NW Moves Northeast

By Wine Press Staff

NW Wine Company has purchased 35 acres from three adjacent properties in the south end of Dundee at Highway 99W and Niederberger Road. The site will be the future home of the company’s new winemaking facility, estate vineyard and tasting room.

Founded in May 2003, NW Wine Company was formed with John Niemeyer and Jeff Meader of Oregon Wine Services, a climate-controlled wine storage and fulfillment company, and Laurent Montalieu and Danielle Andrus Montalieu of Soléna and Grand Cru Estates.

NW Wine Company’s services include involvement in the management of the vineyards, custom wine production for premium clients and private label brand development. It has grown from 19,000 cases to as much as 120,000 during the past eight years.

“Moving NW Wine Company from Oregon Wine Services [in McMinnville] to Dundee allows both companies to expand and become even more efficient and specialized, thus allowing for the betterment of both businesses,” Niemeyer said.

Employing the services of architect Richard Brown and general contractor Perlo Construction for the 45,000-square-foot winery, NW Wine Company broke ground April 8 and will be fully operational for the 2011 harvest.  The estate tasting room will open Sept.1, and the planting of a 15-acre vineyard will follow construction to avoid any damage to the young vines. 

“In building a winery, experience has taught me what is necessary to ensure the expression of each varietal’s nuances, and being able to work with Richard again will make the process even easier,” said Laurent Montalieu, who has managed the construction and design now of four wineries in Oregon.

Richard Brown was also the architect for the Soléna and Grand Cru Estates winery, a project in partnership with Steve and Marian Bailey, located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.

The partnership between Niemeyer and the Montalieus also includes Hyland Estates, one of the oldest vineyard sites in the McMinnville AVA. Purchased in 2007, Hyland is over 260 acres with plantings originating in 1971. Hyland has been a source for many benchmark producers throughout the Willamette Valley.

Hyland’s pedigree inspired NW Wine Company to craft wines from the historic plantings of Pinot Noir, Rielsing and Gewürztraminer for their premier label, Hyland Estates, which will be released with the opening of the tasting room.

For more information, please visit www.nwwinecompany.com.