Annual Owner Celebration Includes Exclusive Tour at Elton Garden
Rarely open for visitors, Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills was the site of an exclusive garden party in July hosted by Elton-co-founder Betty O’Brien.
The special guests were shareholders of Willamette Valley Vineyards who were celebrating their annual gathering with events at the Estate in the Salem Hills and Domaine Willamette in the Dundee Hills.
Owners enjoyed brunch among the trees of Elton Vineyard.
The shareholders, who are known as Owners at the winery, started the afternoon with a splash of Domaine Willamette Brut and a Winery Ambassador-led tour through Betty’s stunning garden filled with statues, colorful flowers and art pieces.
About Elton Vineyard
As guests enjoyed different pours of Willamette wines throughout the tour, they learned about the history of Elton Vineyard.
Founded by Dick and Betty O’Brien in 1983, the couple planted the vineyard on land inherited from Betty’s parents, Elton and Peggy Ingram — hence the name Elton Vineyard and the address on Ingram Lane.
Betty O'Brien poses with her pet dog next to a statue of a dancing woman — the image on the label of our Elton wines.
Elton Vineyard grew over the years from five acres to more than 60 acres. When the O’Briens retired from actively farming the vines in 2007, they selected Jim Bernau as the caretaker of the vineyard to continue their legacy. Retirement allowed Dick and Betty O'Brien to complete the beautiful 1.5-acre garden on the property.
A Garden in Bloom
Wine enthusiasts don’t often get a chance to visit the Elton Vineyard and experience Betty’s garden in all of its summer-time glory. This annual Owners event is a memorable experience for not just visitors, but for Betty too.
“It’s wonderful to be able to share the garden with people who enjoy it,” Betty said.
The garden features statues of dragons, frogs, bears and more. There’s a koi fish pond, colorful arches and secret trails.
As Owners wandered through the winding garden, Betty shared that she herself walks through the garden every day with her mini goldendoodle, Peregrin, or Perry for short.
“Something new is blooming every time we walk through the garden,” she said.
Attendees explored the lush garden as a part of a scavenger hunt. Clues led Owners to specific statues, including the dancing woman who is featured on our Elton label wines.
After the tour, Owners enjoyed a communal lunch surrounded by the garden’s trees. The peaceful afternoon was a great way to celebrate Willamette’s Owners.
Owners Barbara and John Dekeyser enjoy some Brut before starting their tour through the garden.
“It has exceeded our expectations,” Owner John Dekeyser said. “It’s delightful,” his wife Barbara added.
There’s more history to be made on this special land. A trust commits the sale of Elton to Willamette Valley Vineyards on Betty’s passing (Dick passed away in 2016). Proceeds of the sale will go to Oregon State University and Chemeketa Community College, to help improve their viticulture programs and further cement Oregon as a world-class grape-growing region.
Jul 31, 2024 at 12:00 PM
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Willamette Valley Vineyards Wines Featured at Exclusive Events
Rubbing shoulders with influential wine reviewer James Suckling and pouring White Pinot Noir for wine enthusiasts in the Rocky Mountains are two memories Suzanne Shultz will take with her from the summer of 2024.
Suzanne, Willamette’s Industry Relations Manager, traveled with Terry Culton, our Director of Winemaking & Vineyards, and showcased two high-scoring wines at James Suckling’s Great Wines World 2024 in New York. James Suckling invited Willamette to the June event after awarding our 2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards Elton Pinot Noir a 92-point score.
Suzanne Shultz, James Suckling and Terry Culton at James Suckling’s Great Wines World 2024
“It was an honor to be included among these great winemakers from around the world and represent Oregon and the Willamette Valley,” Suzanne said.
Attendees enjoyed pours of the Elton Pinot Noir and our 94-point 2019 Vintage 46 Chardonnay. Suzanne said she received great feedback on the wine.
“We had a line out of our booth all night,” she said. “There were only four wineries there from Oregon and not much Pinot Noir.”
For Suzanne, the highlight of the event was meeting James Suckling and talking to him about sparkling winery Domaine Willamette and its recent Demeter Biodynamic Certification.
Aspen Food & Wine Classic
Suzanne and Field Execution Manager Paul Smith also traveled to Colorado in June for the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado. The event is known as a premier culinary event for wine and food enthusiasts.
The pair poured a selection of nationally-distributed wines including the 2022 vintages of our Bernau Block Pinot Noir, Estate Pinot Noir, White Pinot Noir and Dijon Clone Chardonnay as well as the 2023 Whole Cluster Rosé.
Suzanne Shultz and Paul Smith the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado
“People were obsessed with the White Pinot Noir,” Suzanne said. The wine recently won a Best in Class and Gold Medal from the Sunset International Wine Competition. Suzanne noted that attendees were intrigued by the less common variety and excited to try a wine that expresses both red and white wine characteristics.
Suzanne and other members of Willamette’s National Sales team pour wine at events throughout the year and around the country. We send out periodic emails about these events and add them to our events calendar. Be sure you’re subscribed to our emails if you’re interested in learning more.
Jul 29, 2024 at 11:30 AM
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