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Susan Sokol Blosser is reserved. When asked what she thinks about the 2015 vintage she quietly replied, “I’m always cautiously optimistic.” As a pioneer of the Pinot Noir wine industry in Oregon, she knows the benefit of not counting your grapes, so to speak.
In 1970 when Susan and her husband, Bill Blosser moved to Oregon to plant the finicky Pinot Noir grape, Oregon had no wine industry. Tigard was rural. Yamhill County was merely a way to get to the Oregon Coast. Fruit and walnut dryers dotted the hillsides. The back-to-the-land movement was in full swing. Starbucks had just opened its first stores, but didn’t really take hold of our morning caffeine habit until the 1980s. Susan and Bill drank Folgers.
Susan and Bill purchased a tract of land that had grown cherries, peaches, and plums. With no agricultural training, they set about the task of growing and producing world class Pinot Noir. Now, 45 years later, there are nearly 700 wineries in Oregon. Susan talked about what the wine industry has done for Oregon. It engages many sectors of the economy, including farming, retail, tourism, warehousing, equipment manufacturing, marketing, and others. It has revitalized downtown areas in Dayton, Carlton, McMinnville and other small towns along the Willamette Valley wine trail. Napa and Sonoma never had it this good; those areas are several hours from the nearest metropolitan city: San Francisco. By contrast, many Willamette Valley vineyards are less than an hour from Portland. The wineries have more created opportunities for recreation, education, and relaxation. Since 1987, the International Pinot Noir Celebration has been held annually at Linfield College.
There are threats to the booming wine industry. The highly politicized and contested immigration issue is of great concern because most of the labor force is Latino. Land use is another problem. Susan said they are continually fighting back development that is not in harmony with the rural character of the wine growing region, such as big hotels and large-scale retail that would take over agricultural land. Susan supports smart growth, such as the Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg.
In 2004, Susan began to see that it was time to pass the baton to her children, Alex and Allison who had worked with the family business for many years. A difficult transition began; difficult because it was hard for Susan to let go of the reins. In 2008 the transfer was completed and Susan looked to new challenges and adventures. She made two unsuccessful runs for the state legislature. She wrote a book, “Letting Go,” that chronicles her struggle.
These days, YES is what gets her up in the morning. According to its web site, the Yamhill Enrichment Society’s mission is “Enriching the soul of Yamhill County with carefully selected projects in arts & education, food & agriculture, history & community.” The organization has projects such as “Books for Babies” that provides a book for every child born at Willamette Valley Medical Center. In 2013, Books for Babies began partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide one book every month for five years to each of the 6,000 children enrolled in the program.
Embracing her new role, Susan took a moment to remind us about the upcoming “Bounty of Yamhill County” that will benefit the Yamhill Enrichment Society. The event will be held the last weekend of August and will feature winemaker dinners, a balloon festival, and opportunities for recreation. The finale will be held at Sokol Blosser Winery.
Susan Sokol Blosser is a graduate of Stanford University and a lifetime trustee of OMSI. She was Sokol Blosser vineyard manager from 1980 – 1990 and winery president from 1991 – 2007. She lives on the winery with her children, chickens, several cats, and a Tibetan Terrier.
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