Witness Tree Winery in Oregon's North Willamette Valley

Witness Tree Vineyard

7111 Spring Valley Road NW (Map)
Salem, OR 97304
Phone: 888-478-8766 or 503-585-7874

Home Page: www.witnesstreevineyard.com
Email: info@witnesstreevineyard.com

Winery Information

Winemaker/Vineyard Manager: Steven Westby
Cellar Master/National Sales Director: Mark Pape Proprietors: Dennis & Carolyn Devine
Vineyard Acreage: 51.5 acres
Average Annual Production:
6,000 cases per year
Products: 100% Estate Bottled Estate Pinot Noir, Vintage Select Pinot Noir, Benchmark Pinot Noir, Claim #51 Pinot Noir, Estate Dolcetto Vintage Select Chardonnay Estate Viognier & Estate Pinot blanc Sweet Signé (Dessert Wine)

Picnic Area

Tasting Room

Winery Tours
(By appointment)

Special Events

Witness Tree Vineyard Wine Club
The Witness Protection Program
(Futures Club)

VISA American Express

Master Card Discover

Tasting Room Hours: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

March - May: Saturday & Sunday
June - August: Tuesday - Sunday
September - December: Saturday & Sunday

Winter: January 15 - 17 & February 19 - 21

A special place to visit and enjoy Northwest wines

Like many wineries in Oregon's Willamette Valley, Witness Tree Vineyard is a small producer of premium-quality Pinot noir, Chardonnay and more recently, Viognier, Pinot blanc, Dolcetto and a late-harvest Chardonnay. Several things make this winery special.

First, their wines are 100% estate bottled; every grape that goes into a Witness Tree wine has been grown in one of of the winery's own vineyards showing that vineyard's properties. This provides Witness Tree with complete control over the quality of the fruit used in its wines... at least as much control as Mother Nature allows. Not many Oregon wineries have this ability.

Second, Witness Tree Vineyard's growing site is exceptional and lies within a distinctly beneficial microclimate. Located nine miles northwest of Salem, in the new Eola-Amity Hills District AVA, the vineyards benefits from a southeasterly exposure which allows the site to warm early in the day. A protective ridgeline to its west along with favorable climate elements facilitate earlier fruit ripening than found in many other local vineyards... a major factor in the quality of Witness Tree wines.

The third factor contributing to Witness Tree's distinction is its historic setting. The winery takes its name from an ancient oak tree used as a surveyor's landmark in 1854 during the Oregon Trail era. The tree was used to mark the northwest corner of the original Donation Land Claim #51. It is alive and well, overseeing its namesake from a nearby ridge.

Finally, the fourth element of Witness Tree's individuality is its winemaking and vineyard management. The force behind this element is winemaker and vineyard manager Steven Westby. For the past 12 years, Westby has developed an intimate knowledge of multiple micro climates within Witness Tree's estate vineyard; he has accumulated a thorough knowledge of distinct vineyard-block differences. Westby's experience, knowledge and talent have established an enduring path to awarding-winning Witness Tree wines.

Witness Tree Vineyard... a special place to visit and enjoy Northwest wines. Come, taste, and take home some special wines and vivid memories.

Witness Tree Vineyard Wine Club

As a Witness Tree Wine Club member, you will receive a shipment of 2–3 bottles of wine three times a year at your home or office. The wines will include new releases, winery only items or library releases. You are entitled to a 15% discount off all retail wines you receive and all wines you buy at Witness Tree Vineyard. You also receive invitations to special events, and, of course, you will never be charged a tasting fee.

Click here for details

Featured Witness Tree Wines

100% Estate Bottled
Every grape in every wine is grown on Witness Tree vineyards.

ESTATE SERIES

2006 Witness Tree "Estate" Viognier
Willamette Valley
$20.00 bottle / $216.00 case
[To Order]

The fruit for this bottling was also grown in a two-and-a-half-acre block of vines which was grafted into our vineyard in 2001. Wines made from Viognier have long been prized for their effusively floral nose and spicy, exotic fruit character. This wine offers a nose full of apricot and orange blossom aromas, and an explosion of flavors suggestive of peaches and spice fill the mouth. Serve it with spicy Thai or other Asian dishes.

2006 Witness Tree "Estate" Pinot Blanc
Willamette Valley
$15.00 bottle / $162.00 case
[To Order]

The Pinot Blanc variety is grown in very small quantities in the Willamette Valley. Here at Witness tree we now have two and a half acres in production (which includes an acre and a half that actually came on-line as of the 2005 harvest). This limited bottling offers delightful fruit flavors reminiscent of apple and pear, balanced beautifully by a crisp refreshing acidity. Serve it with lighter table fare, crab or other shellfish, or simply on its own.

