Hemmer Vineyards was conceived in 2010 by Kimberly and Nathan Hemmer.  It came about as a result of a very intentional effort to plan a future that married their passion for wine, a need to own the process from start to finish, and a desire to share this with family and friends in a way that most could not imagine possible.  This is the story of Hemmer Vineyards.

In 2011 we moved to Oregon to seek out vineyard land to make this dream a reality.  After a tumultuous search that included several disappointments we found what is today the Hemmer Vineyards estate.  It looked very different then – 19 acres covered in scraggly 25 year old filbert trees.

And so it began with clearing the land.  Finding old fence lines buried under the sprawling blackberry bushes.  Drafting family to help with much of the work but hiring new found neighbors for the heavy work of removing the trees and ripping the hard pan soil.

Finally in 2015 the first block around the house and winery was planted with 3 clones of Pinot Noir.  Family and friends came with enthusiasm and helped establish this initial block as well as build fencing to protect these young vines from the deer that made home on the neighbor’s land.  In the meantime Kimberly had given Nathan a gift of two additional acres of vines.

Chardonnay this time to plant the upper hillside and fill in down below.   We were professionals by now and many of the same family and  friends returned to plant these vines and start the hard work of trellising.   The latest planting was in 2017 which included more acres and more clones of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  This time planted by a group of “young” men and women on a mission to change the world.

Now we were wine growers, weathering some of the driest years in recent times.  In a vineyard without irrigation this meant hours tending these young vines that we had worked so hard to plant.  And of course we had help along the way from so many people.  Most of you we knew already but then someone new entered our world.  While Nate was working outside a man came to the closed gate asking if we needed help.  This would happen from time to time with people representing big vineyard management firms or equipment salesmen but this time was different. We weren’t quite ready to hire anyone yet, still foolishly believing we could do all the work ourselves, but we kept his number and promised to call when the time was right. About a year later we found that number and made that call and it turned out it was one of the best calls we ever made. Today we work together, the three of us tending this land and these vines.

With only a few small estate harvests under our belt we are focused on improving winery operations but a few things remain true.  Our vines are grown by people who care, with minimal inputs and no herbicides.  The wines are handcrafted to appeal to wine enthusiasts who enjoy the nuance of what our place brings. And for sure it is about the people.  Hemmer Vineyards is Our Dream, God’s Blessing and we want to share it with you.