Wooldridge Creek Winery

Clichés exist for a reason — they express the truth. A prime example is the hackneyed phrase “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Such is the case with Wooldridge Creek Winery, where owners Ted Warrick, Mary Warrick, Greg Paneitz, and Kara Olmo come together to produce luscious wines in the heart of the Applegate Valley.

I suspected that I would be in for a treat. I had heard random comments by other wine tourists about their positive experiences at Wooldridge Creek Winery. One night at dinner, a couple next to me proudly noted that they were members of the Wooldridge Creek Winery wine club. I was also aware that other wineries source grapes from Wooldridge. I figured it must be doing something right.

Kathleen and I hit the jackpot on the day of our visit to Wooldridge and got a guided tour from co-owner Ted Warrick. As he escorted us from crush pad to barrel room, Ted talked about the early days, back in the late 1970s, when he and his wife, Mary, and daughter Chrys moved to the Applegate Valley and began growing grapes. His piloting duties with United Airlines often took him away from the farm, but they persevered and the vineyard expanded to 56 acres. However, when it came time to make wine, Ted noted, he discovered that he should stay in the vineyard and leave the winemaking to someone else.

Enter into the equation the winemaking services of co-owners Greg and Kara. The two met while attending Fresno State University’s enology program. Greg had an organic chemistry background, which included a stint with Pfizer pharmaceutical company as well as practical winemaking experience in France. Kara graduated from the San Francisco Culinary Institute and possessed an in-depth knowledge of food and wine pairing. Given their common passions but divergent backgrounds, the couple decided to pursue winemaking careers where they could indulge their shared interest in warm-weather grapes.

The union of Ted, Mary, Greg, and Kara has brought Wooldridge Creek Winery center stage among the other prestigious wineries of southern Oregon. Ted knew he could grow great grapes. Greg’s and Kara’s fields of expertise focus on the creation and pairing of great wine. Each person has a key role and each is dependent upon the others’ abilities. It works. To borrow another cliché, “The proof is in the taste of the pudding” — and the fine wines of Wooldridge Creek Winery.