THE WINERY

Since our first vintage in 1999, Owen Roe winery has been working to produce exceptional wines from Oregon and Washington. The winery is named after Owen Roe O’Neill, a 17th century Irish Patriot who dedicated his life to upholding the highest principles of political equality and freedom. We share his dedication to principle with our meticulous attention to every aspect of the wine we bottle.

In the winery we seek to gently coax the most authentic expression of each varietal using minimal handling and traditional techniques. This philosophy of non-interference makes our commitment to the fruit, before it even reaches the winery, paramount. Selection of site along with hands on involvement throughout the growing season is some of the most important winemaking work we do, and our picking decisions are always made in the vineyard. We use only organic materials in the wine making process in order that the effluence leaving the winery can go directly to wetlands. This principle of stewardship is carried over from our vineyard practices where only the most benign and natural products are used to ward off mildew and rot. No herbicides or pesticides are used in our vineyards. We hoe weeds that crowd out plants and leave them in the rows to harbor beneficial bugs.

We are very fortunate to be part of the exciting evolution of wine making in the Pacific Northwest. This area covers a diverse variety of growing regions and although each varietal we work with has it’s own character, all of our wines reflect a signature style. We seek to balance ripe lush fruit with firm acidity and low pH, to create fragrant and complex wines with elegant structure.

THE WINEMAKER

Originally from rural County Cavan Ireland, David O’Reilly has been working with wine for over twenty years. He has worked in all areas of the trade including production, marketing and sales, giving him a unique, wide breadth of experience from which to approach wine making. At the root of his passion and winemaking

philosophy is his love of nature fostered by early childhood summers in the Irish countryside, along with his later youth in British Columbia.

David first developed his interest in wine while attending college in California. After graduating with a degree in Philosophy, he was hired at a small winery in Santa Barbara where, in addition to his fine palate and knowledge of winemaking, he also discovered an aptitude for marketing and sales. After 3 years, he was drawn to the Oregon countryside to work at Elk Cove Winery as the National Sales Director. By this time David’s urge to make his own wine soon became irresistible and in 1994 he joined with Peter Rosbeck to make wines under the Sineann label. Just several years later he formed Owen Roe Winery where he has been making wine since 1999.

Over the past ten years David has especially worked to pioneer winemaking in the Yakima Valley AVA. For David, this region presents the new world with an outstanding opportunity to create old world, right bank style wines. The barren and rocky soils of the region force the concentration of flavor in fruit, which is also enhanced by long hours of consistent sunshine. Cool evening temperatures preserve levels of high acidity and low pH. From sites in this region he is able to harvest fruit that best translates naturally into his signature style, wines with deep fragrance and lush flavors balanced by elegant structure.