Kalita is First New Vineyard Acquisition in Sokol Blosser’s 50-Year History
Aug. 18, 2021 – Dayton, OR – Sokol Blosser Winery, celebrating 50 years in 2021, is purchasing its first new vineyard: the Kalita Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley. This is the first vineyard purchase in Sokol Blosser’s history. Previous expansion has come from purchasing land contiguous to Sokol Blosser’s Dundee Hills estate (which they cleared and planted).
Kalita Vineyard spans 65 acres in Yamhill-Carlton, with 22 acres planted to Pinot Noir. Sokol Blosser Winery purchased it from Sherry and Arthur Kalita who planted the revered vineyard in 2000. Since then, wines made with Kalita Vineyard fruit have earned dozens of 90+ reviews from top wine pubications. The vineyard is famous for its bowl shape, with South-, Southeast- and Southwest-facing hillsides at elevations ranging from 400-800 feet.
“We have been looking for a long time to expand our vineyard holdings in Oregon,” said Sokol Blosser CEO Alison Sokol Blosser. “This was the first property that we really fell in love with. We were looking for a vineyard that has been farmed in a thoughtful, sustainable way from the start and was the right size for us. We are thinking ahead and want to create a strong foundation for the next generation of Sokol Blossers.”
Sokol Blosser will apply for organic certification for Kalita Vineyard and anticipates receiving it by the 2023 harvest. Winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser will make a number of Pinot Noirs from Kalita Vineyard, including single-block wines and also is excited about making wines with Dundee Hills and Yamhill-Carlton fruit that will express the terroirs of both sites. Sokol Blosser will keep the name of the vineyard, honoring its original owners who have farmed it with great attention to sustainability and quality for the last 21 years.
“We are sad to say goodbye to a beautiful vineyard that has given us so much pleasure since we first planted vines 21 years ago,” said Kalita Vineyard founder Arthur Kalita. “We have endeavored to be good stewards of the land. Our vineyard manager, Results Partners, has been with us from the beginning and has employed LIVE-certified sustainable farming practices. We are pleased to turn over the vineyard to the Sokol Blossers, a family with 50 years of experience in the Oregon wine business and unparalleled commitment to sustainability in all phases of the farming and winemaking process.”
The Kalita Vineyard purchase is another exciting milestone for Sokol Blosser during their 50th year. Sokol Blosser went into their anniversary year having launched the first and only nationally distributed boxed wines from Oregon under their Evolution label. Sokol Blosser hosted a “1971 Flash Sale” in January, selling hundreds of cases of their 2018 Redland Cuvée for a 1971 price. The Sokol Blosser family also hosted multiple Zoom tastings, telling their story and sharing their wines with old and new friends in the trade and media.
“Purchasing the Kalita Vineyard is the cherry on top of our 50th year,” said Sokol Blosser winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser. “I am really excited about the wines that we’ll be making from the site. It will add a whole new dimension to our winemaking abilities.” METIS, the premier M&A advisory firm in the Pacific Northwest focused on the wine industry, was the sole transaction advisor.
About Sokol Blosser Winery As one of the Willamette Valley’s pioneering wineries, Sokol Blosser has played a key role in developing and shaping the now-prominent Oregon wine industry. The winery remains family owned and operated, with the second generation now at the helm: siblings Alison and Alex Sokol Blosser. Achieving B Corp certification in 2015, the winery creates wines of world-class quality, produced in a sustainable manner, reflecting the distinctive flavors of the grapes, soil and climate. The winery produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, sparkling wines, Riesling and small quantities of single block Pinot Noir under its Sokol Blosser brand, and a white wine, red blend, Pinot Noir, sparkling wine, Riesling, and Chardonnay and Oregon’s first nationally distributed box wines under the Evolution label. Visit https://www.sokolblosser.com/ and follow @sokolblosser and @evolutionwines on Instagram and Facebook.
