King Estate Winery

Ed King Jr. and his son Ed King III established King Estate in 1991 on a 600-acre cattle ranch in the hills southwest of Eugene, near the small community of Lorane in Lane County. The first 16.5 acres of vines were planted in 1992, and the inaugural vintage was harvested in 1995. From its earliest years, the estate focused on Pinot Gris, a variety then largely unfamiliar to American wine drinkers, and built a national reputation around it. In 2007, King Estate Pinot Gris ranked number one among domestic wines in the Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio category in Wine and Spirits magazine's annual restaurant poll. The property joined the Willamette Valley AVA in 2016 following a 29-square-mile expansion of that appellation.

• Founded 1991 by Ed King Jr. and Ed King III; first vintage 1995
• Located near Lorane in Lane County, southwest of Eugene
• Gained Willamette Valley AVA designation in 2016 after AVA boundary expansion
• Ranked #1 U.S. Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio in Wine and Spirits restaurant poll, 2007

The estate sits at elevations ranging from 740 to 1,200 feet in Oregon's Coast Range foothills. Two soil types define the vineyard: marine sedimentary Bellpine soils and volcanic Jory soils, both with silty clay loam structure that drains freely while retaining moderate moisture. The cool-climate maritime environment delivers long summer days, large daily temperature swings of up to 35 degrees Fahrenheit, and cool evening temperatures moderated by prevailing northwest winds off the Pacific Ocean. King Estate practices dry farming throughout, forgoing irrigation entirely; the result is smaller cluster weights and more concentrated fruit flavors.

• Elevation ranges from 740 to 1,200 feet in the Coast Range foothills
• Bellpine (marine sedimentary) and Jory (volcanic) soils with silty clay loam structure
• Daily temperature swings of up to 35 degrees Fahrenheit drive acidity retention
• Dry farmed without irrigation for concentrated flavors and smaller cluster weights

King Estate earned Oregon Tilth organic certification in 2002, making it one of Oregon's early large-scale organic producers. In 2016 it became the largest Biodynamic-certified vineyard in North America, certified by Demeter USA. The farm functions as an integrated ecosystem, incorporating 30 acres of orchards, gardens, lavender plantings, and beehives alongside the vines. A 4,144-panel solar array generates enough power annually for approximately 100 homes. King Estate has demonstrated that Biodynamic certification is economically viable at production scales exceeding 250,000 cases per year.

• Certified organic by Oregon Tilth since 2002
• Certified Biodynamic by Demeter USA since 2016; largest such vineyard in North America
• 30 acres of integrated orchards, gardens, lavender, and beehives on the property
• Solar array of 4,144 panels generates power equivalent to roughly 100 homes annually

King Estate plants nearly 300 acres to Pinot Gris and 165 acres to Pinot Noir, an unusually Pinot Gris-heavy profile for a Willamette Valley producer. Chardonnay is also grown on the estate. Annual production reaches approximately 250,000 cases, with around 50% sourced from estate fruit. The wines are built around natural acidity and balanced, food-friendly profiles characteristic of cool-climate Pacific Northwest viticulture. In 2022 the winery acquired Pfeiffer Vineyard, a 70-acre site that had been a grower partnership for three decades, deepening its estate fruit base.

• 290 acres Pinot Gris, 165 acres Pinot Noir, balance in Chardonnay and other varieties
• Approximately 250,000 cases produced annually; roughly 50% estate fruit
• Acquired Pfeiffer Vineyard (70 acres) in 2022 after 30 years as a sourcing partner
• Considered a benchmark U.S. producer of Pinot Gris and a pioneer of the variety nationally