A brief exploration of the life and career of Richard Sommer, a pioneer in the post prohibition production of wine in Oregon.

A look at the first, tentative efforts to establish wine as a commercial crop in Oregon and the Willamette Valley.

This episode is a journey into the unique history and settlement of Oregon as a preliminary to diving into a more focused history of wine in the region. From the earliest days of the Hudson Bay Company to the statehood of Oregon, this is a succinct, but detailed treatment of a fascinating episode of American history.

A background sketch on how and why the Willamette Valley of Oregon emerged in the twentieth century as a major world wine growing region. In this episode we look at soil type, climate, and the episodic glacial floods that were so important in the establishment of Willamette Valley Terroir.

This is the first of three episode that are foundational to understanding the history of Wine in Oregon.