Oak Knoll Winery

The winery was established in 1970 by Marjorie and Ron Vuylsteke south of Hillsboro on what was formerly a dairy farm.[4][5] The couple first started making wine in their garage, after they had a bumper crop of blackberries.[4] At the time, Ron was an electrical engineer.[4] As they became more successful in making wine, they started their business with financial backing from a silent partner.[4]

It was the first winery in Washington County.[1][3] In its early years, the winery used repurposed Coca-Cola drums for storing the wine during the fermentation process.[5] The first batch consisted of 4,000 gallons of blackberry fruit wine. The winery's first Pinot noir was produced in 1973.[3] Chardonnay and Riesling were introduced in 1975 and Pinot gris was first produced in 1990.[3]

Oak Knoll was the first winery in Washington County to open a tasting room.[5] By 1986, the winery was the second-largest by volume sold in Oregon,[6] but slipped to third by 1988.[7] The Washington Post named the winery's Pinot noir some of the best Pinot noir from the United States in 1986.[8] Oak Knoll produced other fruit wines, such as loganberry, and in 1998, its Oak Knoll raspberry "Frambrosia" was named one of the world's best dessert wines in USA Today.[9][10] In 2005, the Vuylstekes sold part of the winery to their sons Tom and John.[11] In 2006, the winery was the largest in Washington County with 30,000 cases produced each year.[12]

Winery and tasting room

Oak Knoll uses grapes from within the Willamette Valley AVA to produce its wines. The winery is a family-run enterprise with Greg Lint serving as president until his death in September 2022.[13] As of 2007, it had annual revenues of $7.5 million, selling varieties including Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Niagara, and Pinot gris under its own label as well as under the Twilight Blush, Eruption, and Frambrosia labels.[13] The winery is the official wine sponsor of the Portland Rose Festival.[14][15]

• Oak Knoll's wine has been served at the White House[16]
• 1989 Oregon State Fair: Two gold medals and four bronze medals[17]
• 1990 Pacific Northwest Wine & Food Festival: Silver medal for its 1988 Chardonnay[18]
• 1991 San Diego National Wine Competition: Gold medal for its 1988 Pinot noir[19]
• 1998 Oregon State Fair: One silver and two bronze medals[20]
• 2001 Oak Knoll Winery ranked 10th among the Top 25 Oregon wineries by volume[21]
• 2003 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition: Ninth place for its 2001 Pinot Gris[22]
• 2006 The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition: Two bronze medals[23]
• 2007 Pacific Rim Wine Competition: White wine category, winner for its sweet Niagara grape wine[24]

• Oregon Wine Explorer: Oak Knoll Winery Archived October 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
• Wine Release

45.462087°N 122.983575°W / 45.462087; -122.983575