Monmouth Matriarchy
Airlie Winery celebrates 40-year anniversary
By Patty Mamula
Airlie Winery, nestled against the Dunn Forest overlooking the Coast Range, is certainly off the well-worn Willamette Valley wine path. South of Monmouth and equally far from Philomath and Corvallis, the picturesque winery feels like a hidden treasure worth savoring.
As the rural winery celebrates its 40th anniversary, it maintains the authenticity and charm of the early Oregon wine days. Visitors are likely to be warmly greeted and served by owner Mary Olson, whose two Irish setters are often nearby. The tasting room is cozy– a group of four feels intimate; there’s plenty of homey outdoor space to taste, relax and spend an afternoon.
For its first 20 years, Airlie Winery was isolated. Now it has several neighboring wineries. “We have established a local marketing organization for our growing area,” she noted.
Olson grew up in Wisconsin and attended college in Minnesota. After graduation, she started at Northwestern Bell, rising up the ranks to executive positions. In 1990, US West Telecommunications, a subsidiary company, transferred her to Oregon, where she was general manager for three years. “I traveled the state,” she recalled, “visiting wineries along the way. They were all small back then.” Soon Olson was telling her friends she wanted to buy a winery.
She started seriously looking around 1995, when US West split and Olsen departed. “There wasn’t anything available,” she lamented. Her realtor suggested they inquire about Airlie Winery– there was a rumor the owners, Larry and Alice Preedy, were interested in retiring.
In 1983, the Preedys planted the 30-acre Dunn Forest Vineyard and built a well-designed, small-batch production area. “It’s a robust facility for our size,” reported Olson. They founded Airlie Winery in 1986.
Olson was very interested and so were the Preedys. She worked harvest with them in 1996. It was wet and cold in late October. “Larry told me it was the worst he had experienced. Even so, I still liked it.” Olson made them an offer. Although they questioned her financial ability, the Preedys accepted it. She bought Airlie in 1997, making her one of the first single women to purchase a winery in Oregon and perhaps the youngest at 45.
“Once I purchased the property, people came out of the woodwork to apply as winemakers,” remembered Olson, crediting the tight-knit wine community with sharing new developments. She had nearly made her decision when Suzy Gagne interviewed on a Sunday. “Suzy won me over,” confessed Olson.
Gagne had a degree in enology and viticulture from UC Davis. After working harvests in California, she and her husband moved to Oregon. They bought land in Eola Hills and planted their own vineyard.
“Suzy and I did it all. We labeled the wine, bottled it and lifted every full case at least six times in the process. We worked like fiends,” marveled Olson. “The only help we had was in the field with pruning and picking.”
Another vineyard in Ellendale was part of the original Airlie sale and Gagne cared for it in the spring while Olson maintained the Airlie vineyard. “Those first years we worked hard, long days,” she acknowledged.
“On my 50th birthday, I took Suzy and her husband to France’s Burgundy region. I remember Suzy saying she was grateful to be a woman there, where she would get to sit– unlike at Airlie, where she never got to sit.”
In January 2005, tragedy struck. Gagne died of a brain aneurysm. She was Airlie’s winemaker for eight years and “lived her dream,” Olson added.
The wine community rallied. “Everyone knew I didn’t know how to make wine. We had tanks and barrels of wine here. This is where the sunshine comes in,” reported Olson.
People phoned and sent help; she specifically mentioned Amity Vineyards and King Estate. Olson called Myron Redford at Amity for winemaker recommendations. He suggested Elizabeth Clark, one of Amity’s assistant winemakers.
That summer, Clark worked at both Airlie and Amity before joining Olson for the 2005 harvest. Clark marks her final harvest during Airlie’s 40th year. She and her husband plan to retire and move to Hawaii to be closer to her parents.
“We have a small but incredibly loyal crew,” boasted Olson. Vineyard manager Sebastian joined Airlie Winery in 2003. Susan Simmons, the wine club manager and head of shipping, came on in 2018. Her daughter, Brandy Peer, began managing the tasting room and social media last year.
Winemaker Andrew Kirkland is the latest addition to the team. He completed his first harvest in 2011 at Brittan Vineyards and worked at Ruby Vineyard for nine years. “I feel fortunate to have worked in Oregon, mostly on estate properties,” noted Kirkland. Beyond changing the winery's female dynamic, Kirkland’s presence is unique: it’s the first time Airlie has had overlapping winemakers.
For years Olson was a one-woman show at festivals and off-site tastings. After a decade as the one in charge, she asked herself, “What part of this job don’t you like?” Her answer: travel, mostly because she missed being at home with her dogs. So, she gave it up. Only recently did she relinquish managing the tasting room, delegating that responsibility to Peer.
Until 2018, when she sold the Ellendale vineyard, Olson had purchased all of the fruit grown there. In those days, Airlie Winery was producing around 6,000 cases a year.
Today, Airlie’s annual production is about 3,000 cases. The estate vineyard grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Müller-Thurgau, Maréchal Foch, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Over the years, Olson has added Pinot Blanc and Muscat Ottonel. “We are in the process of replanting some of the original vines and have completed about eight acres. We also purchase additional white grapes, including Albariño, Grüner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc,” continued Olson.
“We use all our estate grapes,” noted Clark. “Our white grapes outnumbered our red,” she explained.
Over the years, Clark has concentrated on showcasing the white varieties. “Airlie Winery has developed a reputation for exceptional white wines,” declared Kirkland.
Olson attributes that following to Clark, who believes making a stellar white wine is harder than a red because it’s difficult to mask imperfections. That focus has become an advantage. “White wines are getting more respect and becoming quite popular with consumers,” Olson asserted.
“We do it all here, including bottling, labeling, storing,” described Olson. She built a barrel room with a wine storage space and deck above it, next to the original winemaking facility, in 2002. “We have an efficient production space,” she added. “Larry Preedy, who built this, incorporated a lot of gravity features for such a small facility.”
As harvest approaches, Olson reflected on the fact that they never harvested before October when she bought Airlie. “Now it’s half and half in September and October. The latest we’ve picked was Riesling on Nov. 4.”
Airlie wines have limited distribution in a few states, but most bottles are sold directly to visitors and through its wine club. “We’re a destination winery and the majority of our customers come from the area. We encourage visitors to bring their dogs, kids, games and a picnic. There’s plenty of outdoor tables, room to roam, a pond to play around and more,” stated Olson.
“Financially, the pandemic was good for Airlie. People were extremely loyal, bringing their own openers and glasses. When they got their stimulus checks, they spent them here,” she recalled.
The winery is open for tastings Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday, noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Otherwise, tastings are by appointment or by chance. Since Olson lives on the property, there’s a good chance you’ll catch her if you just show up. The winery is closed in December, January and February.
Airlie Winery marks its 40th anniversary with a celebratory open house on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. Olson has no plans to retire. “It’s clear that work is my hobby,” she admitted. Although she has delegated some tasks, what she likes best is meeting and talking with visitors. “My one vision for this place is for others to enjoy it as much as I have.”
Airlie Winery
15305 Dunn Forest Rd., Monmouth
40th Anniversary Celebration: Nov. 27-29
(503) 838-6013
airliewinery.com
Patty Mamula is a Portland-based freelance writer focusing on Northwest art, entertainment and culture. Her résumé includes Sunriver Magazine, The Capital Press and other publications. Connect with her at pattymamula@gmail.com.
