Alfredo Apolloni - Apolloni Vineyards
“Una cena senze vino e como un giorno senza sole. A dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine.”
His first sips of wine tasted of the soil, skiff, salt and sea from a vineyard on Italy's Adriatic coast, just south of Venice. Summers were spent at this family vineyard, reveling amidst the vines, leading up to autumn harvest and celebrations.
"Wine and grapes were always a part of our lives, even after we moved to the United States in 1976," reflects Alfredo Apolloni. A first generation Italian in America, he held steadfast to his dream of establishing a new vineyard and winery in the states. The Apolloni family now lives their dream in the bounty of Oregon's Willamette Valley.
He and his wife purchased Apolloni vineyards in 1999, when the 62-acre property had five acres of vineyard planted. Since then they have developed 20 additional vineyard acres from grafted vines, predominantly Dijon clones. Apolloni ardently believes great fruit is the heart of great wine, crafting Italian-style whites and traditional Pinot noirs that "embrace the fruit and bring it to the table."
The essence of their vineyard and winery is family and tradition. Each of the Apolloni vineyards reflects his children, bearing their middle names: Filippo, Olivia and Flaminia. During harvest and bottling it's all hands on deck: the Apolloni children have a day off to assist with bottling, corks and capsules-as in the days of yore.
Italian brio with a splash of Oregon Indie, Apolloni exudes passion for wine and winemaking and all the intricate details in between, "You need to be equally able to drive the forklift and articulate what makes your wine a wonderful choice for dinner," he says.
Future aspirations for production include a smattering of traditional Italian reds: super Tuscan style blends, Nebbiolo and Sangiovese. Though these wines too will remain small batch and hand-crafted, as "staying in touch with customers and being able to literally touch every bottle of wine," defines the Apolloni soul.
