Adelsheim Vineyard

David and Ginny Adelsheim purchased 19 acres in Oregon's North Willamette Valley in 1971, in what was then an unproven grape-growing region. The following year they planted their first grapes at what became Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard: Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot noir. The first commercial vintage from Quarter Mile Lane was produced in 1978, establishing Adelsheim as the first winery in the Chehalem Mountains. David Adelsheim's influence on Oregon wine reaches well beyond his own estate. He wrote the first draft of Oregon's strict wine-labeling regulations in 1973, approved in 1977, and worked with others to help save Yamhill County's hillsides for agriculture. In 1982, on behalf of the Oregon Winegrowers Association, he wrote the petitions submitted to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that established the Willamette Valley and Umpqua Valley AVAs; the Willamette Valley AVA was officially granted on December 1, 1983 and became effective January 3, 1984, as Oregon's first AVA. In 2002 he wrote the petition to establish the Chehalem Mountains AVA, officially adopted in 2006. In 1974 he interned at the experimental winery of the Lycée Viticole in Beaune, France, and at The Eyrie Vineyards in Oregon; while in France he arranged shipments of new grape clones to Oregon, including what became the first Gamay noir and Pinot blanc plantings in the United States. In 1984 he assisted Oregon State University's Dr. David Heatherbell in initiating the importation of the first “Dijon” clones from Burgundy. In 1987 he helped Robert Drouhin purchase the property that became Domaine Drouhin Oregon. Adelsheim Vineyard and David Adelsheim are listed among the sponsors of the International Pinot Noir Celebration. His peers recognized this record with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Oregon Wine Industry Awards.

• Founded 1971 by David and Ginny Adelsheim on 19 acres in the Chehalem Mountains; first grapes (Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot noir) planted 1972 at Quarter Mile Lane; first commercial vintage 1978, the first winery in the Chehalem Mountains
• Wrote Oregon's first strict labeling regulations (drafted 1973, approved 1977) and, for the Oregon Winegrowers Association, the 1982 petitions establishing the Willamette Valley (effective January 3, 1984, Oregon's first AVA) and Umpqua Valley AVAs; also wrote the 2002 petition for the Chehalem Mountains AVA, adopted 2006
• In 1984 assisted Oregon State University's Dr. David Heatherbell with the first importation of “Dijon” clones from Burgundy; in 1987 helped Robert Drouhin purchase the property that became Domaine Drouhin Oregon
• Adelsheim Vineyard and David Adelsheim are listed among the sponsors of the International Pinot Noir Celebration; David Adelsheim received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Oregon Wine Industry Awards

Jack and Lynn Loacker were introduced to David and Ginny Adelsheim and became co-owners of the winery in 1994. On July 24, 2017, Adelsheim Vineyard announced that Lynn and Jack Loacker had purchased David and Ginny Adelsheim's ownership stake and become 100 percent owners. “We all agree that keeping the winery in the hands of local owners should be the future for Adelsheim Vineyard,” the Loackers said in a statement at the time. David Adelsheim said he turned to the Loackers because of their commitment to keeping the winery independent and locally owned. At the time of the sale, Adelsheim had six estate vineyards in the Chehalem Mountains covering about 180 acres and annual production close to 43,000 cases. David Adelsheim had already transitioned day-to-day operations, including the vineyard, winery, finance, administration, marketing, and sales, to Joth Ricci, who was CEO at the time of the 2017 transition. David continued in an advisory role. Rob Alstrin, previously of Argyle, was announced as the winery's President and CEO on May 7, 2020. Lynn Loacker is Owner and Director today.

