Oral history interview with Dick Erath [Sound Recording 12]
- SR2880_T06S2
- Item
- 1999-03-12
Tape 6, Side 2. This oral history with Dick Erath was conducted by Clark Hansen from March 4-12, 1999, at the Erath Winery in Dundee, Oregon. The interview was conducted as part of the Oregon Wine Archives Oral History Project, which collected interviews with notable figures in the wine growing industry, including vintners, vineyard growers, community members, and workers active in the development of Oregon’s wine industry. Also included is a photograph of Dick Erath taken by Clark Hansen at the time of the interview. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the third and final interview session, conducted on March 12, 1999, Erath discusses some of the awards his Pinot noir has won. He reflects on his best vintages; talks about how the flavor of wine can vary from year to year; and defines some of the terms he uses in his wine labeling. He discusses his vineyard and winery staff, including migrant laborers. He also talks briefly about his children and their careers. He describes the growth cycle of grapevines, the winemaking process, and long-term maintenance of vineyards. He talks about the development of tasting rooms and Oregon’s various wine and food festivals, the growth of the wine industry in the Pacific Northwest, and the increasing cost of wine production. He discusses the varieties of grapes he grows, as well as his grape-growing research and experiments; talks about the Oregon wine market and his place in it; and speaks about the health benefits of red wine. He closes the interview by describing his daily activities at the winery and his plans for the winery’s future.
Erath, Dick