Four Graces

About The Four GracesThe Black family purchased an existing vineyard in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley in 2003 as a family retreat. They immediately began turning the estate into a sustainably farmed, well-tended vineyard with the goal of producing rich, elegant, delicious and complex wines. That same year The Four Graces was founded. The winery is named in honor of the Black's four daughters. In 2005 the Blacks purchased the Doe Ridge property in Yamhill Carlton to continue the growth of the brand. They chose a site in a differing appellation to add complexity and variety. This vineyard has been turned into one of the largest experiments of its kind with forty acres farmed sustainably through the L.I.V.E (low impact viticulture and enology) program. Today The Four Graces is owned by Bill Foley and produces Pinot noir, Pinot gris, and Pinot blanc renowned nationally and internationally for their balance, elegance, complexity, and richness. The wines are crafted under the guidance of Marc Myer's who has been in the industry since 2008 and believes both the Dundee and Yamhill-Carlton estates are stunning at first glance and he can't wait to work with the fruit that comes off of these properties. More recently the historical farmhouse on the now named Foley Family Estate was carefully renovated and opened as a quaint tasting room that welcomes visitors to the famed Willamette Valley. Guests are encouraged to stroll through the demonstration vineyard and to bring a picnic to enjoy with memorable wines served in this thriving wine country destination. Biodynamic and Sustainable FarmingThe Four Graces has undertaken a groundbreaking experiment: a direct comparison of two similar but distinct farming practices that resulted in the creation of two remarkable wines in the process. We've long been fascinated and inspired by the principles of sustainable growing – so we devised a way to test their results. In 2005 we chose two 20-acre sections in our Doe Ridge Estate, side by side and with nearly identical characteristics of soil, light, altitude and other environmental aspects. Then we farm them, starting with identical stocks, using two different sets of practices: The North Blocks are farmed following sustainable practices, and the South Blocks are farmed following biodynamic practices. In 2008 we selected four barrels sourced from each section, and aged them in French Oak for 18 months. The results of our grand experiment were finally available, although only 900 bottles of each wine were produced.

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