From Vineyard to Barrel

Each vintage begins long before grapes reach the winery. In the vineyard, we walk the rows daily, paying close attention to canopy growth, soil health, and the slow accumulation of flavor in each cluster. Timing is everything: when to drop fruit, when to open the canopy to light, when to finally pick. These choices define the balance of acid, sugar, and tannin that we carry forward. By the time the fruit comes in, the vineyard has already told most of the story — our job in the cellar is to honor it.

When fruit arrives at the winery, it’s handled with as much care as it was in the vineyard. Whole clusters, gentle pressing, or hand sorting — each decision shapes the texture and energy of the finished wine. Small details matter: the temperature of fermentation, the choice of yeast or native ferments, the pace at which we allow flavors to evolve. We see the winery as a place of guidance, not control. The goal is to let the vineyard continue to speak, even as fermentation transforms grapes into wine.

From there, the barrel becomes the vessel for patience. Oak isn’t a seasoning to cover flavor, but a partner in the process — providing slow oxygen exchange that softens edges and builds depth. We taste continuously, choosing when to rack, when to blend, and when to let the wine rest a little longer. Each barrel has its own personality, and blending them is like orchestrating voices into harmony.

From vineyard to barrel, each decision is rooted in respect — for the land, the fruit, and the people who tend it. Winemaking at Argyle is never about chasing trends or imposing style. It’s about letting Oregon’s vineyards express themselves fully, carrying their story with integrity from the very first shoot in spring to the quiet patience of wine resting in oak.