FAIRSING VINEYARD
Fairsing, an Irish word that translates to bountiful, reflects the abundant resources and beauty of the property.
Established in 2005 with the purchase of approximately two-hundred acres of harvested forestland, grapevines and a certified family forest honor a commitment to stewardship and conservancy.
Fairsing hosts a diverse ecosystem with numerous streams and green reserves to enhance biodiversity.
Over 43 acres of Pinot noir and Chardonnay span rolling ridges, crest steep slopes and a few are cradled in deep intervening draws.
Undulated topography combines with an optimal south-southeast facing site aspect to create unique maturation profiles and wines of signature depth and texture. Fairsing Vineyard wines articulate a sense of this unique and endearing place.
VARIETALS AND CULTIVARS
Fairsing is planted to 43 acres of vines – thirty-eight acres of Pinot noir and five acres of Chardonnay on south-facing slopes ranging from 400 to 800 feet in elevation. Our vines thrive in a complex confluence of soils, topology, and microclimates.
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Pinot noir selections include Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon 114, 115, 667, and 777.
Chardonnay selections include Dijon 76, 95, and Entav 548 varieties.
Select scions are grafted to riparia gloire, 101-14, and 3309 rootstocks. Vines are tightly spaced at 1.0 meters by 1.8 meters, averaging 2240 vines per acre.
The first eighteen acres were planted to vine in 2006, with development adding approximately five acres of production per year from 2007 through 2010. Select acres were planted in recent years and include both Chardonnay and Pinot noir.
SOILS
The vineyard foundation is ancient marine-sediment parent rock that has created moderately deep silty-clay loam soils. The predominate soils include the Windy Gap and Bellpine series with Goodin and Dupee series also prevalent.
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The efficient water drainage of these soils triggers an initiation of the ripening process early in the growing season, which facilitates the development of an optimal balance of phenolics (aroma, flavor, and color), acids, and alcohol.
The silty parent rock below the soil provides a water reserve for the deep roots to sustain the vines.
Fairsing maintains biodiversity across the estate.
We preserve the natural habitat, protect watershed quality, and support wildlife. Fairsing also practices regenerative agriculture to nurture soil micro-biome and protect the environment. We are committed to preserving nature’s resources for generations to come.
VITICULTURE
Fairsing utilizes precision viticulture practices. Early season shoot positioning and leaf pulling in select vine blocks enhances the vine canopy airflow and improves sunlight exposure.
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Excellent soil water-holding capacity allows for dry farming – no irrigation.
Tillage across the estate minimized to protect soil structure. Compost is formulated onsite and broadcast seasonally to balance nutrients.
Vine health and open canopies are carefully managed by maintaining or removing alleyway cover crop to regulate vigor.
Crop yields are monitored to enhance flavor concentration. All Fairsing vines are hand harvested.
CLIMATE
The estate’s climate is ideal for growing cool climate varietals like Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Temperatures generally average approximately 2.400 cumulative growing degree days over the growing season.
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On most days the vineyard is warmed by northeast breezes from the Columbia Gorge. In late afternoon the predominant winds shift the southwest for access to the Pacific Ocean cooling influence provided through the Van Duzer Corridor.
Diurnal-to-nocturnal temperature difference balance the ripening process. The last few weeks before harvest the cool nights extend the hang time Pinot noir needs to fully express its flavors. These diurnal shifts slow the development of sugars, support the retention of acids, and facilitate the development of phenolics.
There is a splendid diversity of microclimates across the vineyard, which adds subtle complexity to Fairsing Vineyard wines.
Our ideal south-southeast site aspect combines with a varied topography to create unique maturation profiles. Some vine blocks rest on top of rolling ridges; others spread across smooth steep slopes; a few blocks are nestled in sloping bowls.
The vineyard is cooled on summer nights from various directions; northwest from the Pacific Coast Range, northeast from the Columbia Gorge and southwest from the Van Duzer Corridor.
SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS FAIRSING
SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES
Fairsing Vineyard reflects our commitment to heritage, sustainability, and celebrating the joys of life.
As a family-owned and operated vineyard, we are continually reminded of our connection to the landscape and of our responsibility to the original stewards of this land who sculpted this region and preserved components vital to its unique terroir.
Our focus is sustainably nurturing high quality Pinot noir and Chardonnay and preserving the health of the incredible terrain for generations to come.
FAIRSING CERTIFIED AS FAMILY FOREST
Fairsing Vineyard was established in the summer of 2005 with the purchase of approximately 200 acres of harvested forestland.
Before vineyard development, over 30 acres of mature forest were retained and preserved. An additional 80 acres was returned to its natural habitat with the planting of 18,000 conifers, 3,000 deciduous trees, and 6,000 native shrubs.
Fairsing earned status as a Certified Family Forest in 2013 via compliance with the ecological and economic sustainable forest management standards established by the American Tree Farm System.
Fairsing continues to expand upon its commitment to the forest by planting of new trees including Pacific dogwood, incense cedar, and conifers to complement the forest’s existing understory.
POLLINATOR HABITAT
With just 22 percent of Fairsing Vineyard planted to vines, a majority is home to large swaths of forested acres, a family orchard, native grasses, gardens, and wildflower meadows.
In addition to expanding its honeybee apiary, Fairsing hosts Mason bee incubators across the estate to assist with breeding and nurturing the proliferation of the friendly pollinators.
Fairsing is a partner in the Oregon Bee Project, a cooperative effort initiated by the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service to protect and care for bee species. As a participating vineyard, Fairsing is certified as Bee Friendly in recognition of ongoing initiatives to restore and enhance pollinator habitat.
NESTING BOXES AND RAPTOR RESCUE
Birds of prey provide natural pest control throughout the vineyard and forest at Fairsing Vineyard.
We welcome these winged partners by positioning high perches in the vineyard and augment natural raptor habitat by installing nesting boxes in the forest and green spaces.
The wooden nesting boxes installed were designed specifically for kestrels and screech owls.
The nesting boxes were erected 10-20 feet above ground, situated with an open field visible from the front and woodlands directly behind to provide an open view for food and shelter. The boxes face north to north east to protect from storms that predominantly blow from the southwest Van Duzer Corridor.
Fairing supports local rescue organizations with the care, protection, and release of rehabilitated raptors.
THE ORIGINAL LAND STEWARDS
The landscape of the Pacific Northwest was once a carefully designed and engineered ecosystem due to the stewardship of the Kalapuya Tribal peoples and other bands of the Columbia and Willamette river regions.
For 3,500 years, under the systematic care of Tribal peoples, the Willamette Valley was transformed from a heavily forested and dense landscape to a bountiful mosaic of meadows, oak savanna, grasslands, and healthy forest.
As the Willamette Valley wine community celebrates well-deserved Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, it’s imperative to acknowledge the region’s original land stewards who preserved the area’s magnificent terroir.
OREGON WHITE OAK PRESERVATION
Led by the Willamette Partnership, the Oak Accord is a voluntary conservation agreement by landowners to protect and restore native oak habitat.
As a founding member, Fairsing Vineyard has been active in preserving and enhancing oak habitat across the estate.
Following a baseline assessment by an ecologist, Fairsing has been busy nurturing mature oaks, saplings, and seedlings.
In February of 2021, over 1,000 bare-root oak saplings were planted among oak trees of varied maturity to complement our existing ecosystem.
FIBER FLAX – FROM SEED TO HARVEST
In March of 2021 Fairsing welcomed its first plot of fiber flax.
Renowned for its durable and light weight textiles, fiber flax is one of the most sustainable natural fibers in the world.
Flax requires little water over its fast 100 day growth cycle and, as it grows, converts CO2 from the atmosphere.
