SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Behind the winemaking of Aaron Lieberman, Iris Vineyards in the southern end of the Willamette Valley has reached new heights in both acclaim and production.
While others were pulling back, owner Pamela Frye supported general manager David Cordtz in the pursuit of distribution and gave Lieberman the green light to grow production from 7,000 cases to the capacity of 27,000 cases at their Cottage Grove vinification facility.
The string of awards and recognition, along with the growth and new ventures, prompted Great Northwest Wine to name Iris Vineyards as its 2024 Oregon Winery of the Year.
“Aaron is curious and desires to experiment and innovate,” Frye says. “We give him room to try approaches and techniques that another producer might not be willing to risk. Aaron has never disappointed, and we love sharing this journey with him. Maybe that’s why we continue together.”
Lieberman’s craftsmanship with Chalice Estate Vineyard led to a string of awards last year, and his creativity developing the wine-based cocktails adds to the appeal of their young wine bar that opened in 2022 on Main Street in downtown Springfield.
And earlier this year, Iris Vineyards was among those selected to pour at the annual Oregon Chardonnay Celebration at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg.
The support he’s received from Frye and longtime vineyard manager Arpad Walker have created a winning formula.
“Arpad predates me, and he’s amazing,” Lieberman says. “The guy knows every inch of that vineyard, and he’s got a good crew and has good rapport with his crew. My role is minimal because he really doesn’t need my help.”
Last fall, the 24th annual Platinum Awards served to spotlight the Areté 2021 Pinot Noir ($50), Iris Vineyards 2021 Pinot Noir ($25) and 2020 House Call Red Blend ($19.99).
The year prior, the Areté 2018 Chardonnay returned a Double Platinum and the Iris Vineyard 2020 Pinot Gris was voted Best of Show at the 2022 McMinnville Wine Classic.
Acclaim for Chalice Vineyard began with 2002 vintage
At this point, there’s no doubting the tradition of quality of Chalice Vineyard, which shares a fence line with King Estate.
Frye and her partner, hospitality executive Richard Boyles, achieved remarkable success almost immediately when their initial brand, Iris Hill, used a 2002 Pinot Gris to emerge as the Best of The Best — the No. 1 wine — from Wine Press Northwest’s 2004 Platinum Judging.
“That was our second vintage, and it was made entirely from fruit grown at our estate vineyard,” Frye says. “The recognition for that Pinot Gris was a big deal for us. Most importantly, it affirmed the potential we saw in the Chalice Vineyard site, the potential that led to our decision to acquire this site and develop our estate vineyard.”
She points to 2007-08 as a key period, which included creating a winemaking space in Cottage Grove and taking the brand in a different direction.
“The name change marked a transition from an exploration of what might be to a determination to be all that we could be,” she says. “We changed our label from folksy to a little bit edgy.”
More importantly, Lieberman came on board.
“We wanted someone who shared our desire to experiment, iterate and improve,” Frye says. “We were fortunate to find a kindred spirit in Aaron.”
Lieberman helped Oregon State University to a share of the Pacific-10 Conference wrestling title in 1992 while on his way to a degree in crop and soil science from the Corvallis school. That was the same year when Frye and Boyles purchased their 870-acre estate west of Eugene near the Lorane Valley. In a fascinating move, they quickly began by planting 500 acres of Douglas fir trees.
Lieberman joined Frye’s cellar as the winemaker in 2008, bringing the talent he acquired by working at storied brands such as Amity Vineyards, DePonte Cellars and Owen Roe. His first job reference came in 1996 — after he returned from the Peace Corps — via historic Amity Vineyards and maverick/founder Myron Redford.
“Myron made stuff happen and was very generous with his time in the short time I was there,” Lieberman says.
He spent a couple of years as vineyard manager for Durant Vineyards in the Dundee Hills before he helped open the DePonte Cellars facility, led by Isabelle Dutartre.
“I only spent one year with Isabelle, but I would still say she might be the biggest influence on me stylistically,” Liberman says.
Some might look to his five years with David O’Reilly of Owen Roe fame as an inspiration to his remarkable value-driven House Call Red Blend.
“Our team wanted to make something to fit in the category of a glass pour at a restaurant — $25 — to make it drink like a $40 bottle,” Lieberman says. “We were on a marketing trip and noticed that there were almost no red blends from Oregon — anywhere.”
Along the way, Lieberman and his father, Phil, continued to produce tiny lots under their Cottonwood Winery of Oregon brand, which stemmed from their 2-acre vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. Sparkling wine was barely more than a twinkle in their eye.
“I’ve always loved sparkling wine and wondered why we hadn’t done a sparkling wine yet,” Lieberman said. “My Dad and I still have our label going, and I bought grapes from Chalice Estate. The owners tasted it, and I sold it back to them as wine.”
It ended up as the Areté 20215 Brut Rosé because it still fit the criteria of that label as wines made from Chalice Estate. That vintage also produced three of the four gold medals won during the 2018 New Orleans International Wine Awards by Lieberman and Walker.
Innovation leads to wine bar in Springfield
In 1992, Frye and Boyles, bought 870 acres. Raised in Eugene, she graduated from the University of Oregon and worked in finance in Washington state before returning to her alma mater as a business manager for 12 years. Her focus now is on Iris Vineyards and Areté.
“Richard has always had a ton of projects and business interests in addition to Iris,” Frye says. “Some years ago, I became the sole owner of the wine business and increasingly the public face representing Iris from an ownership perspective.”
Lieberman also became a leader for Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, helping with training akin to Remy Drabkin of Remy Wines in Dundee. His outreach earned Lieberman a place on the Wine Industry Advisor list of Most Inspiring People for 2024.
“The work is important because it shapes the way the public perceives our industry,” Frye says. “The DEI work is an aspect that is important to Aaron. I support him in that work as I do all his industry work.”
- Iris Vineyards Wine Bar, 322 Main St., Springfield, OR, 97477, IrisVineyards.com, (541) 242-6588.
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