Friday, Sep. 11, 2009

Oregon's modern pioneer, Richard Sommer, dies at 79

By Cara Pallone

Like the old winemaker's vines, Richard Sommer's legacy is rooted in time.

As the father of Oregon's modern wine industry, he'll be remembered for his exclusive love of nature.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Sommer attended the University of California-Davis in 1948 and majored in horticulture. When he predicted in the '50s that he would grow fine wine grapes in Oregon, his professors told him it would be a waste of time.

His sister Susanne Krieg said her brother laughed and declared he would grow grapes in the gentle Roseburg climate anyway.

Although wine grapes were introduced on the Oregon Trail and berry wines have been a fruitful state staple for more than a century, Sommer pioneered Oregon's vinifera industry. He introduced the European-style grapes to Umpqua Valley soil in 1961, experimenting mainly with Riesling and Pinot Noir and planting the first post-Prohibition vinifera on an old turkey farm west of Roseburg.

By 1963 he produced 200 gallons of wine. By 1966, he was in full production, making 6,000 gallons and using the first stainless steel tanks for the task. His mellow red made a splash and he sold it in bulk. It wasn't until Sommer established HillCrest Vineyard that the seeds of the modern Oregon wine industry were sown. There are now nearly 400 wineries in the state.

"He was creative and thorough, and he laid out a lot of different plots," said Steve Renquist, horticulture extension agent for Oregon State University Extension Service of Douglas County. "It didn't take long for people to realize Pinot and Riesling were the ones that really seemed to stand out."

Today, HillCrest Vineyard is the state's oldest continuously running vinifera winery. Sommer died July 28 at age 79.

Dyson and Susan DeMara purchased HillCrest Vineyard in 2003. They are reminded of the old winemaker every day as they look out on their vineyard, where 13 acres of old vine are remnants of Sommer's vision.

"He opened the door in terms of producing varietal wines and producing fine wines," Dyson said, "and proving you could do it."