Bosko’s hiring is the first of many moves at the vineyard to craft a singular hospitality program in the Willamette Valley
Dallas, OR (November 1, 2021) — Open Claim Vineyards is proud to announce the hiring of tenured Oregon wine industry leader Mark Bosko as General Manager. Mark joins the innovative and dedicated team at Open Claim Vineyards who are nearing completion on an elegant hospitality space perched atop their estate vineyard in the Willamette Valley’s forthcoming Mt. Pisgah AVA.
Creating a singular hospitality program in the Willamette Valley, Open Claim Vineyards’ owners Marnie and Brett Wall will collaborate with Bosko to provide Oregon wine travelers with an unparalleled wine and food experience.
The Walls have taken great care in the development of this ambitious program. The journey began with the careful planting of a long-stewarded property in Marnie’s family near Dallas, Oregon. They planted the vineyard to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 2012. As the vineyard matured, the Walls formed strong fruit contracts with legendary Oregon producers focused on quality. The Walls then found the ideal herald of their own estate wines in lauded Oregon winemaker Tony Rynders, whose contributions to the perception of Oregon as a beacon of U.S. wine quality cannot be overstated.
In keeping with the momentum building at Open Claim Vineyards, the Walls conducted a national search for the General Manager role, understanding the position as central in the execution of their experience-first vision for the brand. Ultimately, the ideal candidate arrived in Mark Bosko, just up the highway from the Dallas project, where he was serving as General Manager of Alexana Estate Vineyard and Winery in the Dundee Hills AVA.
A graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a dual focus in fashion merchandising and general business, Bosko accepted a harvest position with Oregon’s Lange Estate Winery shortly after receiving his degree. A stint as a production assistant with the winery post-harvest led Mark to identify his real passion: wine service and hospitality. Over the next ten years, he consistently earned positions of prominence on both Direct to Consumer (DTC) sales and fine dining teams in the Willamette Valley–as Tasting Room Manager at legendary Burgundian-born Oregon winery Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Wine Director for Dundee’s Farm to Fork Restaurant & Inn at Red Hills, and Direct Sales Manager with Colene Clemens Vineyards. Eventually, Bosko accepted the Direct to Consumer Sales Manager role with Alexana in 2012 where he would make his professional home for the next seven years and where he was named General Manager in 2019. Mark led the Alexana team to exponential sales growth, more than doubling annual revenue during his eight-year tenure and solidifying his place among the great Oregon wine sales and hospitality professionals. Mark’s broad and successful experiences in the local Oregon wine industry were a deciding factor in the Walls’ invitation to join Open Claim Vineyards, but he is equally enthused to join the team:
“I couldn’t be more excited to help lead the next chapter of Open Claim Vineyards with Marnie and Brett. When we first met I was immediately drawn to their attention to detail and deep commitment to sustainable business practices. We shared a number of values and an instant connection. Open Claim Vineyards is a hidden gem within the Willamette Valley and I look forward to making it a bucket list destination for wine collectors after a truly unique experience.”
Owner Marnie Wall shares Mark’s enthusiasm for the partnership. “We are thrilled to have Mark as the leader who will help us bring our vision for Open Claim to reality,” said Marnie. “We value his thoughtful approach and his enthusiasm for building a business that is customer-centered and personal. Mark’s experience in the Oregon wine industry and his commitment to community and to social and environmentally sustainable and responsible business practices all led us to the conclusion that he is a great fit for Open Claim.”
Together, the Walls and Bosko will embark on the formation of a hospitality and culinary team in advance of Open Claim Vineyards’ highly anticipated spring 2022 opening.
About Open Claim Vineyards
Situated in the shadow of Mt. Pisgah, in the last foothills of the Oregon coastal range, lies Open Claim Vineyards, a premier 55-acre site home to 21 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. While owners Marnie and Brett Wall previously focused on offering fruit for other Oregon producers highly focused on quality, the Walls engaged renowned winemaker Tony Rynders in 2015 to make their estate wines, a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay. Open Claim Vineyards has seen a rapid period of growth of their allocated estate program in recent years and are set to open a distinctly Oregon hospitality space in early 2022.
