Bill and Susan Sokol Blosser planted their first vines in 1971 in the Dundee Hills. Back then there was no Oregon wine industry. Now, Dundee Hills in the heart of the Willamette Valley, is the epicentre of Oregon Pinot Noir. Today, with over 900 wineries and more than 37,000 acres of planted vineyards, Oregon has grown exponentially and its wines are available throughout the world. Sokol Blosser has survived, grown and prospered as a family-owned and run operation, and they are proud to have been part of developing and shaping Oregon’s now prominent wine industry.

Sokol Blosser estate vineyards are farmed organically and received full USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) organic certification in 2005.

Oregon is one of the most exciting wine regions in the United States, renowned for its cool-climate wines and a strong focus on sustainability and artisanal production. Located in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon’s wine industry has grown rapidly over the past few decades, with the Willamette Valley at its heart.

The state’s climate is largely influenced by the Pacific Ocean, with cooling breezes, coastal fog, and significant diurnal temperature variation. The Cascade Mountains to the east and the Coast Range to the west create sheltered valleys with diverse microclimates. These conditions are ideal for delicate, expressive wines with natural acidity and aromatic complexity.

The Willamette Valley is the most prominent wine-growing area, known globally for its world-class Pinot Noir. Sub-regions such as Dundee Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, and Eola-Amity Hills each bring unique soil types and elevations that influence wine style. Beyond the Willamette, regions like the Rogue Valley and Umpqua Valley in southern Oregon offer warmer conditions suitable for a broader range of varieties.

Pinot Noir is Oregon’s flagship grape, producing elegant, earthy wines with red berry and floral notes. Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling also thrive, while warmer southern sites support Merlot, Syrah, and Tempranillo. Oregon’s wines are celebrated for their balance, purity, and sense of place.

Sangiovese is Italy’s most widely planted and historically significant grape, best known as the backbone of renowned wines like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Originating in central Italy, notably Tuscany, Sangiovese has been cultivated for centuries and is deeply intertwined with the region’s winemaking identity.

Sangiovese is a late-ripening variety that thrives in warm, sunny climates with well-drained soils, particularly limestone and clay. It is known for its high acidity, moderate to high tannins, and ability to express terroir clearly. The grape can be challenging to grow consistently, as it is sensitive to site, climate, and vineyard management.

While its heart remains in Italy, Sangiovese is also grown internationally—in California, Washington State, Argentina, Australia, and increasingly in countries like Romania and Greece. Outside Italy, it is often used in varietal wines or blended to add acidity and structure.

Sangiovese produces a range of wine styles, from light and fresh to full-bodied and age-worthy. Common flavour profiles include cherry, red plum, dried herbs, tomato leaf, leather, and earthy spice. In oak-aged expressions, notes of tobacco, cedar, and balsamic emerge. Its structure and acidity make it especially food-friendly, pairing well with a wide range of dishes.

Syrah, also known as Shiraz in Australia and parts of the New World, is one of the world’s most celebrated red grape varieties. Its origins trace back to the Rhône Valley in France, where it thrives in both the northern Rhône’s steep, granite slopes and the warmer southern regions. Syrah vines are hardy and adaptable, tolerating a range of soils, but they prefer well-drained sites with ample sunlight. The grape is naturally vigorous, with small, thick-skinned berries that produce deeply coloured wines rich in tannin and flavour.

Today, Syrah is planted widely across the globe. In France, it remains dominant in appellations such as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Crozes-Hermitage. In Australia, Shiraz is the country’s flagship variety, producing styles from bold, ripe Barossa bottlings to elegant, cool-climate Yarra Valley expressions. Significant plantings also exist in South Africa, the United States (notably California and Washington State), Chile, and Argentina.

The style of Syrah/Shiraz varies with climate and winemaking approach. Cool-climate examples offer notes of black pepper, violets, and fresh blackberry, with firm acidity and structure. Warmer regions produce richer, fuller wines with flavours of ripe plum, black cherry, chocolate, and spice. Across styles, Syrah is prized for its depth, versatility, and ability to age gracefully.

