Crawford Beck Vineyard

One of our most fortuitous meetings since Bill and I arrived in Oregon has been that of Jeanne and David Beck. Two scientists from New Jersey who, like Bill and me, decided in 2005 to “refocus” their lives and move to Oregon for the love and pursuit of Pinot noir. David is a graduate of Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and completed postdoctoral studies at Harvard University. He is an expert in cell culture and human genetic diseases. Jeanne, a similarly accomplished scientist worked on the Human Genome Project during her illustrious career. So what does this have to do with Pinot noir? Well, being two of the smartest people we’ve met, they are now focusing all of that energy and their tremendous intellect on farming this fickle varietal on their 15 acre vineyard. They have also become leaders on the Oregon Wine Board and the Oregon Wine Research Institute’s Policy Board. Additionally, they continue to do much of the farming themselves. We believe the combination of their intellect, scientific curiosity and passion for Pinot noir will create legendary fruit for generations to come. If you want to have some real fun, check out their website for one of the best compilations of vintage notes as well as current and historic weather information. It is a treat as well as an education.