Benton-Lane Winery
Steve and Carol purchased the 1,860-acre property in 1988 and planting of Pinot Noir commenced the next year. Steve and Carol’s first Benton-Lane wine was produced in 1991, which their friends and family helped consume. Benton-Lane’s first vintage was 1992 which was custom produced at another local winery. This custom production process continued until 1997 when Benton-Lane Winery’s construction was completed. Designed by award-winning architect Rob Thallon, Benton-Lane Winery offered an exceptional, functional winemaking environment while fitting harmoniously into the agricultural character of the surrounding area.
Over the years, the vineyard has grown to 142 acres of Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay. The wines are now distributed in all fifty states and several international markets including Canada, Puerto Rico, China, and Japan. These wines are made from 100% estate-grown grapes. Why is this important? Because Benton-Lane does expensive, labor-intensive practices in the vineyard that folks selling grapes won’t do. These practices are the edge that makes Benton-Lane wines exceptional. These practices are why, since 2005, Benton-Lane has received more Top 100 Wines of the Year for still wines than any other Oregon winery.
