Seized the Day

Eminent Domaine celebrates 20 years on Ribbon Ridge

By Michele Francisco

The process of eminent domain allows the government to take private property and convert it to public use. After the city of Portland took Jeff Meader’s southeast property, he turned the loss into an opportunity by purchasing land in the Ribbon Ridge American Viticultural Area, or AVA. Meader followed his passion for farming and planted a vineyard. This year, the cleverly named winery, Eminent Domaine, celebrates 20 years.

Meader’s initial investment has grown gradually over the course of two decades. With time, it has yielded a family home atop a winery, a tasting room, second vineyard with a vacation rental, an enclosed pavilion and a newly finished deck for wine guests to enjoy the stunning views.

He recently achieved a long-held dream of growing all the grapes for Eminent Domaine. The winery’s general manager, Camille Stabler, notes, “Our annual production decreased to about 2,200 cases with the move to all estate-grown fruit. And while ending long-term contracts has been bittersweet, it’s a dream fulfilled to have more control over all our own farming, pick dates, and, of course, more focus on just Ribbon Ridge AVA.”

According to Heather Meader, Jeff’s wife and co-owner of Eminent Domaine, “You’ll see Jeff walking around in his overalls with a dog, cat and chickens in tow. I’ll have my hair up in a ponytail while working in the garden, singing along to my favorite tunes. Guests are often surprised to learn we are the owners. This is a humble quest for us.”

LOW-KEY LUXURY

Since opening the tasting room a decade ago, Eminent Domaine has been focused on excellent hospitality. “Direct-to-consumer is such an essential business model for us,” explains Stabler, who joined the winery in 2016. “We’re lucky to have such a strong team that values and knows our customers and puts great sincerity into each encounter. Our business is so intrinsically built on the relationships we shape in the tasting room between our members, staff and family,” she adds.

The Meaders believe that residing on the property enhances the experiences of visitors coming to Eminent Domaine. Rooster Cluck Norris and his harem of hens add to the charm. “We live here, we work here, we’re from here, our team is our family, we strive to give our guests a memorable experience with all the Willamette Valley has to offer. On Ribbon Ridge, we are a tight community, all friends and collaborators,” shares Heather. 

“We’ve created a full-circle experience and several different seating areas that allow for intimacy even on a busy day. You can have a picnic on the lawn, sit by the fire with a blanket if it’s cold or relax on a couch in the pavilion,” adds Heather. “More than the view, you’re surrounded by the vines where we get the fruit that fills your glass. During harvest, you’ll see us picking and sorting fruit with barrels both inside and outside the winery. We are so thrilled to share it all while meeting and spending time with our guests.”

FARMING FOR THE FUTURE

Even with Eminent Domaine’s idyllic setting, Jeff worries about the changing climate and drought conditions. In an effort to help his plants better survive, he’s adapted his farming practices. “We’ve increased our cultivation of the vineyards over the years. Less competition from vegetation helps sustain our vines through the heat of the summer,” he notes.

“We’ve also been harvesting earlier than ever. This past year, we harvested all the fruit before the end of September. We’ve never done that before. We measure the depth of our aquifer every month. The trend isn’t good. The level continues to drop despite our efforts to conserve water,” reports Jeff.

Stabler adds, “Much of the ethos of farming in Oregon has relied on being nimble and needing to be flexible based on the weather here, which has always been mercurial. We put in irrigation lines at our Little Farm Vineyard when we planted in 2019. Dry farming used to be standard, and now that’s not really an option with the warm summers if we want to protect our investments in new plantings.” 

TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY

Eminent Domaine is celebrating its milestone anniversary with an event-filled summer, starting June 19 with a concert on the lawn. Paprika Toast Catering is providing food for the celebration, along with other events planned throughout the summer months. Heather boasts, “The tarts made by Chef Luke Adams are to die for.”

Every other Friday through August, Eminent Domaine is hosting “Wine Down Sunset Hours” beginning at 5:30 p.m. Other festivities include flower arranging and wreath-making classes, painting in the vineyard, as well as morning and evening yoga (with wine).   

LOOKING FORWARD

With an eye toward the future, Eminent Domaine continues honing its offerings. “We’re changing with the times and will be adding flexible wine club options, an educational series and making food available more often. We are also adding more options for group and premium experiences, such as hosting special events in the pavilion, like rehearsal dinners and wedding brunches,” explains Heather. “And our new deck will truly showcase the incredible panoramic view from Bald Peak Mountain to the Coast Range.”

In the last two decades, the Meaders and Eminent Domaine have welcomed the new development and changes to their neighborhood. Heather observes, “The variety of what Ribbon Ridge Road and the surrounding area have to offer has exploded. From the original few tasting rooms there were when we started, there are now eight. Plus, two distilleries and a lavender store at the bottom of the hill.”

She adds, “Jeff has many more projects in mind. We’ll see if our kids ever take an interest in continuing the legacy. I will continue to sing, be the glue and work with local nonprofits to preserve and protect each other and the land, and to help all Oregonians to thrive.”

As Eminent Domaine adapts and evolves, hospitality remains its North Star. No matter the reason people visit, whether for a flight, class or to appreciate the sunset, maintaining a memorable customer experience is at the very heart of the brand. Stabler observes, “Our wine is great, our views from the tasting room are breathtaking, but it’s our staff’s ability to really connect with guests that builds customer loyalty.”

Eminent Domaine
20875 N.E. Ribbon Ridge Rd., Newberg
Thurs.–Mon. 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
eminentdomaine.com
(503) 687-1180

Michele Francisco spent her childhood reading and writing, eventually graduating from UCLA with an English degree. She attended graphic design school and began a career in design and marketing. After moving to Oregon in 2010, Michele studied wine at Chemeketa Community College and began Winerabble, a Northwest-focused wine blog. She has been a cheerleader for Oregon wine since her arrival.