DUNDEE, Ore. – June 14, 2023 – Oregon’s Argyle Winery is excited to announce the release of its new 2021 vintage Ojo Brilloso collection, which features a trio of limited-production, single-vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Spirit Hill, Lone Star and Knudsen vineyards. Approached as a collaboration between Argyle’s vineyard supervisors and winemaker Nate Klostermann, the Ojo Brilloso program was established to honor the experience, wisdom and skill of Argyle’s vineyard team. Each supervisor selected a small, prized block of Pinot Noir in their vineyard that they personally stewarded throughout the exceptional 2021 growing season to create a wine that embodies their connection to the site and the influence they have in shaping Argyle’s wines. Available at argylewinery.com in an attractive three-bottle set for $150, charitable contributions from the sale of the Ojo Brilloso Collection support three important non-profits in the wine community: ¡Salud! A project of OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center, the Asociación Hispana de la Industria del Vino en Oregon y Comunidad (AHIVOY) and The Roots Fund.
In 2017, when Director of Operations Geoff Hall joined Argyle, he would often hear members of the vineyard team use the expression, ‘ojo brilloso’ (ō-hō bree-ō´-sō) to describe a unique or specifically tailored pruning or vine architecture technique. Loosely translated to ‘nice observation,’ Hall realized that these insights reflected his team’s intimate knowledge of the vineyards and were key building blocks of Argyle’s success. Inspired by this realization, Argyle created Ojo Brilloso to empower its vineyard workers and acknowledge their profound impact on Argyle’s wines. Today, Argyle Vineyard Manager Erica Miller continues this tradition.
“I am very proud of Ojo Brilloso,” says Vineyard Supervisor Francisco Ponce, who has worked for Argyle for 19 years, and guides the farming of the winery’s high-elevation Spirit Hill Vineyard. “These wines honor our contributions and are a reminder that those of us who work in the vineyards are the foundation of Argyle—the pillars. For me, the wines also show how much love and respect we have for the vines, and the wines that come from them. They are the fruit of our humble work.”
To underscore the winery’s commitment to healthcare and education for Oregon farm workers, and the importance of diversity in the wine industry, Argyle has an ongoing partnership with three leading non-profits, providing a significant annual commitment in terms of time, resources and charitable contributions to each organization. This includes ¡Salud! A project of OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center’s mission to provide healthcare to Oregon vineyard workers, AHIVOY’s mission to provide education and professional development to Latinx and Hispanic vineyard workers in the Willamette Valley, and The Roots Fund’s commitment to investing in communities of color to provide opportunities in the wine industry through scholarships, wine education and job placement. As part of the Ojo Brilloso program, four of Argyle’s vineyard team members, including Vineyard Supervisor Hector Cabrera, who collaborated to make the Ojo Brilloso Pinot Noir from Lone Star Vineyard, have successfully completed AHIVOY’s Wine Industry Professional Training Program. This program is designed to further technical knowledge and skills in the vineyard and create a greater awareness of how vineyard operations connect to the finished wine.
“As a winery that has embraced a Grower First philosophy since our debut 1987 vintage, I love the fact that Ojo Brilloso celebrates our team and their contributions,” said Winemaker Nate Klostermann. “Too often, vineyard workers in our industry go unacknowledged. With Ojo Brilloso, we are working to change that.”
The three-bottle Ojo Brilloso collection features original label artwork created by Eduardo Soto, who was one of Argyle’s 2021 Art of Sparkling scholarship recipients. Influenced by the artwork of the Mexican muralist movement, Soto’s three labels are part of a larger work portraying Argyle’s estate vineyards in winter, spring and during harvest. 800 Ojo Brilloso sets were produced in the 2021 vintage, and the wines are sold in an elegant, collectible three-bottle box, with cut-out picture windows displaying the labels. To order the collection, please visit www.ArgyleWinery.com.
About Argyle Winery
As Oregon’s original sparkling house, founded in 1987, Argyle quickly stood out as a study in contrasts — honoring the deep traditions of wine and embracing innovation; proud to be Oregonian and pulling knowledge from winemakers around the world; cultivating camaraderie and offering mentorship to newer winemakers. When common knowledge said a winery could produce either great still wines or great sparkling, Argyle said, “Why not both?” And answered that question with acclaimed Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and Sparkling wines. Today, Argyle remains the essential Oregon winery by continuing to embrace the contradictions that make us strong. We are deeply established in the Willamette Valley, yet young at heart, led by stand-out Winemaker Nate Klostermann, and innovative Director of Operations Geoff Hall, who work together to explore and expand the possibilities of modern winemaking. Their mission is to continue to embrace our spirit of relentless, delightful curiosity and the shared belief that this valley’s best wines have yet to be made.
