Bryan and Laura Laing dig deep into Oregon viticulture with second purchase of land for Hazelfern, illustrating optimism for the future of Willamette Valley winemaking
May 25, 2023, Newberg, OR . . . Hazelfern Cellars has made a bold move in keeping the Oregon pioneering spirit alive in the Willamette Valley by purchasing 51 acres in the Yamhill-Carlton District AVA, adding to their 5-acre estate and winery property in Chehalem Mountains AVA. Dubbed Hazelfern 2.0, the purchase of this site, in addition to the estate vineyard in Newberg plus acreage they lease in the Willamette Valley, brings Hazelfern’s acreage in the Willamette Valley to 72 and shows a great deal of optimism toward the future of high-quality winemaking in the region.
Hazelfern 2.0 will be developed over time and will likely be planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, and some experimental white grapes that winemakers Bryan and Laura Laing will create into the signature Hazelfern style of wines. At 475-625 feet in elevation with ancient marine sedimentary soils, the recent soil survey shows the site is comprised of moderately deep silty clay loam soils like Bellpine, Windygap, and Dupee. The soil researcher concluded, “The elevation range and slopes are ideal for vineyards. Additionally, this site is surrounded by vineyards recognized as being of some of the highest quality vineyards in the Willamette Valley.”
Hazelfern’s new property is neighbored by legends of the Willamette Valley, including Shea Vineyard as a direct neighbor to the south, Gran Moraine and Soléna to the west, and Penner Ash to the east.
The Laings are in their 10th year of business, from humble beginnings and with little funding for their venture. Said Laura, “we’re excited and grateful for the opportunity to take you on this journey with us as our family works to create something special here in the Willamette Valley. We’re really proud of how it all came together as it embodies the vision Bryan and I have had for more than a decade.”
Self-taught winemakers, the Laings held day jobs in their twenties while making wine in small batches in their NE Portland basement starting in 2006. First, they made 5 gallons of Pinot noir, the next year 10, then 20 gallons, and continued doubling every year while learning along the way. Then, in 2014, the untimely death of Bryan’s 27-year-old cousin was a reality check – life is short and you only get one shot, the couple says. Today, Hazelfern makes 4,000 cases annually of Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, estate Trousseau and estate Gamay. The barn that houses their winery and tasting room was originally built for horses, but the Laings moved in before horses took up residence.
Hazelfern is part of an inspiring movement of young first-generation Oregon winegrowers who share in the pioneering spirit of developing vineyard land for their homegrown wineries, with Hazelfern in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, CHO Wines and Vineyards in the Chehalem Mountains, and Corollary Wines in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Dave and Lois Cho are Oregon’s first Korean-American winemakers, and Corollary is Oregon’s first privately-owned property designed from the ground up for sparkling wines. By holding their shared values including sustainably farmed fruit and low input winemaking in an inclusive wine experience for visitors and staff, these first-generation winemakers are blazing new trails that embody the spirit created by the original Willamette Valley pioneers decades ago.
More about Hazelfern Cellars
Hazelfern Cellars produces dynamic wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and the young brand is inspiring the next generation of wine drinkers. Winemakers and co-founders Laura and Bryan Laing have literally built Hazelfern from the ground up with blood, sweat, and tears. In 2023, Hazelfern will be available outside of the tasting room for the first time with planned distribution coming in eight states outside of Oregon — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Ohio, and Montana.
More about Puncheon PR
Puncheon is the go-to for writers seeking smaller wineries who have a similar vibe and powerful stories to tell. Often the small artisan producer stories are committed to conservation, minimal intervention practices and celebrate social causes that foster inclusion as endemically best practices in Oregon winemaking.
