When our parents Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser planted their first vines in the Dundee Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) of the Willamette Valley 1971, they needed all of their youthful self-confidence, energy and determination to make their way because, at the time, there was no wine industry in Oregon. Today, with over 900 wineries and more than 37,000 acres of planted vineyards, Oregon has grown exponentially and its wines are available throughout the world. Sokol Blosser has survived, grown and prospered as a family-owned and run operation, and we are proud to have been part of developing and shaping Oregon’s now prominent wine industry.
We create wines of world class quality that are produced sustainably, mindful of the environment, that express the distinctive flavors of our hillside vineyards. Sokol Blosser wines reflect who we are – our values and our sense of place. We hope you enjoy them.
Alex Sokol Blosser
President & Second Generation Winegrower
1966
Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol graduate from Stanford in June and get married in August.
1970
In December, Bill and Susan have their first child, Nik, and purchase their first piece of land to start a vineyard. This site was originally a prune orchard and is now called the Old Vineyard.
1971
The Sokol Blossers clear the land and plant winegrape cuttings in a nursery row. They were transplanted to the Old Vineyard in 1972.
1974
In January, their second son, Alex, is born. (Pictured: L to R: Alex, Bill, Susan, Nik, Bill’s dad John)
1977
Construction is finished on Sokol Blosser Winery in time to process its first harvest.
1978
Sokol Blosser opens Oregon's first tasting room, designed by notable Oregon architect John W. Storrs.
Pictured, L-R: Alex, Susan, and Bill Sokol Blosser.
1979
Sokol Blosser wines win international recognition at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in London with six wines, including several golds. In December, the third child, Alison, is born.
1980
Vineyard acreage expands to 72 acres. Bill leaves his planning job to be the winery's full time president and Susan starts managing the vineyards.
1983
Sokol Blosser Vineyards honored by the U.S. Soil and Water Conservation District because of Susan's work with experimental cover crops to control erosion on hillside vineyards.
1991
Bill Blosser returns to planning and Susan becomes president of Sokol Blosser.
1996
Sokol Blosser is the first winery to be certified “Salmon-Safe”, a program launched by the Pacific Rivers Council to publicize products produced without using pesticides and causing runoff that would harm salmon.
1997
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Sokol Blosser inaugurates a new label design. The same year, the winery joins Low Input Viticulture and Enology (LIVE), a new international sustainable viticulture program run through Oregon State University.
1998
Alex Sokol Blosser comes back to work at Sokol Blosser and Russ Rosner joins as winemaker. Small lot bottlings of individual blocks of Pinot Noir introduced with the 1998 vintage. Evolution debuts.
2000
Thirty new acres of Pinot Noir planted, using Dijon clones 777, 667, 115, as well as the Pommard clone.
2002
Underground barrel cellar becomes the first winery building in the country to receive the prestigious U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Sokol Blosser begins its transition to organically farmed vineyards.
2004
Alison Sokol Blosser joins the family business.
2005
Dundee Hills becomes an official American Viticultural Area and Sokol Blosser releases the first wine in Oregon to be labeled with the new appellation: Sokol Blosser 2002 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. In September, Sokol Blosser receives full USDA organic certification for its 72-acre estate vineyard.
2006
Sokol Blosser celebrates its 30th harvest and Susan's first person history, "At Home in the Vineyard: Cultivating a Winery, an Industry, and a Life," is published by the University of California Press.
2007
A 25kW photovoltaic solar panel system, which furnishes 33% of the business's total energy needs, goes live. The family also makes its first land purchase in 30 years – 20 acres of neighboring Dundee Hills land which will be planted in 2008 and called Blackberry Block Pinot Noir.
2008
After over a year of slowly taking over daily operations from Susan, the transition from first to second generation continues with Alex and Alison becoming Co-Presidents on January 2, 2008.
2011
Sokol Blosser celebrates its 40th year in business. Evolution Red debuts.
2012
Construction begins on new Tasting Room, designed by Allied Works, on September 10, 2012.
2013
New Tasting Room opens on July 1, 2013.
2013
Alex Sokol Blosser becomes head winemaker.
2014
Alison Sokol Blosser is named CEO.
2015
Sokol Blosser Winery becomes B Corp Certified.
2018
The winery purchases an adjacent piece of land, which comes with an old barn. In October, five day-old kittens are discovered, ushering in the unplanned and highly adorable Sokol Blosser Kitten Ambassador Program.
This same year, 3.27 additional acres of adjacent land are purchased, to be planted to Chardonnay the following spring. The block is named “La Joya” (The Jewel) after the home town in Mexico of our vineyard foreman, Luis Hernandez, who has been with us since 1989.
2021
Sokol Blosser celebrates its 50th anniversary.
2021
Sokol Blosser purchases Kalita Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.
2023
Alex Sokol Blosser takes over as Winery President & Robin Howell becomes the first female Winemaker in company history.
Kalita Estate Vineyard
Kalita Estate Vineyard is located in the heart of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley. We are thrilled to continue the two-decade legacy of creating superb, world-class Pinot Noir from the beautiful Kalita Estate Vineyard.
Our passion for making world-class wines begins in our vineyards. Originally planted in 1971, our certified organic 89-acre Dundee Hills Estate in Oregon has inspired our family for three generations.
Our Vineyards
Located 28 miles southwest of Portland, the geology of the Dundee Hills AVA dates back 15 million years, when lava flowed from northeast Oregon and pushed into the Willamette Valley. This monumental event created the red volcanic Jory soil for which the Dundee Hills AVA is famous.
Our Vineyards
As our wine program has grown and evolved, so too has our acreage. In total we farm 128 acres in Oregon including our Dundee Hills Estate, Blossom Ridge in the Eola-Amity Hills, and Kalita Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. In sticking to our “Good to the Earth” motto our goal is
to pave the way for future generations to continue our tradition of wine growing excellence.
Dedication, Quality and Concern for People, Planet and Profit
From the start, the Sokol Blossers were aware of the impact that farming and wine production would have on the environment. Before it was popular, our winery did everything we could to give back to the land.
Today, the second generation winegrowers of Sokol Blosser continue this 'good to the earth' policy through certified-organic farming, sustainable business practices and low impact packaging. In fact, in 2002 Sokol Blosser became the first US winery to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification. In April 2015, Sokol Blosser Winery went through the rigorous process to become a Certified B Corporation.
Our efforts to improve our sustainability efforts include annual reporting to hold ourselves accountable to our guests, our partners, and each other. Click below to read our 2023 Annual Impact Report.
Sokol Blosser has always strived to be a leader in sustainable practices and is proud to be a Certified B Corporation. For many years, we have evaluated our business success through a holistic approach to managing our bottom line: the triple bottom line - people, planet and profit.
Achieving B Corp certification further establishes our commitment through measurable high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. To achieve this certification, we underwent a rigorous evaluation to measure the social and environmental impact of our business. As a Certified B Corporation we are proud to join a global community of over 3,000 companies from over 150 industries in 42 countries.
Our devotion to world class quality is paralleled by a desire to achieve it sustainably
We pursue sustainable practices in all phases of our business, as our B Corp Certification supports. This commitment to the earth, people and business will continue as long as the winery is in operation.
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