Get MarshAnne Landing wines at Tolly's Restaurant -- Fine Dining |
Our Vineyard The site for MarshAnne Vineyard and MarshAnne Landing was found on their first trip to the Umpqua, a 109-acre site located 4 miles north of Historic Oakland, Oregon. The Cramers quickly mapped out a 4-year time line for establishing their vineyard, building a home, retirement, and moving 3000 miles across the country to a place they never lived before. The vineyard concept focused on producing wine blends from related grapes. A 20-acre parcel being set aside for the vineyard, ground preparation and vineyard infrastructure including deer fencing, trellising and drip irrigation took place late in 1998 and early 1999. Planting of the initial 14-acre block with over 12,000 grafted vines occurred over 4 days in mid-April 1999. The Cramer's planting party, brought together 17 wine loving friends from across the country to help launch MarshAnne Vineyard . The planting of 14 miles of vineyard rows left everyone with a new appreciation of friendship and a big clue about the unrecognized effort it takes to produce wine. |
MarshAnne Name MarshAnne Landing 's name brings together a number of elements. The first is family. MarshAnne unites Greg and Fran's middle names, Marsh and Anne , family names dating from before the American Revolution. Where we landed to pursue our dreams of growing wine grapes and making wine became the basis for the other half of our winery name. MarshAnne Landing seemed like the right name for our endeavor for other reasons as well. The first was that we wanted to be known primarily for producing Rhone varietals. Marsanne , a white grape from the Rhone Valley, suggested a basis for our Rhone sounding name. Landing provided linkage to winery names in Australia also known for Rhone style wines. The not so subtle connection to Martian Landings and flying saucers is purely intentional. We want our wines to be delicious and out of this world but we also want our wines to be approachable, not too stuffy, so that wine drinking can be a fun integral part of your dining experience, even if you are a visiting from planets afar. |
Greg and Fran Cramer came from Maryland to found MarshAnne Landing in the Umpqua Valley. Greg worked as a chemist on food safety issues for the US Food and Drug Administration for 20 years. Fran worked on computer network systems in the public and private sector for her entire career in the Washington, DC area. A family reunion in the summer of 1995 with Greg's 84-year-old father and two brothers to climb Mt. Hood brought Greg and Fran to appreciate the beautiy and opportunity of Oregon. Their first trip to the Umpqua was in the spring of 1996, when they searched for a site in Oregon that would prove favoralbe for the growing of their beloved Syrah and other Rhone grapes. Greg quickly saw the "grape" potential for an exciting life ahead in Oregon given the opportunity for a rapidly approaching early retirement, his love of wine, many years of home winemaking, and recognition of Oregon as one of the great wine growing regions of the world
Over the years, Greg and Fran developed a particular passion for Rhone varietals through a series of Jeffersonian dinners featuring such delectables as smoked goose and Cote Rotie wines. Wines of Cote Rotie (composed of Syrah and Viognier) coming from the northern most part of the Rhone Valley caught the Cramer's attention. Growing Rhone varietals like Syrah and Viognier in Oregon meant striking out on their own, being pioneers as one seasoned grower told them in the spring of 1996. Little was known and success might be there for those who dared and who did their homework. The Rhone Valley wine-growing region is warmer and drier than the famed Burgunidian vineyards just to its north. As it turns out, the Umpqua Valley is also warmer and drier than the grape growing region just to its north, Oregon's Burgundy counterpart, the Williamette Valley, a region known for excellence in Pinot Noir. The Cramers reasoned that the Umpqua Valley, its volcanic soils, and favorable climate offered the conditions they sought for producing northern Rhone style wines.