Chalice Vineyard

Iris Hill is an estate winery. All Iris Hill wines are made from grapes grown at Chalice Vineyard near Lorane, Oregon, southeast of Eugene. Roughly 100 acres of our property is well-suited to growing wine grapes. The remainder of the 870 acre property is grazed, planted in Christmas trees or a forest plantation. A prominent ridge line marks the divide between the Willamette river watershed and the Siuslaw river watershed.

We currently have a total of 44 acres planted in wine grapes: 28 acres with Pinot Noir, 12 acres with Pinot Gris and 4 acres with Chardonnay. Pinot Noir clones include Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon 113, 114, 115. Our Chardonnay is Dijon Clone 76. The Pinot Gris clones are Colmar 146 and 152.

The fruit from our vineyard is vinified in small lots, keeping fruit from different clones and blocks separate. Periodic tasting reveals the often surprisingly different character of the base wines created from different blocks, different clones of the same variety and different aged vines. Eventually, we assemble the cuvee from the base wines with the goal of creating a finished wine that builds on the best qualities of each lot.

Our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blocks are planted primarily on Bellpine and Jory clay loam soils. These soils have a distinctive terra cotta color. We use vertical trellising for all varietals. The vine blocks are planted on south, southeast and southwest facing slopes, to better capture the precious fall sunlight, necessary to bring the fruit to the optimum ripeness necessary to produce high quality wines in the cool climate of Oregon.

Our Pinot Gris block is planted on a complex mix of soil types. We believe that these soils express an attractive mineral note in the wines, particularly in cool years.

Our Approach

As organic wine grape growers, we are dedicated to growing high quality fruit through sustainable viticulture practices. Our 44-acres of vertical trellised grapevines at Iris Hill’s Chalice Vineyard, produce mature flavorful fruit with exceptional characteristics that are a distinct expression of our terroir, our unique soil and micro climate.

The successful implementation of our sustainable viticulture practices and production of Iris Hill wines are the result of the hard work of a small team of people, who are all very good at what they do, whether it is tending vines or nurturing wines. Their care and dedication to fine wine, and Iris Hill in particular, is greatly and constantly appreciated.

Press Release: Sustainable Viticulture Practices, 5-31-2006