Montepulciano is a widely grown red grape variety native to central Italy, particularly associated with the regions of Abruzzo, Marche, and Molise. Despite its name, it is not connected to the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, which is instead renowned for wines made from Sangiovese. Montepulciano is valued for its high yields, adaptability, and late ripening, thriving best in warm, sunny conditions where it can fully mature without risk of rot.

The vine tends to produce large, thick-skinned berries rich in anthocyanins, giving wines a deep, intense colour. It is vigorous and relatively disease resistant, though care is needed to avoid excessive cropping, which can dilute quality. Montepulciano is one of Italy’s most planted red grapes, with significant plantings in Abruzzo, where Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is a flagship expression. Smaller amounts are grown elsewhere, including in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, where producers are experimenting with Mediterranean varieties.

The wines typically offer approachable, fruit-forward styles with flavours of black cherry, plum, and blackberry, often accented by notes of spice, liquorice, and herbs. Soft tannins and moderate acidity make them versatile, ranging from easy-drinking everyday reds to more structured, oak-aged examples capable of ageing gracefully.

Sangiovese is Italy’s most widely planted and historically significant grape, best known as the backbone of renowned wines like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Originating in central Italy, notably Tuscany, Sangiovese has been cultivated for centuries and is deeply intertwined with the region’s winemaking identity.

Sangiovese is a late-ripening variety that thrives in warm, sunny climates with well-drained soils, particularly limestone and clay. It is known for its high acidity, moderate to high tannins, and ability to express terroir clearly. The grape can be challenging to grow consistently, as it is sensitive to site, climate, and vineyard management.

While its heart remains in Italy, Sangiovese is also grown internationally—in California, Washington State, Argentina, Australia, and increasingly in countries like Romania and Greece. Outside Italy, it is often used in varietal wines or blended to add acidity and structure.

Sangiovese produces a range of wine styles, from light and fresh to full-bodied and age-worthy. Common flavour profiles include cherry, red plum, dried herbs, tomato leaf, leather, and earthy spice. In oak-aged expressions, notes of tobacco, cedar, and balsamic emerge. Its structure and acidity make it especially food-friendly, pairing well with a wide range of dishes.

Syrah, also known as Shiraz in Australia and parts of the New World, is one of the world’s most celebrated red grape varieties. Its origins trace back to the Rhône Valley in France, where it thrives in both the northern Rhône’s steep, granite slopes and the warmer southern regions. Syrah vines are hardy and adaptable, tolerating a range of soils, but they prefer well-drained sites with ample sunlight. The grape is naturally vigorous, with small, thick-skinned berries that produce deeply coloured wines rich in tannin and flavour.

Today, Syrah is planted widely across the globe. In France, it remains dominant in appellations such as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Crozes-Hermitage. In Australia, Shiraz is the country’s flagship variety, producing styles from bold, ripe Barossa bottlings to elegant, cool-climate Yarra Valley expressions. Significant plantings also exist in South Africa, the United States (notably California and Washington State), Chile, and Argentina.

The style of Syrah/Shiraz varies with climate and winemaking approach. Cool-climate examples offer notes of black pepper, violets, and fresh blackberry, with firm acidity and structure. Warmer regions produce richer, fuller wines with flavours of ripe plum, black cherry, chocolate, and spice. Across styles, Syrah is prized for its depth, versatility, and ability to age gracefully.

Montepulciano is a widely grown red grape variety native to central Italy, particularly associated with the regions of Abruzzo, Marche, and Molise. Despite its name, it is not connected to the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, which is instead renowned for wines made from Sangiovese. Montepulciano is valued for its high yields, adaptability, and late ripening, thriving best in warm, sunny conditions where it can fully mature without risk of rot.

