Eugene vineyard king of wineries

  Like a medieval fortress set among the sloping hills of Burgundy, King Estate Vineyard is an impressive site to behold. The massive structure hints at its self-sufficiency, as well as its leadership role within the Oregon wine industry.

Spread across the 1,022 acre site is a bakery, a deli specializing in cold cuts and patés, and an event center in addition to the 110,000 square foot winery.

The land has 465 acres of pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay vines, 30 acres of vegetable gardens and an orchard with eight varieties of apples. These crops are harvested to be used on-site for the production of wine and the fine cuisine served in the restaurant. "We manage the property as an intricate economic system," said Sasha Kadey, marketing manager.

The development of King Estate in 1991 was a collaborative effort on the part of the King family members. That vision has been maintained by the current CEO, Ed King III.

Many Oregon wineries at some point in time sourced their grapes from King Estate. Their extensive efforts at quality control and focus on technical advances has benefited the state's wine industry. King Estate is now the largest producer of pinot gris in the country. The winery produces more than 125,000 cases of wine a year, the majority of which is pinot gris. Their wines are distributed to all 50 states and to 10 different countries.

"Our mission is to produce wines of consistently exceptional quality through meticulous fruit selection, impeccable winemaking practice and judicious blending," Kadey said. "We incorporate each block from the vineyard in our selection process, block by block and blend by blend."

The Restaurant and Wine Bar at King Estate is open seven days a week and offers wine tasting, full lunch and dinner service, and tours of their production facility.

The restaurant features estate-grown, organic produce with a menu that rotates seasonally. A monthly fixed-price dinner is so popular that reservations are strongly recommended. A conference center is available for private events and features a grand fireplace and sweeping views of the estate.

Future plans include cooking classes in the hospitality center along with weddings that can be filmed and broadcast in real-time for family members that cannot attend in person.

Complementing their partnership with nature, King Estate has formed an alliance with the Lane County Cascade Raptor Center so that injured or orphaned birds of prey can be released back into the natural habitat of the vineyard. They also have 10 beehives to encourage pollination of vines, transforming the combs into organic honey, which is sold in the gift shop.

Although the size of the estate alone is impressive, there is something even grander than the shear scale of the facilities. King Estate has had a marked impact on the entire wine industry in the state.

Starting with its support of the small grower by purchasing grapes, they have contributed to an awareness of Oregon wines nationally. Its scientific work also has influenced how Oregon wineries select and grow fruit.

From their palatial estate to their far-flung influence, King Estate is truly the king of Oregon wineries.