In Memoriam: Philippe Girardet

Winegrower and founder of Girardet Vineyards and Winery

By Jack Costa

Philippe Girardet, founder of Girardet Vineyards and Winery in Tenmile, Oregon, has passed away at the age of 96. The Swiss-American was an astrophysics engineer at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in California before moving north to Oregon, where he established one of Roseburg’s oldest continually operating wineries.

Philippe bought a 1965 Volkswagen bus and headed north in search of a fresh start. Upon visiting the Umpqua Valley, he was reminded of his homeland’s rolling hills. He recognized the area’s viticultural potential after tasting the wines of Richard Sommer, the pioneering founder of HillCrest Vineyard. Having worked in his uncle’s vineyards while growing up in Switzerland, Philippe retained a lifelong connection to wine.

In 1970, Philippe and his wife Bonnie Girardet purchased a 55-acre former sheep farm near Tenmile, where they began building a cabin. Over a bottle of wine, they decided the property would make the perfect place for a vineyard. By 1971, Philippe set off cross-country in his Volkswagen, collecting grapevine cuttings — including Baco Noir, the wine Philippe would later become famous for. Upon returning to Oregon, the bus looked like a beaver dam, packed full of vine twigs and cuttings from around the country.

Although Philippe introduced Baco Noir to Umpqua Valley soil in 1971, he initially sold fruit to other wineries and didn’t make wine himself. However, a decade later, after nearly crashing his truck while delivering grapes, he decided, “It’s time we stop delivering grapes and start making our own wine!”

By the early 1980s, the Girardets were producing their own wines, and in 1990, Philippe bottled Oregon’s first 100% Baco Noir — an unheard-of varietal for the region at the time. The wine quickly earned a devoted following for its spicy, herbal notes and silky-smooth tannins, and was later recognized by The Oregonian’s Matt Kramer as “one of Oregon’s best reds.”

Philippe became known locally as the “Johnny Appleseed of Baco Noir,” handing out vine cuttings to any winemaker who showed interest. Today, several Umpqua Valley wineries, including Bradley Vineyards, River’s Edge, Melrose Vineyards, and Trella Vineyards — grow and produce their own Baco Noir thanks to his influence.

In 2005, Philippe and Bonnie received the Oregon Wine Founders Award by the Oregon Wine Board in recognition of their pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry. Philippe was also a founding member of the Umpqua Valley Winegrowers Association and an advocate for the Umpqua Valley AVA since its establishment in 1984.

Philippe is survived by his five children, including Marc Girardet, who serves as winemaker and owner of Girardet Winery.