COWHORN VINEYARD & GARDEN
AUGUST 11th
In 2002, Bill and Barbara Steele purchased the property that is now Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden. Beginning in 2002, they initiated multi-year testing of soils, water-holding capacity, heat summation and natural water availability. The test data confirmed that the farm has two distinct sets of growing soils. One set, located along the eastern border is comprised of well-drained, high fertility soils, excellent for produce. The other set confirmed the initial impression that the site shares a number of favorable characteristics with Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They subsequently selected our vineyard blocks, rootstocks, cultivars, and farming programs based on their test data and tastings of benchmark wines made from Rhône grape varieties. The next two years were spent preparing the property for planting. They fenced, built roads, installed comprehensive irrigation systems and planned our proposed plantings. Their first master plan was created in 2004.
"Cowhorn is a Demeter-certified Biodynamic® grower and processor. That means we adhere to the standards of growing and processing as put forth by Demeter Association and Demeter International. For more on what these standards mean, you can check out the Demeter Association or the Demeter Biodynamic Trade Association websites. We believe that certification is essential for two reasons. First, having the certification on our product labels assures the consumer that the products they are eating, drinking, wearing (plant based products include cosmetics and personal care products) have been grown and processed in accordance with a set of standards that can be verified by an independent third party. It’s not just marketing. In other words, it isn’t Biodynamic® because we say it is; it is because Demeter says it is. The second reason we certify is that the Biodynamic® movement is really cool! All over the world, people are acknowledging that our precious Earth needs support, that she has been extracted from, paved and polluted for too long. Being part of this fantastic movement, and working with and learning from people with values that we share makes us work harder and feel more proud of our farm!"

TYEE WINE CELLARS
SEPTEMBER 1st
Tyee Wine Cellars is located on the scenic Buchanan Family Century Farm founded over 120 years ago in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley near Corvallis. Five family generations have revered the farm's open spaces, woodlands, wetlands and streams while growing crops in a sustainable manner. Good wines remember the grapes of their origin. We believe sharing Tyee Estate Wines with you is perhaps the most sublime expression of the land.

The Oldest Vines at Tyee Wine Cellars were planted in our Estate Vineyard in 1974, with subsequent plantings throughout the 1980s. These vines, some Pinot Noir, Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer are Tyee's self-rooted Old Vines and make up more than half of our Estate Vineyard.

In 2000, we planted Dijon clone 115, Dijon clone 777, and Pommard Pinot Noir on phylloxera-resistant rootstock as well as Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. These are Tyee's New Vines.

Tyee's Winemaker and Vineyard Manager, Merrilee Buchanan Benson, grew up at Tyee Wine Cellars on the Buchanan Family Century Farm and has worked closely with her family in the winery and vineyard her whole life, taking on increased responsibility as Tyee's winemaker starting with the lovely 2006 Vintage to coincide with Tyee's production of Estate wines made from grapes grown exclusively in the family vineyard right next to the winery.