Like many wineries in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Witness Tree Vineyard is a small producer of premium-quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  But several things make us special.

First, we are 100% estate bottled.  Every grape that goes into a Witness Tree wine has been grown on our property.  This gives us complete control (at least as much as Mother Nature allows) over the quality of the fruit that comes into the winery to be made into wine.  Not many Oregon wineries have this ability.

 

Second, our site is exceptional and lies within a tremendously beneficial micro-climate.  Located nine miles northwest of Salem, in the area known as Eola Hills, we benefit from a southeasterly exposure which allows the site to warm earlier in the day.  Add to that a protective ridgeline to our west and you have a combination of climate elements that facilitates earlier ripening of our fruit than is found in many other vineyards.  This is a major factor in the quality of our wines.

Third, enjoy the historical element of our winery and vineyards.  The vineyard takes its name from an ancient oak tree used as a surveyor’s landmark in 1854, during the Oregon Trail era.  The tree was used to mark the Northwest corner of the original Donation Land Claim No. 51 and still stands today in our vineyard.

And finally, Steven Westby is our Winemaker and Vineyard Manager. Working the vineyard here at Witness Tree for the last sixteen vintages has given Steven an intimate knowledge and appreciation for the varied micro-climates in our vineyard.  His familiarity with the nuances of each separate lot of fruit grown here on the estate qualifies him as one of Oregon’s most capable Winemakers.