Chateau Bianca

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February 2010

 

 

 

Happy 20^th   Anniversary

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This year marks a special time for the winery. The family that began it all in 1990 is still producing wine of excellent quality and expanding from one tasting room here at the winery to a second tasting room located in Timber, Oregon that opened in October of 2009.

The Wetzel family had a vision back then of creating a winery staffed initially with family members who would pour a lot of sweat and tears into making Chateau Bianca a success. Facilities were limited at that time and the tasting room was very small and cozy.

A historical look back at the time period probably would show that the number of wineries operating then were under a hundred. Now with estimates of over 400 in the state, it is easy to see how much of a pioneering wine family it was. There were no vineyards in existence on the property, and the family all pitched in to plant vines that are now showing some solid signs of maturity at 20 yrs old.

The first few years at the winery was an association with Bridgeview Vineyards in southern Oregon that provided the grapes used to crush while our vines were still young and not bearing any fruit. It was probably in 1994 that we actually used our own grapes to produce our first estate wines

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The Bed and Breakfast, located behind the winery was planned from the start to be a hospitality center and was completed around 1998. The winery continues to host guests at this location and many friendships have been made over the years that endure even today.

 

Some plans were discussed about placing some commemorative sticker on wine bottles this year, but no definitive decision has been reached yet.

The tasting room underwent complete renovation by the close of 2007 and it has been praised by many visitors as being very warm and inviting.

There are plans for slightly more acreage under cultivation, and the vines being added to our current holding would be Pinot Noir, a leading red grape varietal in the Willamette Valley.

It is with great pride that we look back on our accomplishments and much excitement about our future into the next twenty years.

Perhaps an appropriate way to celebrate would be to unveil our new 2002 Blanc de Blanc, an exceptionally fine sparkling wine made with Chardonnay and aged 2-3 years before release. It is scheduled to be made available sometime this spring.

 

 

 

Wines of Oregon now open!

 

Wines of Oregon Wine Shop is now open. Located on the Sunset Hwy (Hwy 26) in Timber, Oregon. Try a variety of Wetzel Estate, Chateau Bianca, Namaste and Silver Falls wines. 

 

Open Daily 10 am to 5 pm. 

 

60675 NW Sunset Hwy

Timber, Oregon   97144

503-357-3100

 

 

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