Oswego Hills

This is the story of two people who bought the farm. Literally.

Jerry and Lesley Marshall lived near a horse farm in this bucolic section halfway between the town centers of West Linn and Lake Oswego. For years, they witnessed the farm property fall into disrepair and were saddened by its plight. Early photos of the property showed a magnificent equestrian center of gleaming white buildings, fences, and barns. They understood its potential. After all, this was the place where Roy Rogers brought Trigger and Buttercup for boarding when he came to Portland during the years he was the grand marshall for the Rose Parade!

In 1996 following Jerry’s retirement as a senior pilot for American Airlines, the Marshalls acquired the property, complete with overgrown blackberry canes and dilapidated buildings. But they had a vision of a vineyard and working winery, and knew that beneath the neglected outer shells of the buildings existed a strong skeleton of posts and beams. They cleared the land (no small task in itself) and planted pinot noir, pinot gris, and Marechal Foch, an unusual varietal to the Pacific Northwest.

To say this was a labor of love is an understatement. It was a rehab of giant proportions that included huge amounts of blood, sweat and lots of white paint. But in 2003 the winery opened, thanks in large part to the assistance of the Marshalls’ three daughters and their spouses. In fact, one of the daughters’ husbands, Derek Lawrence, became the winemaker for Oswego Hills Winery. When he’s not managing the winemaking process, Derek is a hospital pharmacist at Legacy Emanuel Hospital’s ICU.

Oswego Hill’s tasting room resides in the former horse barn, which drips with country elegance. When asked about the fact that they don’t charge a tasting fee, Lesley notes that they want to be good neighbors. They sell most of their annual production of 3,000 cases to people in the community. Having a tasting fee just wouldn’t be neighborly. What’s more, they sell their wine in a handy six-pack (you can mix and match the wines you want), and when you come to refill your empty six-pack, you get a free glass of wine. Nice touch. When tasting, be sure to experience the Marechal Foch paired with Moonstruck chocolate. Portland-based Moonstruck is the chocolatier that Oprah Winfrey gushes over. The folks at Moonstruck were so inspired by Oswego Hill’s Marechal Foch that they created a special chocolate to pair with the wine. Forget the calories — indulge!