Maysara Winery

Turning into the entrance of this southern Yamhill County vineyard and winery, I stopped dead in my tracks. Reaching for my camera, I hopped out of my car to snap pictures of the sloping vineyard before me.

To appreciate Maysara Winery is to understand its 260-acre estate vineyard. Moe and Flora Momtazi have owned the property since 1997, and have been religious in applying biodynamic practices, in the belief that healthy soil and healthy vines will produce superior grapes. If, as they say, 90 percent of producing good wine is a result of growing quality grapes, the Momtazis know where to focus their energies.

Biodynamic farming goes beyond not using pesticides and herbicides. Its main attributes are: 1) treating the whole vineyard as a living organism; 2) maintaining a healthy and diverse ecosystem embracing the rhythms of the earth as well as the cosmic influences; 3) employing soil husbandry and nutrient self-sufficiency (e.g., compost cocktails); and 4) never using genetically engineered plants and organisms. Bottom line: Consumers of Maysara wines can rest assured that they taste the pure fruit of Momtazi Vineyard.

Moe and Flora have backgrounds that read like a plot from a book. Following the fall of the shah of Iran in 1982, they both managed to immigrate to the United States. Moe leveraged his engineering background and gained admittance to Texas A&M. Eventually, the Momtazis made their way north and settled in McMinnville. Then, in 1997, they purchased the abandoned 532-acre wheat farm that would become Momtazi Vineyard. Today, with a 260-acre vineyard, they can proudly lay claim to the fact that they own the largest biodynamic vineyard in the Pacific Northwest.

Keeping the wine production in the family, the Momtazis have turned to their daughter, Tahmiene, a striking young woman whose youth belies her considerable education and winemaking experience acquired at other wineries both domestic and international. Inside the barrel-lined tasting room, visitors have the opportunity to sample pinot noir, pinot blanc, pinot gris, riesling, and rosé. I especially like the name of their rosé — Roseena Rosé. The word “roseena” is an ancient Persian term for a beautiful woman who naturally smells of roses. The Momtazis could readily apply it to their entire vineyard and winery.