Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser are the co-presidents and second-generation winegrowers at their family-run winery. They're also siblings. In 1971, their parents, Susan and Bill, planted their first vines in Dundee, Oregon. The business took off and the winery welcomed winemaker Russ Rosner in 1998. In 2008, Alex and Alison officially became co-presidents of the company that's focused on crafting organic wines, especially pinot noir. Sokol Blosser's Evolution Red has recently launched in Canada, a companion to the long established Evolution White.

Your family has been at the forefront of the development of the Oregon wine scene. What's the biggest thing that's changed? 

There are more winegrowers now than ever before and most are growing and making really good pinot noir. The bar keeps getting raised in Oregon and we are adamant on staying at the forefront of top-quality pinot noir.

What makes Oregon pinot noir special? 

Our diversity of soils: volcanic-marine sedimentary Missoula flood soil and Woodburn soil. Our cool climate also ensures that we get acid and structure.

Why was it important to you for the vineyard to be organic? 

Our primary goal is to farm for quality and we feel that we can do this for multiple generations if we farm organically.

What's the best lesson you've learned from your parents? 

There are so many lessons that it is hard to choose the best one. The lesson of the moment is one handed down from my mom’s dad who said, “The best fertilizer for a business is the owner’s footprints.”

What would you consider your "house wine," something you always have on hand to serve guests?

A bottle of our Sokol Blosser rosé or pinot noir is always around - they seem to go with everything!

Read more about Sokol Blosser:

Interview: Sustainability at Sokol Blosser

The Evolution of Organics