We Trust the Vineyard and Follow Its Lead.
The Norris McKinley Vineyard
From our family owned and operated vineyard in Ribbon Ridge AVA, Norris Wines are grown, harvested, fermented, and bottled here on property. Experience our estate Pinot Noir and Riesling as you sip around the table or underneath the willow tree.
Planted in 2007, the Norris McKinley Vineyard is the sole source of our wines.
The estate spans 12 acres — with approximately 10 acres planted to Pinot Noir (Coury, Wädenswil, Dijon 667, 115, and Pommard clones) and 2 to Riesling (Geisenheim Clone 9 and Neustadt Clone 12).
Our dry-farmed vines reach deep into well-drained, ancient marine sedimentary soils, with six distinct variations of the renowned Willakenzie series — a fine-grained blend of oceanic sand and siltstone. The west-southwest slope faces Chehalem Creek, where long afternoons of sunlight and cool maritime winds allow for slow ripening and extended hang time.
This site shapes everything we do — and everything we bottle.
WINEMAKER
Robert McKinley
Robert McKinley brings a global perspective and a youthful, thoughtful, low-intervention philosophy to his work at Norris Wines. A graduate of Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture program, Robert has built his winemaking approach through hands-on experience across world-renowned regions and famed producers— from Craggy Range in New Zealand to Torbreck in Australia, and iconic domestic producers like Williams Selyem, The Hilt, Trisaetum, and WillaKenzie.
With a foundation in both vineyard and cellar work, Robert’s style balances classic structure with contemporary restraint. His focus is on translating the unique character of each vintage and letting the site speak through the wine. Since the vineyard’s inception, Robert has been closely connected to the land — and today, he oversees every aspect of production on the family estate.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
We dry farm our 12-acre estate vineyard using organic practices; we believe it’s the right approach— for the health of our land, our vines, and our wines.
Organic farming requires more dedication and finesse, but allows more time with the vines and forms a relationship with the farm and the winemaker. This relationship is essential to the beginning of a great vintage, resulting in wines with more character and a sense of place. Each vintage is unique and requires a different approach. Nothing at Norris is a recipe. We strive to guide the vintage into bottle and let the grapes do the talking. Vintage and place are of most importance.
Ribbon Ridge AVA
Tucked into the western edge of the Chehalem Mountains, Ribbon Ridge spans just 3.5 miles by 1.75 miles — making it the smallest AVA in Oregon. Despite its size, it’s considered some of the most coveted vineyard land in the entire Willamette Valley.
We’re lucky to call it home.