• Jack and Lynn Loacker became co-owners with David and Ginny Adelsheim in 1994
• July 24, 2017: the Loackers purchased David and Ginny Adelsheim's ownership stake and became 100 percent owners; David Adelsheim continued in an advisory role
• At the 2017 sale, Adelsheim had six Chehalem Mountains estate vineyards covering about 180 acres and produced close to 43,000 cases annually
• Joth Ricci was CEO at the time of the 2017 transition; Rob Alstrin, formerly of Argyle, was named President and CEO on May 7, 2020; Lynn Loacker is Owner and Director

Dave Paige was hired as winemaker in 2001, succeeding founder David Adelsheim in that role. Gina Hennen joined Adelsheim's cellar crew in 2007 and was quickly promoted to cellar master; she was promoted to assistant winemaker in 2011 and became associate winemaker in 2015, working alongside Paige. In December 2017, Adelsheim announced that Paige, after a 16-year tenure, was leaving the winery at the end of the year to acquire a nearby vineyard and start his own brand, with Hennen promoted from associate winemaker to Winemaker. Then-CEO Joth Ricci credited Paige with developing Adelsheim's winemaking program “into one of Oregon's finest” and establishing the winery as an industry thought leader. Hennen's promotion became effective in January 2018; Adelsheim's own announcement describes her as the fourth person to hold the winemaker role since commercial production began in 1978. Before her promotion she spent 11 years as assistant, then associate, winemaker under Paige. The 2018 vintage was the first fully overseen under her direction; its single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnay began reaching the public in March 2021. Hennen now serves as Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. Shaun Vrooman, with Adelsheim since the 2016 vintage, is Production Winemaker, and Zachary Clark is Assistant Winemaker.

• Dave Paige was winemaker 2001 to the end of 2017, a 16-year tenure; he left to acquire a nearby vineyard and start his own brand
• Gina Hennen joined the cellar crew in 2007, became cellar master, then assistant winemaker (2011) and associate winemaker (2015) under Paige
• Hennen was promoted to Winemaker effective January 2018; Adelsheim's own announcement describes her as the fourth person in that role since 1978; the 2018 vintage was her first fully overseen vintage, released beginning March 2021
• Hennen now serves as Director of Winemaking and Viticulture; Shaun Vrooman (with Adelsheim since the 2016 vintage) is Production Winemaker and Zachary Clark is Assistant Winemaker

Adelsheim owns 368 acres, with vineyards planted on 169.5 of those acres across six estate sites in the Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge AVAs. Quarter Mile Lane, the original property, was first planted in 1972 and carries 14.83 planted acres on a south-facing volcanic slope at 560 to 680 feet. Bryan Creek (first planted 1989, 28.58 planted acres) holds the estate's second-oldest plantings and its only sparkling-wine blocks. Calkins Lane (first planted 1990, 32.38 planted acres) is the hub of the operation and home to the winery, along with a block of Adelsheim Syrah. Ribbon Springs (first planted 1995, 53.68 planted acres) is Adelsheim's only vineyard in the Ribbon Ridge sub-AVA, planted with Pinot noir, Pinot gris, and Auxerrois on marine sedimentary soils; the Loackers purchased and developed the 125-acre site. Boulder Bluff (first planted 2003, 9.91 planted acres), also developed by the Loackers on a 15-acre site, is Adelsheim's steepest slope. Laurel Leaf (first planted 2009, 17.67 planted acres) sits on Laurelwood soil. Adelsheim also sources fruit from grower-partner vineyards, including Winderlea in the Dundee Hills and Grand Oak/Nicholas and Hollis in the Chehalem Mountains. All Adelsheim estate vineyards have earned LIVE Certified Sustainable recognition. Adelsheim is a supporter of the H-2A visa program for its vineyard workforce and has been involved with ¡Salud!, the Oregon vineyard-worker healthcare program founded in 1992 by a group of Oregon winery owners and Tuality Healthcare physicians, since Adelsheim's involvement began.

