Following the Roots of Oregon Wine

Terroir is a French term widely used in wine circles to mean “the taste of the place.” The terroir of Oregon wine combines environmental and human elements to produce distinguishing flavors and reveals the histories of grape growers and winemakers in the state. A new archive at Linfield College, the Oregon Wine History Archive (OWHA), collects that history and makes it available to researchers and the public. Library professionals Rachael Cristine Woody and Rich Schmidt tell the story of OWHA’s origins and mission, which is to document all aspects of the wine industry by collecting and preserving historical materials such as photographs, diaries, planting and tasting notes, wine recipes, legislative records, and even bottles of wine. Over a dozen wineries, vineyards, individuals, and organizations have contributed to the collection —many of the area’s winemakers are committed to ongoing contributions to document Oregon wine’s past, present, and future terroir