This Winery Highlights Asian-American Voices in the Heart of the Willamette Valley

Creativity and innovation has always been held close to the hearts of Cho Wines founders Dave and Lois Cho. Originally a musician in California, Dave Cho developed a strong passion for experimenting with wine and decided to pursue his passion in Oregon alongside his family. Luckily, his partner in life also became his partner in wine and after creating a label in 2020 and becoming the first Korean-American winemakers in Oregon, the two decided to find a home for their wine in 2022 in the heart of Oregon’s wine country. 

The Willamette Valley has proven to be a wine-producing powerhouse, with a moderate climate that is able to gently raise vineyards in a way that other regions can’t. The Cho Family recognized the might of this valley and chose a plot of land on Bald Peak, an area already well known for wineries. This, of course, is not the only reason why the land was chosen. Its appeal was mainly due to the earth—a mix of marine sedimentary and different volcanic soils. This soil, when combined with the potential benefits that the high elevation could give their wine (better aging potential and a greater chance for complex and intense flavors), meant that the Cho Family could continue to explore their winemaking process.

Luckily, the high elevation of the winery also allows for a truly fantastic view of the valley and the Wapato Lake Wildlife Refuge—something which the Chos certainly took into account when planning the layout for their winery. Their buildings are sleek and modern, with clean, sharp lines and a minimalistic color scheme. Even so, the tasting room also feels distinctly warm and welcoming, with soft lighting, plants, a mural, and wide windows that look onto the patio and view beyond. Here and there, you’ll see touches of their Korean heritage, both in the decor and in the snacks available. 

There are two tasting experiences available to customers: the Estate Tasting Flight and the VIP Reserve Tasting. The VIP tasting offers food pairings and specially cured meats (some of which are made with their very own wine) as part of the package, but both tastings include six wines to sample. Additionally, visits to the Cho Wines tasting room always includes a welcome pour of their famous sparkling wine. Upon my visit, the tasting room lead Julia Lok Yung Sliker told me, “Sparkling wine is what we’re known for. Our owner tries to push the boundaries of what sparkling wine can be.” As it happens, the sparkling wine was my favorite of the day, a taste both fresh and complex with a not-overwhelming amount of bubbles. 

However, this space is not only meant for the Cho family, their employees, and their customers. It’s also meant to showcase other local businesses—something that the Cho family does with multiple exciting events. Tasting room lead Julia also shared that many of the events are used to highlight other Asian American voices from the Pacific Northwest. To this end, they pair with restaurants and food trucks that can both compliment their wines, as well as emphasize how diverse voices belong in this space. Co-owner Lois Cho is dedicated to this process, and founded the Oregon AAPI Food and Wine nonprofit to continue this work. 

Cho Wines has already become a big name in the Oregon wine game, with awards like ‘Future 40 Tastemaker’ and ‘Top 100 Wine of 2024’ from Wine Enthusiast Magazine, as well as Wine Business Monthly’s Hot Brand of 2024. But, with a new young vineyard of first plantings developed by an experimenting genius, this truly is only the beginning for Cho Wines as the future has so much still yet to come.