NEWBERG, Ore. — About 40 acres and 25,000 vines make up Arlyn Vineyard in Newberg.
“When folks ask about coming to visit, I want to make sure they know it's a rustic experience,” owner Janis Pate said.
Pate is the first female in Oregon to purchase land, plant a vineyard and develop a wine label with no spouse or partner. “I'm realizing that it was no small undertaking. It's probably a good thing that I didn't know that along the way because it was a lot,” she said.
Now enjoying the payoff, or at least trying to, Pate and her two employees were really pressed last year, “pandemically” speaking. Then wildfire smoke damaged the grapes.
“Normally we produce about 60 tons of fruit, we crop very light for quality. Last year was a light crop year, so we're expecting just over 50 tons and 23 of those tons were lost to smoke taint,” she said.
Pate acknowledges she’s one of the fortunate few whose vintage wasn’t affected. This year, Arlyn Vineyard will have Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay — but Pate added something else to the guest experience: a rare breed of sheep.
“I like that they can go out into the vineyard and nibble down the cover crop rather than mowing,” Pate said.
There are already pigs, ducks, chicken and other livestock to give the vineyard a farm vibe.
Now, Pate said, is the "first time the USDA allowed purebred embryos for this breed into the US, and so I happen to be one of the few that that acquired a few of those embryos.”
Pate is talking about three new Valais Blacknose lambs in a pen with their three surrogates. The lambs are native to Switzerland and give another unique draw to the vineyard, but Pate emphasizes the environmental benefit and conservation of the species.
“I've chosen to focus on heritage breeds that are in some cases there on the conservancy lists, so that we can help keep those breeds … they happen to all be adorable. So that's good,” she smiled.
Of course, Pate hopes the wooly additions help grow her business, but the new animals are symbols of a new beginning and also something for guests to enjoy.
“I want them to just feel like it's their farm for the time while they're here,” Pate said. “Along with, of course, beautiful wine.”
RELATED: 'Change for the better': Oregon Short Film Festival gives normalcy to independent filmmakers