• 368 acres owned, 169.5 planted, across six estate vineyards: Quarter Mile Lane (1972, 14.83 planted acres, south-facing volcanic slope), Bryan Creek (1989, 28.58 acres, second-oldest plantings and the estate's only sparkling-wine blocks), Calkins Lane (1990, 32.38 acres, home of the winery)
• Ribbon Springs (1995, 53.68 planted acres): Adelsheim's only Ribbon Ridge sub-AVA site, planted to Pinot noir, Pinot gris, and Auxerrois on marine sedimentary soils; a 125-acre site developed by the Loackers
• Boulder Bluff (2003, 9.91 planted acres, a 15-acre site and the estate's steepest slope, also developed by the Loackers) and Laurel Leaf (2009, 17.67 planted acres, Laurelwood soil) round out the six estate sites
• Grower-partner fruit from Winderlea (Dundee Hills), Grand Oak/Nicholas and Hollis (Chehalem Mountains); all estate vineyards are LIVE Certified Sustainable; Adelsheim supports the H-2A visa program and ¡Salud! vineyard-worker healthcare

Adelsheim's current wine lineup is organized on the winery's own site into Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sparkling Wines, Large Format, and Limited Production. Elizabeth's Reserve, the winery's flagship Pinot Noir, was first produced in 1986. Breaking Ground Pinot Noir, sourced from Chehalem Mountains fruit grown on all three of the region's major soil origins, debuted with the 2015 vintage; its Chardonnay counterpart, Staking Claim, followed with the 2016 vintage. A sparkling wine program, with a Brut Rosé and Brut Cuvée, debuted in 2018. At the time of the 2017 ownership sale, the winery said it would focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from its estate vineyards and was no longer bottling Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc; Pinot gris and Auxerrois nonetheless remain among the varieties planted at Ribbon Springs. Adelsheim's Auxerrois, from a little over two acres at Ribbon Springs, was first bottled in 2004. In 2020, NBA player CJ McCollum partnered with Adelsheim to launch his own label, McCollum Heritage 91, with a first vintage of 2018 Chehalem Mountains Pinot noir. Adelsheim marked its 50th anniversary in 2021 with a ten-part interview series, Founders' Stories, hosted by David Adelsheim with the founders of nine other North Willamette Valley wineries, alongside commemorative releases including library Elizabeth's Reserve bottlings and a new wine called The Deed. In April 2021, Adelsheim joined six other Oregon wineries to launch the One Barrel Challenge, donating all proceeds to breaking down barriers to access in the wine industry, with funds from the first release benefiting the Maurice Lucas Foundation. In November 2025, Adelsheim Vineyard became a Certified B Corporation, with an overall B Impact Assessment score of 90.9.

• Current wine lineup organized as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sparkling Wines, Large Format, and Limited Production; Elizabeth's Reserve (flagship Pinot Noir) first produced 1986
• Breaking Ground Pinot Noir debuted with the 2015 vintage; sister wine Staking Claim Chardonnay followed with 2016; a sparkling Brut Rosé and Brut Cuvée debuted 2018
• At the 2017 sale, the winery said it was no longer bottling Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc; Auxerrois (first bottled 2004, from a little over two acres at Ribbon Springs) and Pinot gris nonetheless remain planted there
• CJ McCollum launched McCollum Heritage 91 with Adelsheim in 2020; Adelsheim achieved Certified B Corporation status in November 2025 (B Impact score 90.9)

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.adelsheim.com/, https://www.adelsheim.com/about, https://www.adelsheim.com/people/, https://www.adelsheim.com/vineyards/, https://www.adelsheim.com/wines/, https://www.adelsheim.com/visit/, https://www.adelsheim.com/community/, https://www.adelsheim.com/next-50/, https://www.adelsheim.com/trade/press-releases/, https://www.adelsheim.com/trade/, https://adelsheim.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Adelsheim-Vineyard-Timeline.pdf. Secondary sources: Wine Spectator (July 27, 2017), Wine Industry Advisor republishing Adelsheim's own July 24, 2017 press release, SpitBucket (January 8, 2018), Oregon Wine Press (interview with David Adelsheim), Vinography (August 3, 2011). Last verified 2026-09-14. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.