Trail Blazers star guard CJ McCollum and his wife, Elise, are rooting in Carlton, Oregon. On Tuesday, the couple announced the purchase of 318 acres of largely undeveloped land for a planned vineyard in the U.S. wine-growing area of Yamhill-Carlton.
Details of the sale were not disclosed, but the property was sold by Steven and Marian Gormley-Pekkola, co-owners of Mineral Springs Ornamental Nursery in Carlton. The Pekkolas bought the land, which includes their nursery farm, a gravel quarry, and the 5-acre Oberg Reservoir, in 1981. The site runs along the northwest path of McBride Cemetery, near Résonance Vineyard. .
The McCollums plan to plant their new vineyard in late 2022. Although McCollum said he was a month away from sitting down with his partners and advisers to trace the details, he anticipated planting at least 100 acres of vineyards.
One thing is for sure: the McCollums will plant more than the best-known grapes in the Willamette Valley.
“We have big plans that definitely go beyond pinot noir,” CJ McCollum said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.
Thanks to Elise McCollum’s love for plants and flowers, the nursery operation started by the Pekkolas in 1993 will not go away.
“My wife is a big fan of daycare, which is a staple of the property. We want it to continue to thrive with some maintenance and incorporation work, ”McCollum said.
After being introduced to the world of wine at the age of twenty by his wife, McCollum has made the most of life and work in the Willamette Valley. In June 2020, McCollum launched the McCollum Heritage 91 wine brand in collaboration with Adelsheim Vineyard in Newberg. His first wine was a pinot noir from the Chehalem Mountains of the 2018 vintage.
The following year, McCollum Heritage 91 launched a rosé Willamette Valley 2020 and a 2019 chardonnay. The chardonnay was part of the One Barrel Challenge that raised money for the Maurice Lucas Foundation and future wine diversity programs. The 2019 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains 91 vintage from McCollum Heritage will go on sale later this month.
Having your own vineyard is the next logical step for the Portland wine couple. While the McCollums prepare the site, McCollum Heritage 91 wines will continue to be produced at Adelsheim Vineyard.
Will the McCollums build a winery next to their new vineyard?
“Provisionally, it is part of our initial plans. But the vineyards will always be the first. Buy something, close it. Then start inspecting the terrain and building your business by consulting a wide variety of experts. I’m looking forward to the challenge of making world-class wine in a world-class vineyard, ”McCollum said.
This commitment is important to the Oregon wine community.
“Oregon’s rise to the global wine scene reflects the industry’s reputation for distinctive sites, long-term commitments to exceptional quality and a legacy of business cooperation,” said Tom Danowski, Oregon’s executive director. Wine Board, in a press release. “All of these attributes are embedded in CJ and Elise McCollum’s decision to transfer ownership of this extraordinary Yamhill-Carlton farm from one family of butlers to the next.”
– Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian / OregonLive. You can contact him at [email protected]. To read more about their coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.