2006 Dolcetto "Remari"
Willamette Valley
$20.00 bottle / $216.00 case
[To Order]

Named in honor of our owners' granddaughters—Remi and Mari—our Dolcetto comes from a 1.6 acre site that we like to refer to as an experiment gone right! Native to the Piedmont region in Northern Italy , the Dolcetto grape exhibits big grapey, sassy flavors! Its considerable “slurpy factor” makes it a wonderful cocktail wine, while its natural acidity gives it the power to pair exceptionally well with all kinds of cuisine. 93 Cases Produced

VINTAGE SELECTS

Vintage Select represents our highest achievement in winemaking -- our reserve wines. The fruit from specific vineyard sites is selected for these truly special wines, and only new French oak barrels are used. Low yields in the vineyard and minimal handling in the winery allow us to create wines of depth, elegance, concentration, and character; they are the ultimate expression of the earth from which they were born.

2006 Witness Tree "Vintage Select" Chardonnay
Willamette Valley
$25.00 bottle / $270.00 case
[To Order]
We only grow 1.9 acres of Chardonnay here at Witness Tree Vineyard. The bottling from this tiny site is truly a handcrafted, limited-production wine. Honey and spice fill the nose with just a hint of vanilla. The mouth is full and intense, brimming with tropical fruit flavors and almost a hint of butterscotch. The wine possesses great suppleness of texture, and good balancing acidity. The finish is exceptionally long. This is a powerful Chardonnay, yet it offers intensity without ever seeming overblown or out of balance. Only 255 cases were produced.
2005 Witness Tree "Vintage Select" Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
$40.00 bottle / $432.00 case
[To Order]

Here it is, our flagship wine, our piece de resistance, the 2005 “Vintage Select” Pinot Noir. We are very excited to be able to present to you this incredible wine. Intense aromas of cherry, blackberry, spice and vanilla surge from the glass. One sip reveals incredible richness--ripe fruit, rich and expansive--which fills the mouth yet the texture is smooth as silk. Balancing all, is a firm tannic structure suggesting a long life ahead. As wonderful as this wine is now, it will only be more glorious in the future. Only 620 cases were produced.

OTHER PINOT NOIR WINES

2005 Witness Tree "Claim No. 51" Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
$48.00 / bottle and $518.40 / case
[To Order]

“Claim No. 51” Pinot Noir comes from two vineyard site selections in our Upper Vineyard – a total of just over one acre that yields unique wines that unite to epitomize the red clay soil types from which they come. Graceful and spirited at the same time, this wine offers a fusion of aromas of red and black fruits with notes of vanilla and exotic spices. Totally hedonistic right now, this wine guarantees to be a show-stopper with some cellar time – as the tannins have the chance to soften into the wine. 72 Cases Produced

2005 Witness Tree "Benchmark" Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
$48.00 bottle / $518.40 case
[To Order]

“Benchmark” Pinot Noir comes from a 1.3 acre site in our Lower Vineyard that offers grace and finesse while displaying sheer power. Extremely dark in color, Benchmark Pinot Noir is overflowing with aromas of black fruits, vanilla and exotic spices. On the palate, decadent and sensually dense fruit flavors are accentuated by new French oak, tannin, and acidity. Produced only in stellar vintages, this is as cellar-worthy a wine as is produced in Oregon — truly a collector's Pinot Noir. 89 Cases Produced.

DESSERT WINE

2006 Witness Tree "Sweet Signé"
Willamette Valley
$25.00 bottle (375 ml) / $270.00 case
[To Order]

Named for our granddaughter, this incredible dessert wine was created by freezing the grapes and then pressing the frozen fruit. The resulting juice is thus super-concentrated, and is then cold-fermented over the winter months--yielding an elixir that can only be appreciated by tasting it! In the nose, you will find heady aromas of white peaches, apricots and hints of spice. On the palate, explosive tropical fruit flavors are carried in the unctuous mouth feel. Although decidedly sweet, the wine possesses a brilliant acidity which keeps it dancing on your palate. Previous releases of “Sweet Signe” have sold out very quickly so don’t delay. A grand total of 119 cases of half-bottles were produced in 2006.

To Purchase our Wines:

To purchase wines or check on current pricing:
Please call the winery at 503-585-7874 or
1-888-478-8766
You can also FAX your order to 503-362-9765

Twelve bottles per case. 10% discount on cases and mixed cases.

Ships to all states where local laws permit direct-to-consumer sales.

Last revised: 10/10/2007