The vine tends to produce large, thick-skinned berries rich in anthocyanins, giving wines a deep, intense colour. It is vigorous and relatively disease resistant, though care is needed to avoid excessive cropping, which can dilute quality. Montepulciano is one of Italy’s most planted red grapes, with significant plantings in Abruzzo, where Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is a flagship expression. Smaller amounts are grown elsewhere, including in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, where producers are experimenting with Mediterranean varieties.

The wines typically offer approachable, fruit-forward styles with flavours of black cherry, plum, and blackberry, often accented by notes of spice, liquorice, and herbs. Soft tannins and moderate acidity make them versatile, ranging from easy-drinking everyday reds to more structured, oak-aged examples capable of ageing gracefully.

Sangiovese is Italy’s most widely planted and historically significant grape, best known as the backbone of renowned wines like Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Originating in central Italy, notably Tuscany, Sangiovese has been cultivated for centuries and is deeply intertwined with the region’s winemaking identity.

Sangiovese is a late-ripening variety that thrives in warm, sunny climates with well-drained soils, particularly limestone and clay. It is known for its high acidity, moderate to high tannins, and ability to express terroir clearly. The grape can be challenging to grow consistently, as it is sensitive to site, climate, and vineyard management.

While its heart remains in Italy, Sangiovese is also grown internationally—in California, Washington State, Argentina, Australia, and increasingly in countries like Romania and Greece. Outside Italy, it is often used in varietal wines or blended to add acidity and structure.

Sangiovese produces a range of wine styles, from light and fresh to full-bodied and age-worthy. Common flavour profiles include cherry, red plum, dried herbs, tomato leaf, leather, and earthy spice. In oak-aged expressions, notes of tobacco, cedar, and balsamic emerge. Its structure and acidity make it especially food-friendly, pairing well with a wide range of dishes.

Syrah, also known as Shiraz in Australia and parts of the New World, is one of the world’s most celebrated red grape varieties. Its origins trace back to the Rhône Valley in France, where it thrives in both the northern Rhône’s steep, granite slopes and the warmer southern regions. Syrah vines are hardy and adaptable, tolerating a range of soils, but they prefer well-drained sites with ample sunlight. The grape is naturally vigorous, with small, thick-skinned berries that produce deeply coloured wines rich in tannin and flavour.

Today, Syrah is planted widely across the globe. In France, it remains dominant in appellations such as Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Crozes-Hermitage. In Australia, Shiraz is the country’s flagship variety, producing styles from bold, ripe Barossa bottlings to elegant, cool-climate Yarra Valley expressions. Significant plantings also exist in South Africa, the United States (notably California and Washington State), Chile, and Argentina.

The style of Syrah/Shiraz varies with climate and winemaking approach. Cool-climate examples offer notes of black pepper, violets, and fresh blackberry, with firm acidity and structure. Warmer regions produce richer, fuller wines with flavours of ripe plum, black cherry, chocolate, and spice. Across styles, Syrah is prized for its depth, versatility, and ability to age gracefully.

Montepulciano is a widely grown red grape variety native to central Italy, particularly associated with the regions of Abruzzo, Marche, and Molise. Despite its name, it is not connected to the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, which is instead renowned for wines made from Sangiovese. Montepulciano is valued for its high yields, adaptability, and late ripening, thriving best in warm, sunny conditions where it can fully mature without risk of rot.

The vine tends to produce large, thick-skinned berries rich in anthocyanins, giving wines a deep, intense colour. It is vigorous and relatively disease resistant, though care is needed to avoid excessive cropping, which can dilute quality. Montepulciano is one of Italy’s most planted red grapes, with significant plantings in Abruzzo, where Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is a flagship expression. Smaller amounts are grown elsewhere, including in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, where producers are experimenting with Mediterranean varieties.

The wines typically offer approachable, fruit-forward styles with flavours of black cherry, plum, and blackberry, often accented by notes of spice, liquorice, and herbs. Soft tannins and moderate acidity make them versatile, ranging from easy-drinking everyday reds to more structured, oak-aged examples capable of ageing gracefully.