Redhawk Winery

Talk about a leap of faith. Imagine never having grown grapes or made wine yet purchasing a winery with the intention of making a go of it. That’s exactly what John and Betty Pataccoli did, leaving their Los Angeles confines in 2005 and buying a rundown winery north of Salem. But it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment, impetuous lark that caused them to make such a bold move. Rather, they knew they were hooked on wine, having traveled to various wine regions of the world, including France. They had the wine bug all right. Moreover, they had a young son, and the rural splendor of this part of the Willamette Valley seemed a better fit to raise a child than their LA haunts. They chose wisely.

When they acquired Redhawk Winery, the Pataccolis had an inkling of what was in store: The vineyard needed rehabbing, the dark and dingy tasting room needed to be made more inviting, and the winemaking equipment required upgrades. Break out the checkbook. Fortunately, they live next to Russ Raney and the historic Evesham Wood Vineyard & Winery. Russ’ assistance — especially during that first year — was invaluable, as John focused on the winemaking side of the business and Betty kept the books.

For visitors, the Pataccolis did a little something that brightens everyone’s visit to Redhawk. They lightened up the tasting room by tearing down the dark, wood-paneled walls and re-oriented the tasting-room bar to allow visitors to view the picturesque valley below. Although this may seem like a no-brainer, it is surprising how many tasting-rooms views are squandered in favor of the staff’ and to the detriment of the visitor.

The Pataccolis also made a strategic decision to preserve the existing brand – Redhawk Winery. Over the years, a small army of loyal fans had developed, particularly for Redhawk’s Grateful Red Pinot Noir. Only $14 a bottle, Grateful Red qualifies as a best buy that we are sure Jerry Garcia would have appreciated. Along with the Grateful Red Pinot Noir, Redhawk Winery also features other estate pinot noirs, dolcetto, pinot gris, and barrel-fermented chardonnay, in addition to cabernet sauvignon and red table wines made from grapes sourced from the Columbia Valley. All these wines have amazingly low prices that will likely have you doing the slide with your Visa or Master Card.