance that helped establish Oregon’s reputation for Pinot Noir that valued finesse over power. As Sonnen notes, these own-rooted vines offered “more uniform vintage-to-vintage characteristics” thanks to their deep, well-established root systems that buffered the effects of variable weather.

While saying goodbye to Homestead isn’t easy, our team is approaching replanting with careful planning and optimism for the future. Using detailed soil mapping, we’ve identified the best four acres—precisely where the original Homestead excelled—for the new plantings. The vineyard design has been completely reimagined to follow the natural contours of the hillside, with much tighter spacing that will more than double the number of vines per acre from 605 to 1,360.

Perhaps most meaningfully, the replanting will include three additional Pinot Noir clones alongside two Chardonnay clones, all carefully selected from Oregon heritage varieties. “We want to connect ourselves back to the past of the Oregon wine industry and honor that legacy,” Misiewicz explains. While the new vines will necessarily be grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock, we believe that by respecting the site’s natural advantages and choosing clones with historical significance, we can capture what has always made Homestead magical.

Living in the Moment

For those fortunate enough to have this final vintage, Misiewicz offers advice that reveals the philosophical side of winemaking. “Whenever I have a wine that is unrepeatable, I like to live in the moment,” he says thoughtfully. “I think it’s a good time to reflect on our impermanence in life. I make sure to appreciate who I’m with and recognize that I’m having an experience I’ll never have again.”

These words transform wine from beverage to meditation, from product to philosophy. When you open your bottle of 2022 Homestead Block, take time to notice those ethereal qualities that defined this site: the delicate aromatics that seem to float above the glass, the fine-grained tannins that caress rather than grip, the subtle spice notes from whole clusters that add complexity without weight. This is what own-rooted Pommard tastes like when grown in the perfect spot by people who understood how to let it express itself.

Share this wine with people who understand that some experiences can’t be repeated or replaced. Tell them the story of these vines — European cuttings that found an unlikely home in Oregon soil, that survived decades longer than anyone had a right to expect, that gave their best fruit with grace and consistency until the very end. Help them understand that they’re tasting not just wine, but a direct connection to Oregon’s pioneering spirit and the old ways of viticulture.

A Winemaker Reflects: The Legacy of Own-Rooted Vines

How does our winemaker feel about this? “Sad, but I’m glad to have had the chance to make some amazing wines from this block,” Misiewicz concludes with characteristic balance. “I’m also excited for the future of Homestead. The replant is establishing well, and we’ll honor what came before while creating something new.”

Planted 41 years ago, the original Homestead Block has given its last gift, but its influence will ripple forward through every bottle of this final vintage and into the DNA of the new plantings. When you raise your glass, you’re toasting to the dreamers who believed Oregon could rival Burgundy, to the farmers who nurtured these vulnerable vines through decades of challenges, and to the ongoing evolution of one of America’s great wine regions.

Here’s to Homestead Block—may every sip remind us to treasure what cannot last forever.