Participating Wineries (certified and not certified)
Organic: Alexana (in transition to certification), Abbot Claim, Antica Terra (some vineyards certified), Art & Science, Bethel Heights (certified), Cristom, Eyrie (certified), Johan (Demeter certified), Human Cellars, Lemelson (certified organic since 2004), Lumos (certified and a key champion of organic vit in Oregon), Montinore (Demeter certified), Ponzi (in transition to organic certfication), Troon (Demeter certified)
(Note: I will be attending and will write more about the wines and the wineries here on this blog.)
Coinciding with the Estate's 20th Anniversary, Alexana Will Bring Together 25 Organic Wine Growers for the Debut Organic Growers Wine Conference
by Alexana Estate | Press Release
DUNDEE, Ore., (Feb. 25, 2025) – Alexana is proud to announce that the inaugural Organically Grown Wine Conference will be held at the winery’s Dundee Hills estate on Saturday, March 22, 2025, coinciding with the estate’s 20th anniversary. Bringing together a coalition of over 20 Oregon wineries using organic farming methods, the event will showcase the impact of organic practices on fine wine.
“Too often, organic and sustainable farming methods and wine quality are talked about separately,” explains Alexana Estate Director of Viticulture, Drew Herman, a founding member of the Organic Winegrowers Network. “What we do in the vineyards has a dramatic impact on the finished wine in the glass, and the goal of this gathering is to show – rather than tell – our friends and peers just how vital these practices are to crafting long-lived, expressive, luxury wines.”
Open to both consumers and members of the trade and media, the conference will feature a walk-around tasting of organic wines poured by winemakers and winegrowers from the participating wineries; hands-on field tours across the Alexana estate vineyard; and an engaging panel on The Impact of Organic Production on Wine Quality. Moderated by Elaine Chukan-Brown of Wine Enthusiast, the panel will feature insights from Jason Lett (The Eyrie Vineyards), Luisa Ponzi (Ponzi Vineyards) Chris Schreiner (Oregon Tilth), and Drew Herman (Alexana).
The debut Organic Growers Wine Conference is the result of extensive collaboration across the Willamette Valley AVA and Oregon at large. Combining voices from leading organic farming associations including the Organic Wine Growers Network, Oregon Organic Coalition, the Culinary Breeding Network, and the USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, the conference aims to substantially improve public understanding of the value and impacts of organic farming on fine wine. The event will cover topics including cover-cropping, integrative pest management, and the preservation of native plants while promoting tourism in Oregon wine country.
Alexana Estate winery is celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout 2025, and the conference marks one of many events planned to commemorate the brand’s legacy of collaboration. The anniversary year also marks the expansion of Alexana's renowned hospitality experiences, introducing the “Origins” culinary tasting experience, in addition to a sequence of special events featuring in-house Chef Nic Maraziti, and the unveiling of new labels featuring a refined icon mark that represents the estate's distinctive mosaic of soils.
"When Lynn Penner-Ash first brought me to this remarkable property in the Dundee Hills, I knew it held extraordinary potential," said Dr. Madaiah Revana, founder of Alexana Estate, as well as sister properties Revana Estate in Napa and Corazón del Sol in Mendoza, Argentina. "Twenty years later, I'm proud to see how our team has realized that potential through their dedication to understanding and expressing the unique character of this land. Each vintage brings new insights into our terroir, and our wines continue to evolve and improve thanks to a deeply curious, creative, and innovative team.”
Alexana continues to build on its legacy, including their recent, rapid conversion to organic farming methods: Under the guidance of Herman, the entire 97 acres of Alexana vines are now grown using transformative cover-cropping, grazing, and integrative pest management techniques, a rare feat completed in a single calendar year.
“Organic farming is about so much more than avoiding pesticides, and it’s better done in community across large areas of farmland than in piece-meal sections,” says Herman. “I’m so excited to bring together leading voices from across Oregon to make this conference happen, and show folks just how dramatic the impact of organic production is on finished wines.”
About Alexana Estate
Alexana Winery is a tribute to the potential of the Western Slope of the Dundee Hills AVA. Alexana is one of the most geologically diverse sites in North America, with 22 soil types represented across its 97-acre vineyard. Their wines reflect the dynamic power of Oregon's ancient volcanic and marine terroirs. Since 2005, Alexana has been guided by a perpetual improvement philosophy encompassing certified organic farming methods and progressive grazing protocols. Alexana believes in cultivating meaningful relationships with the land and their communities, and is a proud member of Revana Vineyards, an independently owned family of wineries with estates in Oregon, Napa Valley, and Argentina.
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