Follow as Fairsing extracts fiber from the dried harvested stems and learns to process flax.
HOLISTIC FARMING and COMPOST
Shovel after shovel, we’re enriching Fairsing Vineyard with a super-charged formulated compost.
Fairsing augments its ecosystem and soils during the growing season with a unique compost mixture.
From red wiggler earthworms, to oak bark, straw, and yarrow – nutrient-rich organic matter piles up at Fairsing.
Each year, select areas of the vineyard and family forest are identified and fortified with the dense compost.
CRIMSON CLOVER & FAIRSING
Each spring, the Willamette Valley’s blooming crimson clover serves as a regal red carpet welcoming visitors to the region.
Crimson clover has long been revered across cultures as a highly nutritive ground cover and earned distinction as one of the earliest cultivated economic plants.
Crimson clover grows quickly, attracts pollinators, replenishes the soil, and blankets the landscape with vibrant blooms.
Each season, before the fall rains arrive, crimson clover is among the mix of legumes, oats, and barley seed planted between the vine rows, and headlands at Fairsing to prevent soil erosion and add biomass.
For its genuine beauty, restorative value, and Celtic symbolism, Fairsing selected illustrations of crimson clover and white clover (the shamrock) for the labels of our estate wines.
FAIRSING VINEYARD SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Sustainability informed the design of our tasting room, event venue, and exterior green spaces.
Fairsing was fortunate to work with Nathan Good of Nathan Good Architects who walked the vineyard and listened as we shared the merchant and farming histories of our Irish ancestors.
Nathan returned with a design for a tasting room and exterior spaces that honored our Celtic heritage while incorporating sustainability and style. The overall design reminds us of ancient structures in the emerald hills of Ireland.
The geometry of Nathan’s design utilizes nature’s “golden ratio” in expanding exponential multiples (approximately 1.618, or phi) to establish the physical dimensions of the green spaces, the curvature of exterior walls, and the arc of the interior barrel ceiling.
The wood from the board-formed concrete exterior walls was re-purposed to create the interior cabinetry.
Visitors are treated to 360-degree views of the mountains of the Cascade Range to the east, the vineyards and Coast Range to the west and the Van Duzer Corridor to the south. The labyrinth and complementary structure invite visitors to experience exemplary wines in a stunning setting.
LIVE supports environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing through third-party certification and education.
With roots in the Pacific Northwest, LIVE provides research-based standard for sustainable winegrowers accredited by the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC).
Salmon-Safe works with West Coast farmers and environmentally innovative landowners to reduce watershed impacts through verified environmental practices.
As a leading U.S. ecolabel, Salmon-Safe offers peer-reviewed certification, linking land management with the protection of agricultural and urban watersheds.
The American Tree Farm System works to give land owners the tools they need to be effective stewards of America’s forests.
Privately owned woodlands are vital to our country’s clean water and air, sustainability, wildlife habitat, and recreational activities.
Bee Friendly Farmers (BFF) work to improve the health of honey bees and support native pollinators with increased availability of flowering plants.
The Pollinator Partnership is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization — the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems.
Fairsing Vineyard is located in the Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area (AVA), which is nested within the Willamette Valley AVA.
The Yamhill-Carlton AVA is renowned for world-class Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
The Yamhill-Carlton Winegrowers Association motto, “Down to Earth” reflects the cooperative spirit of its members and the earthy quality of our wines.
The AVA is distinguished by its ancient marine sedimentary silt-clay loam soils, which are well-drained and have great water-holding capacity.
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association promotes, preserves and advances the prestige of Oregon’s Willamette Valley AVA and its wines through the support of its members, community, and environment.
The association’s vision is universal recognition of Oregon’s Willamette Valley AVA as the premier New World winegrowing region. We are Pinot noir and so much more.
Commitment to members includes environmental stewardship, community outreach, advocacy, trade and consumer education, and tourism promotion.
