Chemeketa student is developing a not-for-profit winery

Paul Newman's product line serves as inspiration

Mark Proden was born on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin, but his new life is taking root at Chemeketa's Northwest Viticulture Center in West Salem.

 After 11 years in the United States Air Force, this second term wine-making student is developing Bodhichitta Winery, which gives its profits to charity.

"My goal is to become the first not-for-profit winery in the world," Proden said. "I'm modeling it after Paul Newman's successful 'Newman's Own' product line. If he could do it with salad dressings, I figure I can do it with wine.

"I'm trying to ensure the highest possible quality by making wine in small fermentation lots by hand, using all-natural ingredients. I'm setting the bar high in hopes that I meet and exceed the expectations I set for myself."

Used to dreaming big, Proden was in the fifth grade when he knew he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and become a pilot. Toward that end, at 17 he enrolled in the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and at 21, graduated with a B.S. in Astronautical Engineering.

Proden took the first part of his pilot's training in Oklahoma and the second half in Texas and later earned a master's degree in Environmental Studies and International Relations.

When a bike-racing accident left him with migraine headaches that prevented him from flying, he used his engineer degree to complete his service obligation to the Air Force. His curiosity about wine, however, started with an interest in gourmet cooking.

"My mother was always worrying about whether or not I was eating right so she sent me recipes so I could feed myself," Proden said. "I got interested in cooking and subscribed to Bon Appetit magazine. A girl I dated also liked to cook so we made these amazingly delicious meals and either paired them with wine the magazine recommended or tried pairings of our own.

"Then, when I was stationed in Los Angeles, we took weekend trips to the Napa and Sonoma County wine country and that fueled my interest even further. It wasn't long before I was making wine at home, dreaming of my own winery and vineyard and thinking about enrolling in viticulture school."

He looked at two schools — one in Walla Walla, Wash., and the Northwest Viticulture Center in Salem. Since he had "already fallen in love with Oregon," he picked Salem.

"I just finished the wine production course this term and while I worked a harvest internship with a winery in Dundee, I did a small crush of my own," he said. "I'm enjoying both the enology and marketing classes and look forward to diving deeper into the winter semester viticulture classes starting in January."

Proden's production, ranging from two to 115 cases per wine, is made from rhubarb, apple, orange blossom honey, blackberries, marion berries and blueberries. His grape varietals include chenin blanc, pinot gris and cabernet sauvignon. Bottles of wine sell for $25 to $60 each.

Proceeds benefit several charities including Central Asian Institute, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, Autism Society of America, The Humane Society, The Nature Conservancy and Oregon Trout.

Proden credits his penchant for helping others to his mother's giving spirit and the Air Force's belief in "Service Before Self." His operation relies entirely on a volunteer team and his friends in Salem were instrumental in helping him make and bottle his first batch of wine.

"I don't know much about wine, but we help him wash bottles and pick and crush grapes," said John Koskela, a retiree from the Oregon Department of the Supreme Court. "He is a pleasure to work with because he is level headed, fun and he's done a lot of stuff. He's just waiting now for the final approval of his label and he'll be ready to go."

Proden's new venture will be quite different from his military work, but he thinks he can do it.

"Bodhichitta is a Sanskrit word that means noble or awakened heart, present in all beings," Proden said. "While I'm finishing school and looking for a job, I'm putting my money into making Bodhichitta a reality. By this time next year, I hope to begin work on planting the vineyard."