Shea Vineyard was first planted to wine grapes in the late 1980s. Today Shea Vineyard is a 290-acre property with 155 planted acres. 149 of these acres are planted to Pinot noir vines and the balance is planted to Chardonnay. Roughly 20% of the Pinot noir fruit produced each year by Shea Vineyard is used by Shea Wine Cellars for its releases. The other 80% of the Pinot noir fruit is sold to some of the finest winemakers in Oregon and California.
Shea vineyard sits on sedimentary soil over fractured sandstone. Vine spacing is 5×7 yielding 1,245 plants per acre. Shea was one of the early vineyards in this area of Yamhill County and on this soil type. Today, the vineyard is surrounded by some of the premiere wineries making Pinot noir in the “New World.”
Being stewards of the land we farm is an important responsibility to us. With that in mind, we farm Shea Vineyard using sustainable methods as prescribed by LIVE. From the LIVE website: “Since 1999, LIVE has independently certified the sustainable practices of winegrowers in the Pacific Northwest, using the latest in university research and internationally accredited standards. We provide regional education to preserve the human and natural resources of the wine industry.” We have been farming by these principles for more than 10 years and are certified by LIVE.
Use the interactive map below to explore each block in our East Hill
Shea Vineyard’s East Hill is home to some of the oldest vines on the vineyard and some of our most recognized small lot wine releases including blocks 7 and 5. Starting at approximately 350 feet in elevation and rising to around 600 feet, the marine sediment soils on the East Hill combined with the gentle southeast facing slopes lead to fruit that tends to ripen later than other areas of the vineyard while retaining more natural acidity and balance to the wines.
In addition to the over 78 acres of Pinot Noir and just over 1 acre of Chardonnay, the East Hill is also the site of our winery building on a section of the vineyard that was a former filbert orchard. The loss of topsoil due to filbert (hazelnut) farming creates an even more austere environment for the nearby vines within the already shallow marine sedimentary soils.
Shea – West Hill
Use the interactive map below to explore each block in our West Hill
The West Hill of Shea Vineyard is a rolling ridgeline that faces primarily south and southwest, allowing the vines to capture sunlight late into the day. The over 52 acres of Pinot noir planted on the West Hill tend to epitomize the ripe flavors and structure that Shea Vineyard is best known for.
Often times the core lots of Homer, our best barrel blend, are sourced from the West Hill due to the depth and complexity of the wines we see from this site year after year. Two acres of stunning Chardonnay also find their home on a steep, south facing section of the West Hill.
Shea – Third Hill
Use the interactive map below to explore each block in our Third Hill
The latest plantings on the vineyard, Third Hill is a property that was added to Shea Vineyard in 2013. This directly east-facing site sees early morning sun and lots of wind influence late in the day. The vineyard, despite still being on entirely marine sedimentary soils, sits on an outcropping of basalt rock which covers much of the vineyard with baseball-to-basketball sized rocks.
The eleven and a half acres of Pinot Noir and 3.45 acres of Chardonnay are all relatively young vines but are already showing signs of being another exceptional piece of the property.
Vineyard Customers
80% of our fruit is sold to the following premium wineries:
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