About High Country Fruit Wines
ABOUT US
We spent over 10 years in Oregon's Willamette Valley farming European wine grape varietals and producing Burgundian inspired wines.
To us, this felt........ insincere.
We have since relocated back to where we were raised and have set out to produce unique, natural wines that showcase both the history and the future of fruit wine production in Central Oregon. From the hybrid wine grapes we help grow at Monkey Face Vineyard to the heirloom cider apples we harvest from our local historic homestead orchards, these wines prove that Central Oregon has a lot to say about what it means to be an American wine.
THE HISTORY
We have been fortunate enough to partner with "In Cahoots Heirloom Apple Collaborative" and their ongoing efforts to restoratively care for our local historic homestead era orchards. All of the apples we use in our wines come from trees planted by the first wave of Central Oregon Homesteaders, between 90 and 130 years ago.
THE FUTURE
We make our wines from the hybrid wine grapes grown right here in Central Oregon at the Monkey Face Vineyard.
HYBRIDS?
Nearly all vineyards in North America are planted to vines of European descent (Vitis Vinifera). The Hybrid wine grapes we grow at Monkey Face Vineyard are a cross between European Vitis Vinifera and grape species native to North America. Having one of its "parents" being native to North America means that these hybrid grape vines are naturally resistant to the pests, diseases and challenging growing conditions of North America. This means we can grow grapes in Central Oregon without any chemical input onto the vines, or into our wines.