Episode 4.11 - Will Hamilton, Violin Wine

This episode features winemaker Will Hamilton, founder of Violin Wines located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. He's been working in the Oregon wine industry since the 2005 vintage when he moved to the West Coast from the DC area to explore the production side of wine. We chat about those early days and what it was like to work with such a wide variety of wineries and vineyards. Over the following years, he had the opportunity to vinify fruit from more than 25 vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills, and more than 100 total in the Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley, Southern Oregon, and Eastern Washington. His skillset led to roles in the service and technical sales side of the industry, but he was simultaneously able to carve out time to begin Violin in the 2013 vintage. We talk about the importance of decision-making in the vineyard as well as how he adjusts for the uniqueness of each growing season to best express the land he works with in the glass. He also provides great insight on the beauty of Oregon as a whole - you'll probably want to plan a trip after listening to this episode. Check out violinwine.com to order his incredible wines, and you can follow his adventures @musicinyourmouth on Instagram.

Recorded May 5, 2021