SERIES PRESENTED BY
SERIES MODERATOR
Ep 1: A Conversation with Dick Erath
AIRED MARCH 9
Starting where it all began, our first episode celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Knudsen Vineyards, invites wine legend Dick Erath to reflect on his longtime partnership with Cal Knudsen. Together, in 1972, Dick and Cal started the most ambitious vineyard planting of its time in the Dundee Hills, reaching more than 50 acres in just the first three years. The two shared a vision and saw the incredible potential of the region—a region they would help shape through the founding of Knudsen Erath Winery, the first in the Dundee Hills. Join us for this conversation with one of the most important pioneers in Oregon’s wine history.
Ep 2: A Conversation with Rollin Soles
AIRED APRIL 13
A Champagne-loving winemaker from Texas is one of the most recognized winemakers in Oregon. Rollin Soles, as the winemaker and founder at Argyle Winery, came to know Cal Knudsen and Knudsen Vineyards in 1986. Rollin’s sparkling wines at Argyle were garnering praise from around the world, and Cal quickly became a mentor and a friend. Their kinship led to Knudsen Vineyards becoming Argyle’s founding vineyard, a relationship that continues to this day. Today, Rollin is the winemaker at ROCO Winery which produces beautiful Pinot noir and Chardonnay wines, including a vineyard designate from Knudsen Vineyards fruit.
Ep 3: A conversation with Alison and Alex Sokol Blosser
AIRED MAY 11
This year the Sokol Blosser family is also celebrating their 50th Anniversary as grape growers and winemakers in the Willamette Valley. This conversation with Alison Sokol Blosser and Alex Sokol Blosser, siblings and co-Presidents, will chronicle the parallels and intersecting trajectories of the two Dundee Hills wineries and the second generations leading them. This conversation will include the reveal of an exciting forthcoming collaboration between the two families.
Ep 4: A Conversation with Véronique Boss-Drouhin
AIRED JUNE 8
In 1987, when Burgundy’s famed Maison Joseph Drouhin purchased 100 acres in the Dundee Hills to grow Pinot noir, Cal Knudsen knew that the Willamette Valley was destined for greatness. Cal had enormous respect for Robert Drouhin and admired the exceptional quality and elegance of Drouhin wines from Burgundy, Chablis and now Oregon. Today, Robert’s daughter, the talented winemaker Véronique Boss-Drouhin joins her family in stewardship of Domaine Drouhin Oregon. Theirs is a legacy that has fostered a camaraderie between Burgundy and Oregon that has elevated Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region. Véronique joins us live from Burgundy, France to share stories about her family’s early and ongoing commitment to Oregon.
Ep 5: A Conversation with Allen and Jackson Holstein
AIRED ON JULY 13
Allen Holstein is widely recognized as one of the leading viticulturalists in Oregon. He commenced his grape growing career in 1980 working as vineyard manager at Knudsen Vineyards where he planted and replanted nearly 200 acres over his 40-year affiliation. Knudsen Vineyards is a thoughtfully assembled collection of vine blocks planted at different elevations, with different spacing, row orientation, and clonal types and Allen is intimately familiar with all of its expressions. His son, Jackson Holstein, grew up among the vines at Knudsen Vineyards and makes wine under his own label, Granville Wines—including a bottling from our vineyard. The wine business is a family affair, and we hope you’ll join us for this reunion.
Ep 6: A Conversation with Brian Croser
AIRED ON AUG 10
Brian Croser is a famed Australian viticulturalist and winemaker who founded Petaluma Wines in 1976, an award-winning winery in the Adelaide Hills. In 1986, Brian was drawn to Oregon to create, with Rollin Soles, sparkling wine titan Argyle Winery. They quickly teamed up with Cal Knudsen, engaging Knudsen Vineyards as Argyle’s founding fruit source. Cal later became a partial owner and Chairman of Argyle. Brian is currently the owner and winemaker at Tapanappa in Australia, a family-owned winery in the Adelaide Hills. For many years, Brian and Tapanappa were partners with the Bollinger family of Champagne and the Cazes family of Lynch Bages in Bordeaux’s Pauillac commune, friendly relationships that continue to this day. Brian joins us live from Australia to share stories about Cal Knudsen and the early days of Oregon’s sparkling wine story.
ABOUT KNUDSEN VINEYARDS
Established in 1971, Knudsen Vineyards has always been and remains a family endeavor. Our estate became the location of the first bonded commercial winery in the Dundee Hills in 1976, producing wine for about ten years. After that, we became a grower for other premium wine producers, and are renowned for our high-elevation Pinot noir and Chardonnay grapes. We produced our first wine under the Knudsen Vineyards label from the 2012 vintage, and in June of 2020 we opened The Outlook at Knudsen Vineyards, a tasting room dedicated to showcasing our estate wines.