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Our Wines
We believe that the care we take with the land will be reflected in the wines we make. We are able to make our wine with minimal handling because of our focus on sustainable farming, as well as the beneficial influence of the nightly cooling marine breezes that flow in from the ocean known as the “Van Duzer Winds”. These nightly winds cause the berries to be smaller with thicker skins, offering a higher concentration of flavors, brighter acidity, and tannins that are apparent and structuring, but never a concern. Our wines have a darker fruit profile, good tannins and bright acidity – providing complexity on the pallet and longevity in the cellar.
The wines are made under the guidance of vineyard manager Mark Björnson and winemakers Pattie Björnson and Scott Sabbadini. For technical information on any of these wines, please see our tech sheets on the trade page. To purchase these wines, visit our tasting room or our online store.
Winemakers Pattie & Mark Björnson
Mark and Pattie Björnson are the grower-winemaker team, and founders of Björnson Vineyard. Their journey began in 1985 at the University of Minnesota when they dreamed of someday living in the country, raising a large family and farming. They married, raised four children, and worked in the Twin Cities until Mark’s job took them to Oregon in 2005. Within months, their long-term vision began to take shape when they purchased a scenic 107-acre parcel in the Eola-Amity Hills – complete with forests, creeks and a 20-foot waterfall.
Immediately they set to work, planting the 28-acre vineyard from 2006-2012, and naming the four main vineyard blocks after their children. During this time, they also studied viticulture and enology at Chemeketa Community College’s Wine Studies Center, and made many friends in the wine industry through their involvement with the Willamette Valley Wine Growers Group and Eola-Amity Hills AVA.
From 2011-2013, Pattie worked as an intern for Ben Casteel at nearby Bethel Heights Winery, and starting in the spring of 2013, she managed the construction of Björnson Vineyard winery. The wine production area was completed days before the 2014 grapes were harvested, and she quickly shifted gears from General Contractor to Winemaker – scrambling to outfit the winery with necessary winemaking tools and equipment. Now Pattie’s primary focus is on Winemaking and Business Management.
Mark’s focus is primarily on managing the vineyard and grape sales, but he also sits in on wine blending trials, and is an expert repair technician all aspects of the vineyard and winery. To support the development of Björnson Vineyard, Mark maintains a full-time day-job, but he hopes to become a full-time farmer soon.
In 2017, they completed the Björnson Vineyard Tasting Room, and expanded their team to support their wine growing endeavors: Gerry Rasch, Director of Sales and Paul Futrell, Vineyard Manager. In 2019, Scott Sabbadini was brought on as head winemaker with a resume that includes Domaine Roy Et Fils in Oregon and the heavily decorated Maryhill Winery in Washington. Today, the team is rounded out with Aaron Shevchenko as Tasting Room Manager, Nancy Morrow as General & Wine Club Manager, and Mark Thackaberry who took over the Vineyard Manager role after Paul retired at the end of 2022.
Pattie and Mark are grateful to their family, and the Oregon Winemaking Community for their ongoing support.
Accolades for Björnson Wines
HereisOregon.com
Björnson Vineyard makes history in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills
James Suckling
REDS
2019 Isabel Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 95 Points
2018 Isabel Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 94 Points
2019 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 94 Points
2018 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 94 Points
2017 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2019 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2018 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2017 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2018 Magnus Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2019 #21003 Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2019 Art Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2019 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2017 Havlin Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2016 Havlin Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 90 Points
2016 Estate Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 90 Points
WHITES
2020 Reserve Chardonnay | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2019 Reserve Chardonnay | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2017 Reserve Chardonnay | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2020 Viola Auxerrois | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2019 Faeti Vinir Pinot Blanc | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
Wine Spectator
2019 Isabel Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2019 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2019 Art Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2019 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2019 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 90 Points
2018 Estate Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2015 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 93 Points
2015 Estate Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2015 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2014 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2014 Björnson Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
2013 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 92 Points
2012 Björnson Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – 91 Points
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
2021 Reserve Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Best of Class
2021 Edward Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Double Gold
2021 #21003 Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Gold
2021 Art Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Gold
TEXSOM International Wine Award
2018 Estate Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Gold Medal
2018 Isabel Pinot Noir | Eola-Amity Hills | Willamette Valley – Gold Medal
LIVE “Hero of Salmon” Award
In May 2016 Björnson Vineyard was thrilled to receive the Salmon-Safe “Hero of Salmon” Award celebrating habitat enhancement and commitment to ecologically sustainable viticulture at the LIVE annual meeting.
Our Mission: Care for the Land, Make Exceptional Wine, Enjoy the Journey! We were honored to be recognized for our passion!
Star Tribune
Couple’s Bjornson Vineyard started with banter at U’s Carlson School
Oregon Wine Press
Wine Enthusiast
2015 Björnson Auxerrois: 90 Points
Statesman Journal
“Björnsons Realizing Dream of Winery in Eola-Amity Hills”
“Three honored by NW Wine Studies Center”