Site Offers Some of the Most-Coveted Fruit from Highest Elevations in the AVA
Carlton, OR, January 3, 2022 – Résonance, Maison Louis Jadot’s first venture outside of Burgundy since its 1859 inception, has acquired the entirety of Koosah Vineyard and Farm– 82.5 acres of land (44 under vine) in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA – from longtime Oregon wine pioneers Kevin and Carla Chambers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The purchase completes Résonance’s desired trifecta of vineyard holdings in what they deem to be the three most compelling areas of Willamette Valley.
“When we first arrived in Willamette Valley, we knew it was perfect for growing our favorite grapes – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,” says Thibault Gagey, Director of Operations for Résonance. “There are many good places in the Valley to make wine, and to us, there are three very special places: Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, and Eola-Amity Hills. So after we purchased land in the first two, it was a natural progression to find something here in Eola-Amity Hills. Our strategy is to continue with Pinot Noir while also growing our Chardonnay production at a high quality level and Koosah Farm is ideal for both.”
The aptly named Koosah Vineyard (pronounced KOO-saw and meaning “Heavenly Sky” in the native Chinook language) is a southeast-facing, steeply sloped, profoundly rocky hilltop site reaching the highest elevation in the AVA (700-1100 feet). The vineyard was developed in two stages by the Chambers family, with 28 acres planted in 2016 and an additional 16 acres in 2020. At present, the 44 total acres are split between Chardonnay (26 acres) and Pinot Noir (18 acres), with an additional 5 acres still available for further planting.
This purchase continues the long-standing collaboration between the Chambers and Gagey families, which began with the 2013 purchase of the Résonance Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton.
“It’s too big of a coincidence that we decided to sell at the same time that Résonance was looking for a special site to express the Eola-Amity terroir,” says Kevin Chambers. “What brought us together again, the cosmos?”
“We’ve kept a strong friendship with the Chambers family and trust their judgment, so we asked them to keep an eye out for a good location,” relays Gagey. “Initially, it wasn’t important whether the site was under vine or not; it merely had to be the right place – sense of place is so important to us. When they told us their site was for sale, it was an easy decision. I’d visited Koosah after the first planting and had the same great feeling that touched my soul when I first stood on Résonance Vineyard – never thinking we’d wind up owning this farm.
“We know that Carla and Kevin are people who have done things the right way, evident from the success of Résonance Vineyard, a success they are a part of,” continues Gagey. “We are very lucky to be in this situation, working again with friends that we know and trust. It is a great story.”
Leveraging four decades of knowledge and experience in Oregon wine country, Kevin, Carla, and their son Nate planned, carved, and planted the vineyard from scratch – using organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farming practices – and have maintained the vineyard themselves. With the farm’s first full crop harvested this past fall, and the site just starting to come into production, the Chambers family has accomplished what they set out to do.
“I’ve been part of developing hundreds of sites for others,” says Kevin, “But this is only the second for us. It’s kind of like a child, in that we birthed it, raised it, and now it’s ready to graduate. We are thrilled to watch its sustained development under the stewardship of Résonance.”
“It’s bittersweet, of course, to let go and move on,” adds Carla, “but also exciting to see what will come from this place moving forward – we’ll be able to drink the wines in the future and taste what we started. To us, this isn’t an ending, but a transition.”
METIS was the exclusive transaction advisor for this business agreement.
About Résonance
Purchased in 2013 and focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Résonance Winery sits in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, in a hidden part of Willamette Valley just west of the small agricultural town of Carlton. Vineyards are owned in the three most distinguished AVAs of the Willamette: Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, and Eola-Amity Hills. The seeds
for the project were planted when Maison Louis Jadot set out to establish its first winery outside of Burgundy. To learn more, visit https://resonancewines.com/, and follow and like Résonance on Facebook @Resonancewines and @Resonancewines on Instagram using hashtag: #ResonanceWine.
About Kobrand Corporation
Kobrand Corporation is the sales and marketing representative of Résonance. In addition, Kobrand is the exclusive agent for an outstanding selection of fine wines, spirits, and sakes from key regions around the world, including the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand. Founded in 1944, it remains one of the few family-owned wine and spirits companies in the United States. Kobrand’s portfolio of fine wine and spirits was meticulously selected according to a single, unerring principle: quality. This continued focus has made the Kobrand name synonymous with wines and spirits of the highest caliber for over 75 years. For more information visit http://www.Kobrandwineandspirits.com.
