Photographing during the initial months of the Covid-19 pandemic and during the wildfires during harvest 2020 was a surreal experience. So grateful for the wonderful winemakers & beautiful properties that were safe and soothing to capture in theses challenging times.
“A World Apart – Washington’s Columbia Gorge offers scenery and personality to match its beautiful wines”, by Sean P. Sullivan:
I’ve been honored to capture the Wine Spectator feature story for Oregon since 2007, and each year proud and excited to see the coverage and accolades grow. This years article starts off with ….
“Oregon is the most dynamic wine region in the United States right now.” Tim Fish
Wine Spectator 2019 Feature opening spread, aerial over Colene Clemens estate vineyard.
Photo of Bethel Heights tasting room and Sam Tannahill of A to Z winery
Eminent Domaine’s Jeff Meader and his wife, Heather, with daughters Ava and Charley.
An update from Salud 2018 auction – it was record a breaking auction and season raising $1,055,000 to provide healthcare and outreach services to the hardworking men and women of Oregon’s vineyards! Here’s a copy of the edited video played during the auction
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I’ve spent more time in the vineyards with the hard working Hispanic crews for the past 15 year than capturing any other aspect of winemaking. And I’m constantly humbled, amazed, and inspired by the skill, speed, pride and dedication in their work which is both physically and mentally challenging, especially during the long days of harvest. Winemakers and aficionados know that great wine is made in the vineyard, and without great fruit and workers we wouldn’t have high quality wine that is an unique expression of the land – especially important for terroir driven pinot noir.
In the toughest of conditions the crews have welcomed me to document their work in close proximity with warm smiles, laughter and admirable hospitality. This year I decided to add an extra challenge by running alongside them with a small image stabilized camera. Only for short bursts of time could I attempt to keep up – they are paid by the bucket and really hustle running with five gallon buckets of grapes each weighing 18-22 pounds, up and down steep vineyard slopes!
This is my tribute to the crews that work tirelessly in the vineyards during harvest.
I hope you’ll join me in supporting ¡Salud! | The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction, whose proceeds provide preventative, clinical, dental healthcare to seasonal workers who may not otherwise have access…. although the auction is sold out this year you can still donate here: https://saludauction.org/contribute/
A special thanks to the crews at Patricia Green Cellars (featured workers JC Chencho Juarez, Miguel Alva & José Pacheco), the Results Partners teams (overseen by Daniel Fey and Rob Schultz) at Résonance and Fairsing vineyards (featured workers at the bins Joel Elias Flores and his father Don Isidro, 76 years old), and the countless workers whose names I couldn’t capture, and to Robert Holmes working in collaboration capturing these slow motion clips, finessing the edit, and in joining me each dawn to capture this footage. #wvharvest2018
Pinot Noir harvest at Fairsing Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Harvest at Fairsing Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Willamette Valley Vineyard pinot noir harvest, Oregon
JC – Chencho Juarez with bin of pinot noir at Patricia Green Cellars Oregon
Don Isidro, 76 years old, managing fruit bin quality control at Fairsing Vineyard, Oregon