The people who grow and make Willamette Valley wine have long been more diverse than the labels suggested. A new generation is finally making that visible — and building the ladders others can climb.
For most of its short history, the public face of Oregon wine has been narrow — whiter, and more moneyed, than the workforce that actually tends the vines. That is changing, led by a remarkable set of people who have insisted that the industry look more like the community around it. Their work is one of the most hopeful chapters in the history of Oregon wine.
A workforce, finally named
Start with the people whose hands are in the soil. Much of the skilled vineyard labor in the Willamette Valley is done by Latinx and Hispanic workers whose expertise long went unrecognized. The nonprofit AHIVOY set out to change that, empowering “vineyard stewards” through bilingual education built in partnership with Chemeketa Community College and Linfield University, with the explicit goal of helping workers build long-term careers and leadership in wine.[1] The very term “vineyard steward” was coined in 2014 by Sofia Torres McKay to give that work its proper dignity, and was adopted by AHIVOY in 2019.[1]
Breaking the cellar door
The winemaking side has seen its own firsts. In 2008, Bertony Faustin — the son of Haitian immigrants, of Abbey Creek Vineyard — became Oregon’s first recorded Black winemaker, and has since made mentoring the next generation a mission, including through his documentary Red, White and Black.[2] In 2020, Lois and Dave Cho became the first known Korean American winemakers in Oregon with Cho Wines; and in 2021, Tiquette Bramlett became the first Black woman to lead a winery in a major U.S. wine region.[3] The late Jesus Guillén, of White Rose, was among the first Mexican-American winemakers to head an Oregon winery — one of many whose stories are only now being told.
| AHIVOY | Education & leadership for Latinx vineyard stewards[1] |
|---|---|
| Bertony Faustin | Oregon’s first recorded Black winemaker (2008); mentor[2] |
| Lois & Dave Cho | First known Korean American winemakers (2020)[3] |
| Tiquette Bramlett | First Black woman to lead a major-region winery (2021)[3] |
| Our Legacy Harvested | BIPOC internships and pathways into the industry[3] |
| Oregon AAPI Food & Wine | Founded 2023 to spotlight AAPI in wine[3] |
Building the ladder
What distinguishes this moment is that the trailblazers are not just walking through the door — they are holding it open. Tiquette Bramlett founded the nonprofit Our Legacy Harvested, whose internship program ushers new BIPOC talent into every corner of the industry; Lois Cho launched Oregon AAPI Food & Wine in 2023; and AHIVOY keeps turning vineyard expertise into careers and ownership.[3] The goal is not a single celebrated “first,” but a tenth and a hundredth that no longer make news.
The aim was never to be the only one in the room. It was to make sure no one is ever the only one again.
Drink with intention
One of the simplest ways to support this change is to seek out and buy from the producers and stewards driving it — and to listen to their stories. We think a thoughtful visit to wine country should include those voices, not just the famous estates. If that matters to you, it shapes the kind of Willamette Valley wine tour we love to build.
Related reading: The history of Oregon wine · The valley and Native land · Plan a wine tour
Frequently asked questions
Who was Oregon’s first Black winemaker?
Bertony Faustin, of Abbey Creek Vineyard, became Oregon’s first recorded Black winemaker in 2008. The son of Haitian immigrants, he has since focused on mentoring future BIPOC winemakers, including through his documentary Red, White and Black.
What is AHIVOY?
AHIVOY is an Oregon nonprofit that empowers “vineyard stewards” — largely Latinx and Hispanic vineyard workers — through bilingual education and leadership development, helping them build long-term careers in the wine industry.
Sources
- “About Us” and “Empowering Oregon’s Vineyard Stewards” (bilingual education with Chemeketa and Linfield; “vineyard steward” coined by Sofia Torres McKay in 2014, adopted 2019), AHIVOY / Business Oregon. ahivoyoregon.org
- “Meet Bertony Faustin: the first recorded Black winemaker in Oregon” (2008; Abbey Creek; Red, White and Black documentary; mentorship), KGW / The Manual. kgw.com
- “Our Legacy Harvested works to diversify the wine industry” (Tiquette Bramlett, first Black woman to lead a major-region winery, 2021; Our Legacy Harvested; Cho Wines 2020; Oregon AAPI Food & Wine, 2023), OPB / Fodor’s. opb.org
Want to read more?
Books we drew on and recommend for going deeper on Oregon wine.
Oregon Wine: A Deep-Rooted HistoryScott Stursa
Voodoo Vintners: Oregon’s Astonishing Biodynamic WinegrowersKatherine Cole
Cork DorkBianca BoskerAs an Amazon Associate, Wine History Tours earns from qualifying purchases. This supports our research at no extra cost to you.
