TEMPERANCE HILL VINEYARD

GROWER | DAI CRISP

EOLA-AMITY HILLS AVA
DRY FARMED, ORGANIC

Planted in 1981 by the Koo family, Temperance Hill Vineyard spans 100 acres along the spine of the Eola-Amity Hills, believed to be the caldera of an ancient volcano. Since 1999, it has been organically farmed under the meticulous care of Dai Crisp, a pioneer of sustainable viticulture in the Willamette Valley. Certified Salmon Safe, the vineyard is managed without herbicides, relying instead on mechanical cultivation techniques that increase efficiency by combining tasks such as mowing and in-row cultivating.

Temperance Hill’s rugged terrain and exposure to the fierce evening winds of the Van Duzer Corridor create a challenging yet ideal environment for later-ripening Pinot Noir. The rocky clay soils produce small, thick-skinned clusters that result in wines of exceptional concentration and structure. Walter Scott sources one acre from the North Block, a 1990 planting that rolls east over the saddle of the hills at 750 feet. This parcel, perched at the vineyard’s crown, consistently delivers Pinot Noir with tension, depth, and an unmistakable sense of place.