John Grochau - Grochau Cellars
“Wayfaring Winemaker”

A wayfaring winemaker, as many Indies tend to be, John currently makes his wine at Aramenta Cellars. It's a mere saunter away from Brick House Vineyards, a source of inspiration and frequent late-night visits during harvest time, often hightailed ahead by his canine companion, Stella.

Grochau's epicurean escapades began ten years ago when he joined the staff at Higgins Restaurant, the magnum opus for local, seasonal cuisine. His "ah-ha" wine moment was two-fold: a bottle of 1993 Volnay and working a 14 hour day during his first harvest, picking and then pressing Sauvignon Blanc. "I just loved every aspect of the day...then the next day my back hurt-a lot."

Following harvest stints with Deerfield Ranch Winery in Sonoma and the storied Erath Vineyards, Grochau realized he was an Indie at heart and felt an affinity for smaller production wineries. In February of 2001 he happened upon an internship with the venerable Doug Tunnel at Brick House Vineyards in Newberg, Oregon.

At Brick House he worked in the vineyard from bud break through harvest, mastered the art of tractor-riding rows, and weathered the growing cycle season by season. "From Doug I learned to let alone, to let the grapes make the wine that it wants to be."

In 2001 Grochau made his first 55 cases of wine. "The whole project was funded by my friends who paid me $120.00 for a case of wine in a years time. The resulting wine (a pinot noir of course) was called "Cuvee des Amis" (friends blend)." Ever since then his favorite blend of the vintage is given that name.

Steadily increasing production from his first commercial vintage in 2002 at 285 cases, he's aiming for 1800 cases in 2006 and exploring warmer climate varietals, like the 2005 Rogue Valley Syrah he'll be pouring at the 2007 Portland Indie Wine Festival.

"I love that winemaking draws on so many things in life: soil, climate, plants, weather, people, fruit, birds, insects, yeasts...And wine, a product of farming that through fermentation and the artistic touch of the winemaker becomes a product that brings pleasure to people."