Pioneering Oregon Wineries

 

Big Fir Winery
(1977-1982)

Big Fir Winery, which only made berry wines, was bonded in 1977 and named after a large fir tree at the entrance to the winery. The winery’s first vintage was 1977.

The winery was located on a 320-acre berry farm owned by Tony and Brinkley Schedeen. Bill Miller and Sam Pengelly were co-owners and winemakers.

Bill Miller was on the board of directors of the North Willamette chapter of the Oregon Winegrowers’ Association. Richard Hopkins, co-founder of the Oregon Wine Magazine was also involved with the winery.

All berries, boysenberry, blackberry and marionberry, were grown on the farm. A sparkling marion-blackberry wine won a bronze medal at the 1982 Oregon State fair. Apparently the winery’s 1982 vintage was its last. Big Fir Winery was located at 17835 SE Tickle Creek Road, Boring, Oregon.


 

Fun Fact

Some of the farm’s berries were picked by a mechanical picker named “Iron Wino”!