A VISIT TO STAR MOORING FARM – JULY 2024

The Dunstan team recently took a field trip to Newberg, Oregon at the end of July 2024 to visit Ellie’s cousins Ruth, Easton, and Christian Richmond at their Star Mooring Farm. Currently one of the Willamette Valley’s premier hazelnut farms, it also happens to be planted with 8 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that was planted and is farmed by Mikey Etzel of the famed Beaux Frères Vineyard. We have been making Pinot Noir from Star Mooring since 2017, a beautiful counterpoint to our estate Durell Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Following our arrival courtesy of pilot Chris, we visited Beaux Frères for a vineyard tour and tasting with Mikey. It is a must-visit for anyone visiting the Willamette Valley. Impeccable farming and soulful wines.

After our tasting, we drove with Mikey to Star Mooring Farm to meet cousins Ruth Richmond, her son Christian, and Christian’s son Templeton. Stomping through the fluffy, volcanic and loam soils of Star Mooring Farm really demonstrated to us what makes the difference in these wines. Not only are the soils perfectly suited to cultivating world class Pinot Noir, but these sloping hillsides facing toward the southwest capture tons of afternoon sunlight and heat as the long summer days draw to a close.

The next morning we met up with cousin Easton Richmond who happens to work at one of the region’s most magical and mystical wineries, Antica Terra. Easton guided us through a stunningly detailed and unique tasting featuring their owner/winemaker Maggie Harrison’s wines alongside inspirational wines made by other winemakers sourced from Italy and France. A fitting end to our quick trip to Oregon!

Our 2021 Star Mooring Pinot Noir is available to purchase exclusively via our website and via Membership in our club.