Steve and Carol Girard have been owners of Benton-Lane since 1988. Carol and Steve shared a passionate desire to produce great Pinot Noir but, after careful consideration, they decided their home state California was probably not the best place in which to make it. Instead they looked north towards Oregon where the cooler climate offered the possibility of producing Pinot Noir with better balance and structure, and more interesting flavors than they felt would be possible in California.

After considerable research and countless months of looking at possible properties throughout Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Carol and Steve discovered an old sheep ranch called “Sunnymount” in the southern Willamette Valley, near the village of Monroe. The property is in the foothills of the coastal mountain range on the west side of the valley with hillsides sloping east by southeast, a perfect orientation for planting Pinot Noir. The soils are deep, well drained, Bellpine and Jory clay-loam soils, again ideal for grape cultivation. And just as exciting was the reason the property was named Sunnymount in the first place.

Benton-Lane’s first vintage was 1992 which was custom produced at another local winery. This custom production process continued until 1997 when the Benton-Lane winery was constructed. Designed by award winning architect Rob Thallon, Benton-Lane Winery offered an exceptional, functional winemaking environment while fitting harmoniously in to the agricultural character of the surrounding area.

To visit the winery website click the name below