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The Pfeiffer family moved to Oregon in 1947, purchasing the 80 acres that currently serves as Pfeiffer Vineyards. Initially, the property functioned as a sheep farm and the Pfeiffer's children (Robin, Conrad, Eric, and Karen) assisted their parents with raising and marketing lamb, sheep, and wool. After struggling for 30 years, the grown children decided it was time to change industries, sold the sheep, and planted grapevines. "The only thing we knew about wine grapes was that we liked wine and dried grapes were called raisins," noted Robin Pfeiffer. However, they learned after careful analysis that their site was ideal for grapes.
New to the industry and with timber growing on the property, the Pfeiffer family chose to harvest what was needed to serve as the trellising posts for the vineyard. Each post was cut, peeled and pounded by hand. "The hand peeling process took an entire summer, before we could stack the posts to dry, and then be treated," recalls Robin.
The strategy for planting the vineyard was just as painstaking. As the vineyard was laid out, the family meticulously planned for strait rows — one after another. The first line was drawn with a tractor. Each row after was based on the proceeding row with the tractor digging each line. What the family envisioned and what they ended up with was quite different; however, in hindsight, they wouldn't change it for anything. Currently, the vineyard rows have a gentle "S" shape to them.
The planting of the vines was to be equally spaced. Each person took a piece of string and tied a knot part way down serving as the spacing distance between each planted vine. "Well, each person tied a somewhat different length and therefore, our plants don't line up perfectly." No worries, the wines produced from this vineyard are spectacular. It's as if the grapes preferred this situation. Total number of vines at Pfeiffer Vineyards equals 38,500.
The entire operation is a family affair. "Everyone helps out. Mom and Dad lived on the property until they passed a few years ago. Mom acted as the nurse in the beginning. Dad made the signs for all the rows. Everyone else just pitched in wherever needed," notes Robin. "I'd describe it as organized chaos." A testament to the family environment, the Pfeiffer family has 60%-70% of their seasonal workers return every year, many of who have been with the family for more than seven years.
The key pillars of the Pfeiffer family are "respect and integrity," notes Danuta, Robin's wife. "They are a gregarious, charitable, warm, genuine, sincere, social, and generous family." The Pfeiffer children, and their entire families, are what make Pfeiffer Vineyards the success it is today. It's their passion and hard work that produce grapes that consistently represent and forecast the future of the Oregon wine industry.
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PFEIFFER PINOT NOIR STORY
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