Erin Glenn Wines, OR

About Erin Glenn Wines

The dream of Erin Glenn Winery was conceived in a garage in Hood River, Oregon in 1997, when Tim and Erin Schechtel began experimenting with grape juice leftover from a crush plant nearby.  There was no way of knowing that that very first vintage of Gewürztraminer would be the beginning of a life-changing adventure for Tim, Erin & their family of four daughters.  Tim and Erin moved their ever expanding family east to The Dalles ~ where rural simplicity and a community ready for change expressed everything they hoped for.

Erin Glenn’s first estate vineyards of Syrah & Gewürztraminer were planted in the spring of 2002 and the winery’s maiden production happened the following year, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris as the offerings.  Later came the birth of “Tantrum Red” ~ a fun red blend, and what has become Erin Glenn’s signature in the Columbia Gorge. Tantrum is a blend of locally grown fruit ~ Pinot Noir, Merlot & Barbera.

Erin Glenn now produces such little-known varietals as Tempranillo, Dolcetto, Barbera and Viognier, as well as the more familiar wines like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah.
 
The people of The Dalles have welcomed the Schechtel family with open arms and hearts and have been integral in creating “The Mint”  an urban winery/ "joint" and local hangout.  Local musicians can be found jamming at The Mint every 3rd Friday and larger concerts are promoted there as often as winemaking allows.  Wine tasting is always complimentary.

At Erin Glenn we believe that wine tasting is a very personal experience that is dependent upon many factors, from level of experience to what you had for lunch.  Instead of telling you what we think our wines smell and taste like, we’d like you to tell us!  Remember, all palates are unique and everyone loves something different about every wine they encounter.  Please feel free to ask us questions about where the grapes came from and process of how they came to be in the bottle – but when it comes to smell, taste and experience, well, that’s up to you!

History

When the Schechtel family moved to The Dalles, Oregon in 2001 ~ the small agricultural & industrial town had not yet made its presence known to the wine industry.  Recognized as the epicenter of trade during the Lewis & Clark days, few people knew that wine grapes had been growing in the Mill Creek drainage of Mount Hood for nearly 100 years.

Things have sure changed in the past 6 years!  Erin Glenn is Wasco County’s oldest winery and one of several located in and around The Dalles.  In 2001 there were a handful of wineries scattered throughout The Columbia Gorge – today there are almost 30 and the number is growing almost by the day...

Erin Glenn’s winery and tasting room are located at The Mint ~ a fortress-like edifice commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864. After the gold rush failed to produce, the Feds thought better of their original plan and pulled up stakes, leaving the building incomplete and vacant.  It served as a moving and storage facility, among other things until 2005 when Erin Glenn moved in and began producing its wines here.

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