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Planted between 1977 and 1979, Bethel Heights was one of the first vineyards in the Eola Hills, a chain of hills in the center of Oregon's Willamette Valley. The estate winery was established in 1984 and currently produces 10,000 cases of wine annually, most of which still comes from the 50 acre estate vineyard. Bethel Heights specializes in Pinot noir, but also produces Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Pinot blanc.
Since 1978 Bethel Heights has been owned and operated by a family consortium of five variously related partners: twin brothers Terry Casteel and Ted Casteel, Marilyn Webb (married to Terry), and sisters Pat Dudley (married to Ted) and Barbara Dudley. In the beginning before we made wine everyone worked in the vineyard. The establishment of the winery in 1984 ushered in a new division of labor which prevails to this day except during crush, when we revert to a more primitive state.
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Ted Casteel, Vineyard Manager
Terry Casteel, Winemaker Pat Dudley, Marketing Director Barbara Dudley, Ideologue Marilyn Webb, Business Manager |
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Our vineyard is planted on a south-facing hillside rising from 480 to 620 feet above sea level, with shallow well-drained soils of volcanic origin (Jory/Nekiah soil series). Of the fifty acres of vines planted at Bethel Heights between 1977 and 1979, more than 30 acres still remain on their own roots. The current planting includes: 37 acres of Pinot noir (5 different clones)
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Check out the schematic diagram of our vineyard, showing the age and clonal composition of each block. Under the direct care of Vineyard Manager Ted Casteel our viticulture has been refined over twenty years to maximize the specific potential of each section of the vineyard for wine quality. The crop is held to 2.5 tons per acre or less, with intensive canopy management throughout the growing season to maximize flavor development. |
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